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🇳🇴 Norway /Culture & Society

She recalled a powerful meeting with King Harald. Now she has been invited to his funeral

From Aftenposten · () Norwegian

Translated from Norwegian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Outcome reported
  • Marthe Kristina Paulsen, now 36, met King Harald when she was 13 and told him about painful experiences from her childhood.
  • The king told her, “It is not your fault.” She said she was glad to attend his funeral because she never had the chance to thank him.
  • Thousands are expected in central Oslo for the funeral, with the service scheduled to end around 3:50 p.m. before a salute and the raising of flags to full staff.

When Marthe Kristina Paulsen was 13, she visited the Royal Palace with a children’s group organized by Alternative to Violence and told King Harald about painful experiences from her childhood.

“It is not your fault,” the king told her. Paulsen, now 36, recently described the meeting to NRK. She has since been invited to attend the funeral of the late king.

Because she never had the opportunity to thank him, Paulsen said she found it meaningful to take part in his funeral. Thousands of people are expected in central Oslo for the ceremony.

It is not your fault.

· King Harald VHe spoke to Marthe Kristina Paulsen during their meeting when she was 13.

The Norwegian Meteorological Institute forecast temperatures slightly above 15 degrees, with a chance of rain showers. Police have said umbrellas will not be allowed inside the secured area around the funeral.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki is expected to attend, along with members of the royal families of Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden, Japan’s crown princely couple, and the royal couples of the Netherlands and Belgium. Flags at state institutions will remain at half-staff until the funeral ends, around 3:50 p.m., when they will be raised to full staff as a salute is fired from Akershus Fortress.

Because I did not have the opportunity to thank him, I think it is very nice that I can take part in his funeral.

· Marthe Kristina PaulsenShe explained why she wanted to attend King Harald’s funeral.
About this summary

Originally published by Aftenposten in Norwegian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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