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Prince William and the Princess Royal are today in Oslo for the funeral of King Harald V at the Norwegian capital's cathedral.

The Prince of Wales is there on behalf of King Charles, as longstanding royal convention prevents the reigning sovereign from attending the funerals of fellow heads of state.

As heir to the throne, the responsibility to represent his father at Wednesday's service falls to him.

Princess Anne, meanwhile, is present in a private capacity, given her role as godmother to Norway's new monarch, Haakon VIII.

King Harald V was King Charles's second cousin once removed.

Following the announcement of Harald's death, the King paid tribute to his "dear cousin" and "much-loved kinsman and friend."

In a Buckingham Palace statement, Charles praised the late monarch for serving Norway's people with "unwavering dedication," noting that he had steered the nation through periods of change with "warmth and humility."

The British and Norwegian royal families share deep ancestral ties, both the late Queen Elizabeth II and Harald were second cousins, descended from the same great-grandparents, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

William has prior experience fulfilling this diplomatic duty, having represented his father at Pope Francis's funeral in Vatican City in April last year.

The Prince of Wales also has a personal connection to Norway, having undertaken an official visit there with the now-Princess of Wales in 2018.

During that trip, the couple dined with Harald and Queen Sonja at the Royal Palace in Oslo, where the late king referred to them as "family" and commended their support of Queen Elizabeth II.