King Frederik and Queen Mary have postponed their state visit to Belgium, which had been due to take place 8-10 September, in order to attend the funeral service of King Harald.
Shortly after the Norwegian Royal Court announced that King Harald’s funeral will take place on 9 September, the Head of Communications at the Danish Royal Court released a statement announcing that King Frederik and Queen Mary have postponed their state visit.
The statement reads: “In connection with the death of His Majesty King Harald V, the state visit of Their Majesties the King and Queen to Belgium, which was to have taken place on 8 to 10 September 2026, is postponed.”
Nina Munch Perrin, the Head of Communications, also revealed in the statement that the royal couple will attend King Harald’s funeral, while a future announcement about other members of the Danish Royal Family’s participation will be announced at a later date.
King Harald passed away on 28 August at the age of 89.
After his death was announced, King Frederik and Queen Mary ordered the flags at Amalienborg Castle to fly at half-mast in King Harald’s honour.
The royal couple also released a statement for King Haakon, writing about his late father that: “Your father has had a great impact on my mother and on us. Uncle Harald, with his warm personality and rock-solid calm, could make anyone relax in his company. He was a fine man with a twinkle in his eye and a big heart.”
King Harald was godfather to King Frederik; and the closeness of the families continues down the line. King Frederik was King Haakon’s best man at his 2001 wedding to Queen Mette-Marit, and the two are godfathers to each other’s heir—King Frederik to Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and King Haakon to Crown Prince Christian.
The Danish state visit to Belgium will take place at a later date.
The three-day visit had been billed as a way to create “continuity and stability in their countries during periods of change” to strengthen Europe amidst geopolitical change.
