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.
