Queen Sonja’s heartbreaking message for late husband King Harald as she stands next to his coffin

The Norwegian Royal Family has released heartbreaking new pictures of Queen Sonja mourning her husband, King Harald V, ahead of his funeral tomorrow.

On Wednesday (9 September), world leaders will gather together in Oslo to remember the late monarch, who died on August 28 at the age of 89.

While high-profile figures will have travelled to mourn a ruler, including Prince William representing the UK, Harald’s wife of 57 years, Queen Sonja, will be grieving her husband.

In the new photos released by the palace on social media, Sonja, also 89, wore all black as she stood alone, looking solemnly at her husband’s coffin, which is currently lying in state in the chapel of rest set up in the Royal Palace in Oslo.

A second picture showed the flower wreath she’d placed to pay tribute to Harald, and the emotional message that was written on its ribbon.

Translated from Norwegian, it reads: “Thank you for a good life.”

The tear-jerking saying has resonated with those mourning the King in Norway and has become a powerful symbol of Queen Sonja and Queen Harald’s love story.

The royal couple famously fought for nine years to get permission to marry because Sonja was a ‘commoner’ and the daughter of a clothing merchant, before they finally tied the knot in 1968.

Harald's father, King Olav V, initially forbade the wedding, as tradition stated that he should marry a woman of equal social stature, such as a princess or duchess.

As reported by Tatler, after Harald’s 30th birthday, he gave his father an ultimatum as Olav’s only heir.

He reportedly threatened that, if he were not to have children, then his family’s royal line and the monarchy would crumble.

So, Olav spoke with Norway’s parliament about the dilemma, and while the politicians didn’t give their explicit approval, they wouldn’t disapprove if the King gave his blessing.

The rest is history - on 18 March 1968, the King announced to the speaker of the Storting that his son would be marrying Sonja.

The couple went on to welcome Princess Märtha Louise and Haakon VIII, the latter of whom became King following his death.

Since Harald’s death, the royal family and the country has been in an official state of mourning.

Tens of thousands of Norwegians have expressed their grief by laying flowers, writing cards and lighting candles in front of the royal palace in Oslo, where the coffin arrived late Friday from hospital.

“This Sunday is different. His Majesty King Harald is dead. A family has lost their spouse, father, grandfather, father-in-law,” said Dean Pal Kristian Balstad as he opened a service in Oslo Cathedral, Norway’s public broadcaster NRK reported.

The royal family attended a service at Asker Church, southwest of Oslo, ahead of the bigger funeral tomorrow.

King Haakon has expressed his pain at the death of his father and promised to lead the country with the same dedication.

“I’m going to miss him. I’ll miss his laughter. His good-natured way of dealing with people and situations,” he said in his first speech as king that was broadcast live on public television.

Trying to hold back his tears, he vowed to give everything for the country as its king.

“That means, in the ultimate sense, being willing to risk everything, even one’s life, for Norway’s freedom and independence,” Haakon said.