On 12 October 2026, Queen Sonja of Norway visited Nasjonalarkivet (the National Archives of Norway) at Sognsvann in Oslo. During the visit, she saw how messages of condolence, letters, children’s drawings and other personal tributes following the passing of King Harald are being collected and preserved for posterity.
In the days before and after King Harald’s passing, Palace Square was filled with flowers, candles, letters, drawings and personal messages. These tributes expressed grief, gratitude and a desire to say farewell to the King.
The National Archives has been responsible for collecting the materials gathered by the Royal Palace gardeners and will preserve a selection of these tributes. The initiative aims to ensure that these messages become part of the shared history of King Harald and reflect his significance to the Norwegian people.
During her visit, Queen Sonja received a briefing on the National Archives’ public responsibilities and its work to preserve records documenting contemporary society. National Archivist Inga Bolstad explained the institution’s duties and the importance of preserving records that provide insight into our society, its people and our history.
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