The president called the late King a “greatly respected man”
Credit: SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty; HANNA JOHRE/NTB/AFP via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Donald Trump was not among the dozens of world leaders in attendance at King Harald of Norway’s funeral on Sept. 9
- Trump skipped the funeral to travel to Texas, where he is delivering remarks at a GOP midterm convention in Dallas
- Trump paid tribute to the late monarch in a Truth Social post after his Aug. 28 death
While dozens of world leaders gathered in Oslo for the state funeral of King Harald V, U.S. President Donald Trump was not among them.
Trump, 80, skipped the service at the Oslo Cathedral on Wednesday, Sept. 9, to travel to Texas for the Republican National Committee Midterm Convention, where he is expected to deliver remarks this evening.
The convention, which is two days long, is being held in Dallas. After speaking on Wednesday, Trump will close out the convention on Thursday, Sept. 10, after a speech from Vice President JD Vance.
Credit: Cornelius Poppe / NTB / AFP via Getty
Although Trump was absent at the funeral on Wednesday, many other world leaders were in attendance, including King Felipe, Queen Letizia and Queen Sofía of Spain; King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, Princess Amalia and Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands; and King Carl Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, Princess Madeleine and Princess Christina of Sweden.
Attendees also included King Frederik, Queen Mary, Crown Prince Christian and Princess Benedikte of Denmark; King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan; Prince Pavlos of Greece; Crown Prince Akishino (Fumihito) and Crown Princess Akishino (Kiko) of Japan; and more.
King Harald died in the early morning hours of Friday, Aug. 28, at the Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet. He was 89 years old and had spent nearly two weeks in the hospital being treated for a rare blood condition.
Trump paid tribute to the late monarch in a Truth Social post following the news of his death.
Credit: Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty
“Very sad to hear about the passing of King Harald of Norway — a strong, proud, and greatly respected man,” he wrote. “He loved his country and was truly loved and respected by his people.
“Our hearts are with the Royal Family, and all of Norway, during this difficult time,” the president continued. “A truly BIG loss!”
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One prominent world leader not present at the funeral, in keeping with long-standing tradition in the British monarchy, was King Charles.
The British sovereign rarely attends the funerals of other heads of state. The late Queen Elizabeth only attended one amid her 70-year reign: The funeral of King Baudouin of Belgium in 1993.
Instead of the King, his son and heir, Prince William, attended as his representative. Princess Anne was also at King Harald’s funeral in a private capacity, as she is a godmother of the new King Haakon.
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