King Felipe VI arrived in Oslo on Wednesday to bid farewell to Norway’s King Harald V at his state funeral, accompanied by Queen Letizia and Queen Sofía. For the solemn occasion, the Spanish monarch wore the Navy’s full-dress uniform reserved for his rank as Captain General, complete with medals, insignia and deeply symbolic details.
© Getty ImagesOne detail in particular stands out: the red Captain General’s sash around Felipe VI’s waist, presented to him by his father, King Juan Carlos, on the day he became King. The historic piece dates back to June 19, 2014, when Juan Carlos personally placed it on his son shortly before Felipe was proclaimed King and assumed supreme command of Spain’s Armed Forces. It wasn’t the only meaningful decoration he wore in Oslo. His uniform also included a special tribute to Norway.
© NTB/AFP via Getty ImagesFelipe VI Wears the Spanish Navy’s Full-Dress Uniform
The first question raised by the images is exactly which uniform the King chose for the occasion. The answer can be found in Spain’s Armed Forces uniform regulations. Felipe VI is wearing the Spanish Navy’s full-dress uniform, rather than its most formal ceremonial version.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesOrder DEF/114/2025 establishes that the full-dress uniform is worn, among other solemn occasions, at the burials and funerals of heads of state. His choice for Harald V’s funeral therefore follows military protocol. In the Navy, this uniform consists of a navy-blue frock coat, a white shirt, a black tie, full-size decorations, white gloves and, for general officers, a red sash.
© WireImageIn the King’s case, however, there is another distinction. This is not simply a Spanish Navy full-dress uniform. It is the uniform he wears as Captain General, the highest military rank he holds as Spain’s head of state.
The Red Sash King Juan Carlos Presented to Him 12 Years Ago
The most striking element of Felipe VI’s uniform is the red sash around his waist, a piece with profound historical significance. King Juan Carlos presented it to his son on the morning of June 19, 2014, at Zarzuela Palace, shortly before Felipe VI swore allegiance to the Constitution and was proclaimed King before the Spanish Parliament. The gesture symbolized the transfer of supreme command of the Armed Forces to the new monarch.
© AFP via Getty ImagesSince then, the sash has become one of the defining elements of the King’s appearances in military uniform as Captain General of the Armed Forces.
Article 62 of the Spanish Constitution states that the King holds “supreme command of the Armed Forces,” one of the constitutional responsibilities associated with the Crown.
A Red Sash With Centuries of Military History
The sash’s color is no coincidence. Red is the traditional color of the Spanish military sash, a custom dating back to the era of the Spanish Tercios that has remained associated with generals and the military’s highest-ranking officers.
© NTB/AFP via Getty ImagesThe sash is worn around the waist over the tunic or frock coat and tied in a bow on the left side. Its two ends hang from the bow and are finished with large gold tassels.
The sash also features what are known in Spanish military terminology as entorchados, embroidered chains of leaves that identify general officers. The number of these embroidered elements corresponds to the four-pointed stars associated with military rank. In Felipe VI’s case, as Captain General, there are five stars, denoting the highest rank.
What at first glance might look like a simple red sash is therefore one of the pieces that most clearly illustrates the King’s constitutional and military role.
The Order of the Golden Fleece He Received From His Father
Another of the most important distinctions in Felipe VI’s life can be seen on his chest: the Order of the Golden Fleece.
The then Prince of Asturias received the prestigious honor from King Juan Carlos in 1981, when he was just 13 years old. It has a particularly strong connection to his personal history, having accompanied the current King throughout much of his time as heir to the throne.
© AFP via Getty ImagesMore than four decades later, the Golden Fleece once again appears on his uniform during an occasion of extraordinary solemnity, with Felipe VI representing Spain alongside members of Europe’s other royal families.
The Red Sash of the Order of St. Olav, a Nod to Norway
Another red sash visible in the images could easily cause some confusion. Felipe VI is also wearing the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav, one of Norway’s highest honors.
The sash, worn diagonally across his chest, takes on particular significance in Oslo. Felipe VI received the distinction while he was still Prince of Asturias, and wearing it at Harald V’s funeral serves as a gesture of respect toward both the Norwegian royal family and a nation Spain joins in mourning today.
The corresponding star of the order can also be seen alongside the other decorations on the King’s uniform.
The Grand Cross of Charles III and Three Military Grand Crosses
Felipe VI’s uniform also displays several of his other major honors. Among them is the Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, one of Spain’s highest civil orders.
Also prominent are the three Grand Crosses representing the country’s three branches of the Armed Forces: Military Merit, Naval Merit and Aeronautical Merit.
The presence of all three decorations carries a clear significance. Felipe VI is Captain General of all three branches and, as King, holds supreme command of Spain’s Armed Forces.
The Three Decorations Princess Leonor Now Wears as Well
This is where one of the details most clearly connects Felipe VI’s appearance with that of his daughter.
Princess Leonor has gradually added the same three military Grand Crosses to her uniform as she has completed the different stages of her military training. The heir to the throne first received the Grand Cross of Military Merit, followed by the Grand Cross of Naval Merit and, finally, the Grand Cross of Aeronautical Merit. Together, they form the same trio of decorations worn by her father.
© Getty ImagesThe parallel is no coincidence. Leonor is following the military path expected of the future monarch, who will one day be called upon to serve as Captain General of the Armed Forces, a role the Constitution assigns to the sovereign.
White Gloves and a Peaked Cap Complete the Uniform
Two final details complete Felipe VI’s appearance in Oslo: the white gloves and the peaked cap he wears on his head.
White gloves are a regulation component of the full-dress uniform and add an additional degree of formality to attire reserved for ceremonies of particular importance. In photographs from the funeral, the King can be seen holding them in his hand as he greets officials and other attendees.
© AFP via Getty ImagesHe also wears the Spanish Navy’s peaked cap, with a black visor and the insignia corresponding to his rank. It is another element of the uniform that identifies his status as Captain General of the Navy and of Spain’s Armed Forces as a whole.
