King Harald V passed away on August 28, 2026 at 89 years old, and his state funeral is scheduled for September 9 at 1 PM at the Oslo Cathedral. You will find out here, without beating around the bush, why Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron will be absent and who will represent France at these royal funeral.
In brief: the Élysée and Matignon explain a locked diplomatic agenda in Paris (Light Summit, South Korean state visit, and opening of the International Space Summit), hence the decision to send the Prime Minister to preserve international relations.
Context of the royal funeral in Oslo
The Royal Palace of Oslo has communicated the protocol: the ceremony will take place at the Oslo Cathedral led by Olav Fykse Tveit and Bishop Sunniva Gylver. Queen Sonja, King Haakon, and the royal family will receive delegations from Europe and beyond. Thousands of Norwegians are laying flowers in front of the palace, a sign of national mourning after a reign of more than thirty-five years.
The official reasons for the presidential couple’s absence
The Élysée specifies that the presidential calendar is incompatible with a trip on September 9. On September 7, Emmanuel Macron co-chairs the Light Summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, and then hosts the Korean delegation for a state dinner. On September 9, he opens the International Space Summit at the Grand Palais: these diplomatic commitments explain the absence of the couple and are the main reason cited by Paris.
Sébastien Lecornu in Oslo: a high-level representation
France will be represented by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, chosen to ensure an official and continuous presence. Lecornu knows Norway for having participated in June 2025 in the presidential delegation, at a state banquet, and on military visits, an experience cited in the press. Sending the head of government guarantees the protocol and symbolic management of bilateral relations during these royal funerals.
Diplomatic impact and memory of the sovereign
In terms of international relations, the absence of the presidential couple is compensated by a high-level French presence. The historical link between Paris and Oslo dates back to state visits, notably King Harald’s visit to France in March 2000. Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to the sovereign by emphasizing his role in strengthening Franco-Norwegian ties, a formulation echoed by several French media that explained the diplomatic choice.
To learn more about the French representation, the protocol, and the personal link between France and Norway, check out this Gala article and discover more about Sébastien Lecornu and the connections with the Macron family at sebastien-auziere.fr.
