Princess Astrid of Norway, the elder sister of the late King Harald V, passed away on Friday at the age of 94, as announced by the Royal Palace. Her last public appearance was at her brother’s funeral on Wednesday, according to reports.
“His Majesty the King received with great sadness the news that Princess Astrid has died. The Princess passed away today, Friday, September 11, at the age of 94,” the royal house stated in a press release.
New King Haakon VIII, who ascended the throne following his father’s death on August 28, remarked, “Throughout her long life, Princess Astrid represented the Royal House in a warm and respectful manner. Aunt Astrid was an important support for King Harald and for all of us, other family members. We learned much from her, and she was never afraid to speak openly. Her passing is a great loss for us. We will miss her. My family and I send warm thoughts to Princess Astrid’s closest friends,” as quoted in the Royal Palace statement.
The Norwegian Royal Family in Mourning Again
Princess Astrid was the second daughter and, following King Harald’s death, the last surviving child of King Olav V (who reigned from 1957 to 1991) and Princess Märtha of Sweden.
After her mother’s death in 1954, she served as Norway’s first lady during the reign of her grandfather, King Haakon VII (1905-1957), and continued in this role throughout her father’s reign, until her brother’s marriage in 1968.
Astrid married Norwegian sailor Johan Ferner, an Olympic medalist, in 1961 and had five children. In her later years, she engaged in public events, received an honorary pension from the government, and remained active in commemorative gatherings.
She served as president of the Princess Märtha Louise Memorial Fund and was the patron of several organizations, particularly those supporting children and youth with dyslexia.
