Norway has once again been in mourning due to the death of Princess Astrid, the older sister of King Harald, who died on 11 September at the age of 94, just fifteen days after the passing of the beloved monarch. On Wednesday, Astrid was laid to rest in a funeral procession, led by King Haakon and Queen Mette-Marit, Crown Princess Ingrid, and Queen Sonja.
While King Harald's funeral was attended by all members of the Norwegian royal family and dozens of foreign dignitaries, there were several absences this time around. Both Prince Sverre, who is studying at Forward College in Lisbon, and Princess Märtha Louise, who is no longer a member of the Royal Family but retains her title, were absent.
Another notable absentee was Marius Borg Hoiby, the son of Queen Mette-Marit of Norway, who is currently under electronic monitoring at Skaugum Palace, where his mother and King Haakon reside. Unlike what happened at Harald's funeral, Marius has not requested permission from the prosecutor's office to attend this ceremony.
"We have not received any request in this regard," wrote police lawyer Oda Karterud to the news outlet Nettavisen.
The same media outlet asked the Palace on Tuesday whether Marius Borg would be among those attending Princess Astrid's funeral.
"We refer you to the official program on the website, which details the list of members of the Royal Family who will be attending Princess Astrid's funeral. We cannot answer questions about other guests," was the response Nettavisen received. Marius's lawyers also declined to comment further.
The fact that Marius was allowed to carry King Harald's coffin and subsequently attend the funeral drew some criticism. The son of Queen Mette-Marit was sentenced on 15 June 2026 by the Oslo District Court to four years in prison after being found guilty of 34 offences, including several rapes.
© WireImageMarius appealed this sentence, and the appeal has been accepted, meaning the entire case will be reviewed and a retrial scheduled for 9 February 2027. He is currently in pretrial detention under electronic monitoring.
How Princess Astrid's funeral played out
Princess Astrid's funeral took place at Ris Church in Oslo. Unlike King Harald's funeral, this wasn't a state funeral. The service for the final farewell to King Haakon's aunt was officiated by parish priest Paul Erik Wirgenes and the Bishop of Oslo, Sunniva Gylver.
© Getty ImagesAll Norwegians were invited to attend, with guests asked not to bring large bags, backpacks or umbrellas.
