12th September 2026 – (Oslo) Princess Astrid of Norway, the sister of the late King Harald V, has died aged 94, the Royal Court announced. The death came two days after the state funeral for King Harald, who passed away on 28th August aged 89 after more than 35 years on the throne. Crown Prince Haakon acceded as King Haakon VIII and led national mourning at Wednesday’s funeral in Oslo.
In a message of condolence, King Haakon said that throughout her long life Princess Astrid represented the Royal House “in a warm and dutiful manner,” reflecting her decades of public service and quiet counsel within the family. The Royal Court said flags at the Royal Palace would fly at half‑mast today and again on the day of the funeral. Further details of the arrangements will be released by the Court in due course.
Princess Astrid was the last surviving child of King Olav V and Crown Princess Märtha. Following her mother’s death in 1954, she assumed the role of Norway’s first lady at just 22, a position she held until her brother married Sonja Haraldsen in 1968. Her passing closes a defining chapter for the post‑war royal generation that helped shape modern Norway’s constitutional monarchy.
Norwegians only just bade farewell to King Harald in a funeral service on 9th September, attended by members of the Royal Family and dignitaries, with ceremonies overseen by the government and armed forces. The service marked the end of a period of national mourning and the beginning of a new reign, symbolised by King Haakon VIII’s oath of allegiance to the Constitution.
