Princess Astrid of Norway’s beloved dog has died, just days after her own death.
The Norwegian royal court confirmed that Wilma, who was 12, had passed away. The news came on the day after Princess Astrid was laid to rest in a moving ceremony at Ris Church in Oslo.
Wilma was often seen with Astrid. The princess, who was 94 when she died, loved to take her pet with her on public engagements and it was rare for a birthday portrait of Astrid to be released without it featuring Wilma.
The death of the little dog was confirmed to Norwegian media source, NRK.
Princess Astrid died on September 11, two days after the funeral of her brother, King Harald. The two were very close and Astrid had been one of her younger brother’s main supporters through his 35 year long reign.
Harald died on August 28 at the age of 89. Astrid had been seen mourning him alone as his coffin lay in state in the chapel at the royal palace in Oslo. She was at his funeral at Oslo Cathedral on September 9. Soon afterwards, her health declined further and she died peacefully on September 11.
Princess Astrid had been an active member of Norway’s royal family for nine decades. Her public life began young and she was seen with her family at big events soon after her birth in 1932. She lived in the US during World War Two as Norway was occupied by the Nazis and the royals were under threat. Following the Allied victory, she returned to Norway and took up full time public engagements soon after completing her education at Oxford.
Astrid served as first lady of Norway for 15 years, taking on the role in 1954 following the death of her mother, Martha. She was first lady during the last years of the reign of her widowed grandfather, King Haakon VII and the first part of the reign of her father, King Olav. She only stepped aside when her brother married Sonja Haraldsen. Astrid continued to carry out numerous engagements well into her nineties.
At her side for many of those in the last years was Wilma. Astrid thought nothing of arriving at an event in her wheelchair with her dog in her lap. The princess was known for her sense of humour and geniality and Wilma’s presence was part of that.
Princess Astrid was laid to rest in Ris graveyard, next to her husband, Johan Martin Ferner. Whether Wilma rests with them, too, remains to be seen.
