King Frederik and Queen Mary have postponed their state visit to
Belgium, which had been due to take place 8-10 September, in order
to attend the funeral service of King Harald.
Shortly after the Norwegian Royal Court announced that
King Harald’s funeral will take place on 9 September, the Head
of Communications at the Danish Royal Court released a statement announcing that King
Frederik and Queen Mary have postponed their state visit.
The statement reads: “In connection with the death of His
Majesty King Harald V, the state visit of Their Majesties the King
and Queen to Belgium, which was to have taken place on 8 to 10
September 2026, is postponed.”
Nina Munch Perrin, the Head of Communications, also revealed in
the statement that the royal couple will attend King Harald’s
funeral, while a future announcement about other members of the
Danish Royal Family’s participation will be announced at a later
date.
King Harald passed away on 28 August at the age of 89.
After his death was announced, King Frederik and Queen Mary
ordered the flags at Amalienborg Castle
to fly at half-mast in King Harald’s honour.
The royal couple also
released a statement for King Haakon, writing about his late
father that: “Your father has had a great impact on my mother
and on us. Uncle Harald, with his warm personality and rock-solid
calm, could make anyone relax in his company. He was a fine man
with a twinkle in his eye and a big heart.”
King Harald was
godfather to King Frederik; and the closeness of the families
continues down the line. King Frederik was King Haakon’s best man
at his 2001 wedding to Queen Mette-Marit, and the two are
godfathers to each other’s heir—King Frederik to Crown Princess
Ingrid Alexandra and King Haakon to Crown Prince Christian.
The Danish state visit to Belgium will take place at a later
date.
The three-day visit had been billed as a way to create
“continuity and stability in their countries during periods of
change” to strengthen Europe amidst geopolitical change.
