The Prince of Wales will attend the funeral of King Harald V of Norway in Oslo on Wednesday, Buckingham Palace has announced.

Prince William is travelling to represent his father, King Charles. Royal sources explain that his attendance aligns with the long-standing convention that the British monarch does not usually attend the funeral of another head of state in person.

Princess Anne will also travel to Oslo for the service in a personal capacity, as she is godmother to Norway's new monarch, King Haakon VIII.

King Harald died last month at the age of 89 following a 35-year reign. A popular and modernising figure who famously broke with royal tradition by marrying a commoner, now widowed Queen Sonja, he remained a respected and unifying presence throughout his life.

Ahead of the funeral, thousands of people in the Norwegian capital have queued to pay their respects during the late king's lying in state at the Royal Palace chapel.

Large crowds are expected on 9 September for the public farewell, which will feature a funeral procession through Oslo followed by a formal service at Oslo Cathedral. Prince William will join Queen Sonja, the Norwegian royal family, and visiting European royals before King Harald is laid to rest in a private burial at the royal mausoleum inside Akershus Fortress.

Tributes have focused on King Harald's warmth and dedication to duty. In a televised broadcast, King Haakon thanked his father directly, saying: "Thank you for being such a good dad." He added that his father represented the values of a "society built on law and justice, where everyone is of equal value".

In his own message, King Charles remembered his cousin for serving his people with "unwavering dedication, guiding Norway through times of great change with warmth and humility".

King Haakon assumes the throne during a turbulent period for the Norwegian royal household. His wife, Queen Mette-Marit, has faced public scrutiny over a past three-year friendship with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, for which she has apologised. Meanwhile, her son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, was convicted in June of rape and other offences, receiving a four-year prison sentence which he is currently appealing.

While Prince William prepares to travel to Norway, King Charles has returned to Scotland following a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Bayeux Tapestry exhibition in London. The King is scheduled to host Prime Minister Andy Burnham at Balmoral this weekend for the annual prime ministerial visit.

I will be following the funeral arrangements and proceedings in Oslo closely as the service approaches.