Norwegian royals attend Princess Astrid's funeral as Queen Sonja is titled "king mother"
Princess Astrid, 94, was buried with Norwegian and Swedish royals present, and the Norwegian court announced Queen Sonja's new title of "king mother".
The funeral for 94-year-old Princess Astrid was attended by King Haakon, Queen Mette-Marit, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Norway's finance minister Jens Stoltenberg and Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria. Astrid died on 11 September, shortly after her brother King Harald and two days after the king's own funeral, which she had attended. In the ceremony’s press release, the royal household referred to Harald’s widow, former Queen Sonja, as "king mother" for the first time.
Why it matters
The funeral underscores the close ties between Norway and Sweden's royal families and introduces a new royal title.
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