Princess Astrid of Norway, the sister of the late King Harald V, has died at the age of 94. Her death was announced by the Norwegian Royal Palace two days after she attended her brother's funeral.
King Harald V died last month at the age of 89, following more than 35 years on the throne. His funeral on Wednesday was Princess Astrid's final public appearance. The princess, who was the last surviving child of King Olav V, will be buried at state expense, and flags will be flown at half-mast across Norway, according to Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
"Throughout her long life, Princess Astrid represented the Royal House in a warm and dutiful manner," said the new king, Haakon VIII, nephew of the late princess. He also noted that "in her work, Princess Astrid was always particularly concerned with care and inclusion for the most vulnerable in society."
Princess Astrid became Norway's first lady at age 22 in 1954, following the death of her mother, Crown Princess Märtha. Her father, King Olav V, did not remarry, and Astrid held the title until her brother's marriage in 1968. She had experienced deteriorating health in recent months and received hospital treatment for pneumonia in March.
Harald's funeral was attended by dozens of European royals and heads of state, including the Prince of Wales and three Nordic kings. Thousands of mourners lined the procession route in Oslo. Among the non-royal leaders paying their respects were Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.