Norway's Princess Astrid dies aged 94 two days after King's funeral
Norway's Princess Astrid, an older sister of the late king Harald, has died at the age of 94, the royal palace said in a statement, two days after the King's funeral.
Her brother Harald died last month, aged 89, after more than 35 years on the throne, and the princess made her last public appearance at his funeral on Wednesday.
"Throughout her long life, Princess Astrid represented the Royal House in a warm and dutiful manner," King Haakon VIII said in the statement.
"His Majesty the King has received with great sadness the news of the passing of Princess Astrid," the Palace said in a statement.
"The Princess fell asleep today, Friday 11 September, at the age of 94."
The death of the King
King Harald V of Norway died in late August, announced by the European country's royal court.
"King Harald passed away peacefully at Oslo University Hospital on Friday, 28 August," the royal palace said on its website.
The King was laid to rest after a state funeral and ceremony on September 9.
Royal dignitaries seen at the funeral included Britain's Prince William, Japan's Crown Prince, the kings of Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and Spain.
Spain's Queen Sofia, Britain's Princess Anne, and Britain's Prince William leave the Oslo Cathedral after a funeral service for Norway's King Harald V in Oslo. (AP: Markus Schreiber)
Also paying their respects were European heads of state, the presidents of Germany and Finland, France's prime minister, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Representing the United States was Allison Hooker, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, the Norwegian government said.
King Harald, who was Europe's oldest living monarch, was taken to hospital on August 17.
The palace said he was treated for a bacterial infection in his blood.
"A whole nation is in mourning, and the people of Norway are left with a deep sense of gratitude for a long life in the service of Norway," the country's Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, said in a statement following the King's death.
The new King of Norway
His 53-year-old son who succeeded the throne, is now King Haakon VIII.
King Haakon adopted the motto, "All for Norway," a cry that dates back to his great-grandfather.
His wife became Queen Mette-Marit, while his oldest child became Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and the heir to the throne.
King Haakon and Queen Mette-Marit wave to the crowd from the balcony of the royal palace, on the day of the funeral of Norway's King Harald V. (Reuters: Claudia Greco )
In recent years Haakon has stepped in as his aging father's health began to fail.
He ascends the throne faced by the task of stabilising the nations monarchy and boosting the royal family's popularity after his wife's past contacts with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his stepson's rape conviction.
Queen Mette-Marit, 53, the King's commoner wife is recovering from a lung transplant she underwent in June.
Last week, the Queen had to cancel plans to attend her husband's oath ceremony in parliament due to complications after her operation.
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