Norway's Princess Astrid died on Friday at the age of 94, the royal palace announced. She passed away two days after attending the state funeral of her younger brother, King Harald V, who died last month at age 89 after a 35-year reign.

The palace stated that "His Majesty the King has received with great sadness the news of the passing of Princess Astrid. The Princess fell asleep today, Friday 11 September, at the age of 94." King Haakon VIII, Astrid's nephew, praised her lifelong service, noting that she "represented the Royal House in a warm and dutiful manner" and was "particularly concerned with care and inclusion for the most vulnerable in society."

Princess Astrid was the last surviving child of King Olav V and Crown Princess Märtha of Sweden. Born Astrid Maud Ingeborg on February 12, 1932, she stepped into the role of Norway's first lady at age 22 following her mother's death in 1954. She held that position until her brother Harald married in 1968. She married Johan Ferner in 1961, and the couple had five children before his death in 2015.

Her final public engagement came on September 9, when she attended King Harald's funeral at Oslo Cathedral in a wheelchair. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said the princess will be buried at state expense, with flags flown at half-mast across Norway.

Astrid's health had declined in recent months. She received hospital treatment for pneumonia in March and was hospitalized again in May for heart failure, after which she used a wheelchair. Her death came exactly two weeks after her brother's on August 28.

Tributes from family members described her as loyal and supportive. Her five children issued a joint statement calling her "the best mother we could have" and highlighting her warmth, wisdom, and genuine care for others. King Haakon called her passing "a great loss for us."

Details of her funeral have not yet been released, but it is expected to follow the same state honors as her brother's.