King Haakon VIII of Norway said her aunt, Princess Astrid, died on Friday at 94.

The Norwegian Royal Palace, in a statement, said the king ordered that the flag be flown at half-mast from the palace balcony on Friday and on the day of her funeral.

The king said, “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. Her passing is a great loss to us. We will miss her.”

The monarch stated that Princess Astrid, who had been playing the role of First lady at 22 in 1954, after the death of her mother who is also his grandmother, Crown Princess Martha, represented the Royal House in a warm and dutiful manner.

He said the princess during her lifetime, cared for the most vulnerable members of society and performed her duties with loyalty, dedication and an infectious sense of humour.

Her demise came just two days after she made her last public appearance in Oslo, on Wednesday, at the funeral of King Harald V, who died in August at 89, after 35 years on the throne.

King Herald’s burial witnessed the attendance of foreign royals and world leaders.

Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, also said that the princess, the last surviving child of King Olav V, who reigned from 1957 to 1991, would be buried at state expense and flags flown at half-mast across the country.