Princess Astrid of Norway, sister of the late King Harald V whose funeral was held last Wednesday, died this Friday at the age of 94, as reported by the Norwegian Royal House.
King Haakon VIII has received with great sadness the news of his aunt’s death and has decided that the flags of the Royal Palace will be lowered to half-mast this Friday, as well as on the day of the funeral, according to the published note.
“Her death is a great loss for all of us. We will miss her,” said Haakon, who assumed the throne when his father Harald died on August 28 at the age of 89.
A delicate disease
His tragic loss comes after several months facing a delicate illness. So much so that last May he was implanted with a temporary pacemaker due to his heart failure.
In addition, in March she was also treated urgently due to pneumonia. Added to all this was the fact that he had mobility problems, hip pain and, on certain occasions, he used a wheelchair to get around.
King Haakon’s words
For his part, King Haakon has dedicated some nice words to her in a writing: “Throughout her long life, Princess Astrid represented the Royal House with warmth and dedication. At the age of 22, she had to assume the role of First Lady after the death of my grandmother, Crown Princess Märtha,” the letter began.
“In his work, he always showed special interest in the care and inclusion of the most vulnerable in society. He was very loyal and always carried out his duties with commitment, presence and a contagious spirit,” the message added.
“We learned a lot from her and she was never afraid to express her opinion. Her death is a great loss for us. We will miss her very much,” he concludes.
