Thousands of people have lined the streets of Oslo to pay tribute to King Harald as his coffin was driven back to the Royal Palace.
As the man who ruled Norway for 35 years made his final journey home, people crammed into every available space to pay tribute to him.
There were lines of people on bridges overlooking the motorway on which his cortege would travel as well as crowds several deep on the main routes themselves.
The final part of the journey, towards the Royal Palace, saw dense gatherings of people all looking to say farewell to a man who became part of Norway in the three and a half decades of his reign.
His plain wooden coffin had no flag or flowers on it for the journey and was carried in a hearse with inner lighting so that it could be seen as the day began to fade in Oslo.
Behind his coffin was a car carrying his widow, Queen Sonja, who tomorrow would have marked 58 years of marriage with King Harald. She spent several hours alone with him last night before his death and went, without observation, to the Rikshospitalet where he died to be with him after he passed away.
Also leading the mourners was Harald and Sonja’s son, now King Haakon VIII, and his wife, Queen Mette-Marit.
The new heir to the throne, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, was with them as was her brother, Prince Sverre Magnus.
King Harald and Queen Sonja’s daughter, Princess Martha Louise, was also with the family for the sad journey.
A light rain fell on the cortege as it wound its way through Oslo. Beneath umbrellas, people bowed their heads as Harald V, already called the People’s King, passed by them.
King Harald V died on August 28 just as dawn broke over Oslo. He was 89 and had been in hospital for 11 days after developing side effects from the cortisone treatment being used for a form of anaemia he had developed. He went on to get a blood infection which initially seemed to be clearing with antibiotics but his health worsened earlier this week.
His coffin will now lie in state until his funeral. There will be an opportunity for the many who feel his loss to pay their own personal tribute.
