Princess Astrid of Norway’s funeral will take place at Ris Church in Oslo on Wednesday, September 23, the Norwegian Royal Court has announced.
The service is scheduled for 1pm local time. For readers in Britain, that is noon BST; the corresponding time is 11am UTC.
The announcement follows Astrid’s death on September 11 at the age of 94, two days after she attended the funeral of her younger brother, King Harald V.
What has been announced about the service?
The Royal Court’s September 15 notice, listed on its press page and reproduced by Public Technologies, confirms the date, church and start time.
It also says the ceremony will be transmitted live and made available to Norwegian media. That does not, by itself, confirm an international television channel or a public streaming link.
The media arrangements name NTB and NRK as the photography pool inside the church. An outside press area is planned, with accreditation due by September 21 at 3pm.
The notice does not list foreign royal guests or explain public admission arrangements. It would therefore be premature to name British attendees or assume that viewers can enter the church.
Why Astrid held a distinctive royal role
In the Palace’s statement announcing her death, King Haakon VIII recalled that Astrid took on the role of first lady at just 22 after the death of his grandmother, Crown Princess Märtha.
He described his aunt as an important source of support for King Harald and the wider family, praising her loyalty, humour and concern for vulnerable people. Her children also paid tribute to her warmth and dedication.
Haakon ordered the flag on the Palace balcony to be lowered to half-mast on the day she died and on the funeral day.
Astrid’s service will be held at a different venue from Harald’s September 9 funeral at Oslo Cathedral. Reuters reported that her attendance at her brother’s funeral was her final public appearance.