- Memorial services honouring King Harald following his death at the age of 89will be held in various locations across Norway on Sunday.
- This is separate to his official state funeral.
- King Haakon, along with his mother, Queen Sonja, and his two children, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, will attend a ceremony, which will take place at 11:00 a.m. in Asker Church.
Flowers are laid at the Palace Square in Oslo
The people of Norway have laid flowers in honour of the late King Harald V, ahead of memorial services held across the country on Sunday.
Europe's longest reigning monarch passed away aged 89 on Friday.
© Getty Images
Who else is expected to attend King Harald's memorial ceremonies?
While the Royal House did not specify in its statement, it's understood that Princess Märtha Louise will be present at the Asker ceremony.
She accompanied her mother, Queen Sonja, during King Harald's funeral procession to Oslo Palace. Her daughters, Maud Angelica, Leah Isadora, and Emma Tallulah, are also expected to attend. Märtha's husband, Durek Verrett, is not expected to be present , however, as he is recovering from a kidney transplant.
© Heiko Junge / NTB / AFP via Getty Images / Norway OUTArrivals begin at Asker Church ahead of the memorial service for King Harald V
Arrivals have begun ahead of the memorial service for the late King Harald, who died aged 89 on Friday. Mourners were pictured entering a church in Asker.
© dpa/picture alliance via Getty IQueen Mette-Marit will be absent from the ceremonies
Queen Mette-Marit will not be in attendance at the ceremonies on Sunday, it's been confirmed by the Royal Court.
In the statement, the Palace of Oslo affirms that, "as previously announced," King Haakon's wife "is recovering from the lung transplant she underwent in June and has limited participation in official events."
However, it's believed that she will be present at other events related to the passing of King Harald.
The Norwegian royal family announced in 2018 that Mette-Marit was suffering from a rare chronic lung disease – a rare form of fibrosis that causes the lungs to scar, making breathing difficult.
In June, the Crown Princess underwent a life-changing lung transplant after her pulmonary fibrosis worsened.
© WireImageKing Harald to be honoured in memorial services
Memorial services honouring the late King Harald following his death aged 89 will take place today.
The services, which aren't his official state funeral, will be held in various locations across Norway.
A state funeral has not yet been announced.
King Haakon, along with his mother, Queen Sonja, and his two children, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, will attend a ceremony, which will take place at 11:00 a.m. in Asker Church, located close to Skaugum Palace and a regular venue for the Royal Family's religious services.
© Getty Images
