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Norway’s Princess Astrid, the older sister of the late King Harald, died on Friday at the age of 94, the Norwegian Royal Palace said in a statement.
“Aunt Astrid was an important source of support for King Harald and the rest of our family. We learned a great deal from her, and she was never afraid to speak her mind,” King Haakon VIII said in the statement.
“Her passing is a great loss to us. We will miss her.”
The King added that Princess Astrid had stepped into the role of First Lady at just 22 following the death of his grandmother, Crown Princess Martha.
He said she was particularly committed to caring for and including the most vulnerable members of society and carried out her duties with loyalty, dedication and “an infectious sense of humour.”
The Princess made her last public appearance at King Harald’s funeral on Wednesday, as Norway bid farewell to the long-serving monarch, with crowds lining the streets of Oslo and foreign royals and world leaders attending the ceremony.