Norwegian Royal Princess Astrid Passes Away At 94, Two Days After King Harald’s Funeral

Princess Astrid of Norway has died aged 94, bringing a second major bereavement to the Norwegian Royal Family only two days after the funeral of her younger brother, King Harald V.

The Norwegian Royal Court confirmed that Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner, died peacefully on Friday, 11 September 2026. Her death came exactly two weeks after King Harald died aged 89 on 28 August and just 48 hours after she attended his funeral in Oslo.

Princess Astrid’s appearance at Oslo Cathedral for King Harald’s funeral on Wednesday, 9 September, became her final public appearance. Despite health difficulties earlier in the year, she was present as Norway and visiting world leaders gathered to say goodbye to the monarch.

King Haakon VIII, Princess Astrid’s nephew and Norway’s new monarch, said she had represented the Royal House throughout her life in a “warm and dutiful manner”.

He described his aunt as an important source of support to King Harald and the wider Royal Family, adding that she had a particular commitment to caring for vulnerable people.

“Aunt Astrid was an important source of support for King Harald and for the rest of us in the family,” the King said.

He added that the family would miss her deeply.

Princess Astrid’s five children – Cathrine, Benedikte, Alexander, Elisabeth and Carl-Christian Ferner also issued a joint tribute through the Royal Court.

They remembered their mother for her love, wisdom, warmth and humour, as well as the loyalty she showed to both King Olav V and King Harald V.

The family said they were united in grief and gratitude for the memories she had given them.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre paid tribute on behalf of the government, thanking Princess Astrid for her service to Norway over a long life.

Støre described her as a skilled, dedicated and engaged representative of the Royal House until the end. He also recalled seeing the Princess at King Harald’s funeral, one of her final appearances.

Princess Astrid Served as Norway’s First Lady for 14 Years

Astrid Maud Ingeborg was born on 12 February 1932, the second daughter of the future King Olav V and Crown Princess Märtha.

Her royal responsibilities increased dramatically after Crown Princess Märtha died in 1954.

Astrid was only 22 when she became Norway’s de facto First Lady, a role she continued to perform until Crown Prince Harald married Sonja Haraldsen in 1968.

For those 14 years she accompanied her father on official engagements, hosted visiting dignitaries and represented Norway at events at home and abroad.

She continued carrying out royal duties long after leaving the First Lady role and remained associated with numerous charities and organisations.

The Royal Court said much of her work focused on people with disabilities and those at risk of exclusion.

Astrid also chaired Crown Princess Märtha’s Memorial Fund, which supports social and humanitarian projects.

Royal historian and Princess Astrid biographer Trond Norén Isaksen described her sense of responsibility as one of the defining themes of her life.

Writing in Aftenposten after her death, Isaksen observed that Astrid understood royal privilege as inseparable from royal obligation.

He concluded, in translation:

“They no longer make royals like Princess Astrid.”

Isaksen also recalled how Astrid was repeatedly called upon to support the monarchy when relatively few members of the family were available for public engagements.

Even in later life, she continued attending events and maintaining patronages despite mobility problems.

Norwegian royal historian Dag Trygsland Hoelseth similarly highlighted the Princess’s character following the announcement.

He wrote:

“She will long be remembered for her sense of duty and commitment, good humor and warmth.”

Hoelseth noted that her last regular public engagement had taken place in May 2026.

She was subsequently admitted to hospital with heart failure and had a pacemaker fitted before recovering sufficiently to attend her brother’s funeral.

Princess Astrid married businessman and Olympic sailor Johan Martin Ferner in 1961. The couple had five children and remained married until Ferner’s death in 2015.

Her marriage was considered controversial at the time because Ferner was a commoner and had previously been married.

Astrid nevertheless continued performing official duties and remained one of the Royal House’s longest-serving representatives.

Historian Isaksen noted that she gave up her state allowance following the marriage but continued her royal work.

Her life also connected the modern Norwegian monarchy with some of the defining events of 20th-century European history.

During the Second World War, the young Astrid fled Norway with her mother, sister Ragnhild and brother Harald, eventually spending much of the war in the United States before returning to liberated Norway in June 1945.

She would ultimately live through the reigns of four Norwegian kings – her grandfather Haakon VII, her father Olav V, her brother Harald V, and, during the final two weeks of her life, her nephew Haakon VIII.

Her death therefore comes during an extraordinary period of transition for Norway’s monarchy.

King Harald’s death on 28 August ended a reign of more than 35 years and brought Haakon VIII to the throne.

Princess Astrid’s death two weeks later removed another figure who had provided decades of continuity within the institution.

The Royal Palace lowered its flag to half-mast following the announcement, and King Haakon ordered that it be lowered again on the day of Princess Astrid’s funeral.

Norwegian state institutions were also instructed to fly flags at half-mast on Friday.

The Norwegian government has confirmed that, following agreement with the family,

Princess Astrid’s funeral will be paid for by the state. Detailed funeral arrangements had not yet been publicly announced at the time of the latest official update.

For Norway, her death closes another chapter in a royal generation shaped by wartime exile, post-war reconstruction and more than seven decades of public service.