Princess Astrid of Norway Has Died — Two Days After Her Brother the King's Funeral

The Death of Princess Astrid

The Royal Palace of Norway confirmed that Princess Astrid, the elder sister of the late King Harald V, passed away on Friday, September 11, at the age of 94. The statement released by the palace does not specify the cause of death. As a sign of mourning, the flag on the balcony of the royal palace will be flown at half-mast both on the day of the princess's death and on the day of her funeral. This is reported by Wave (RBC-Ukraine), citing the official palace.

Her Last Public Appearance

According to Reuters, Astrid was last seen in public on September 9 — at the funeral of her brother, King Harald V, in Oslo. Thus, only two days passed between her attendance at the monarch's farewell ceremony and her own death. The princess's younger brother died in August at the age of 89, having reigned for more than 35 years.

Fourteen Years as First Lady

According to the biography published by the palace, Astrid served as the first lady of Norway from 1954 to 1968 — a total of 14 years. She assumed this role at the age of 22 following the death of her mother, Crown Princess Martha, and accompanied her father, King Olav V, on official trips, hosting guests at state events. After Harald's marriage to Sonja in 1968, the duties of first lady passed to his wife; however, Astrid continued to represent the royal family and headed the Crown Princess Martha Memorial Fund, which supports social and humanitarian initiatives. The princess is survived by five children.

The Royal Family's Reaction

The deceased's nephew, King Haakon VIII of Norway, stated that "Aunt Astrid was an important support for King Harald and the rest of our family," highlighting her long service to the royal house and her attention to people in need of special support. In a joint statement, the princess's children recalled her care, wisdom, and sense of humor.

Conflicting Data

Publishations by various outlets feature two different temporal references regarding the princess's death: some sources emphasize that she died "two days after her brother's funeral," while others (for example, the headlines of certain media) speak of "14 days after the king." These formulations do not contradict each other: the "two days" are counted from the date of Harald V's funeral (September 9), while the "14 days" are counted from the date of his death in August. Both counts converge on the same date of Astrid's death — September 11. The difference is purely editorial-chronological in nature and does not change the factual picture.

The Princess's Legacy

Princess Astrid remains in the history of the Norwegian monarchy as a figure who, at a young age, took on state duties and for decades maintained a presence in the public life of the royal family. Her passing marks the end of an era associated with the generation that lived through the reign of Olav V and the rise of Harald V, and leaves the Norwegian royal house in a period of official mourning.