Royal yacht Dannebrog heads into Oslo Fjord

The Danish royal yacht Dannebrog was sailing into Oslo Fjord on Tuesday morning, a day before King Harald’s funeral in Oslo. Open vessel data showed the ship entering the fjord, but it had not been disclosed whether the Danish royal couple was aboard.

King Frederik, Queen Mary, Crown Prince Christian and Princess Benedikte have previously been announced as participants in the funeral. Queen Margrethe will not attend after being hospitalized at Copenhagen’s Rigshospitalet on Sunday following an indisposition. The Danish royal household said she was doing well under the circumstances and remained in good spirits.

At the same time, several Norwegian vessels gathered in formation in the outer Oslo Fjord and sailed toward Oslo, according to Aleksander Hage, a press officer for Norway’s armed forces, who spoke to the NTB news agency. The movement was described as “a final salute to the monarch.”

Around 8:45 a.m., Dannebrog was several nautical miles ahead of the group of vessels, which had lined up behind the Norwegian frigate Fridtjof Nansen. The Norwegian vessels were expected to pass Oscarsborg fortress at the entrance to Oslo around 11:30 a.m. and arrive in Oslo at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The royal yacht Norge is expected to lie at Honnørbryggen in front of Oslo City Hall. The funeral ceremony will take place at Oslo Cathedral at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

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A final salute to the monarch.