A somber week for Norway's royals: another loss confirmed

The Norwegian royal family laid Princess Astrid to rest on September 23, but one of her most beloved companions was missing from the funeral. King Harald’s 94-year-old sister—who died just two days after his funeral—was hardly ever seen without her rescue dog, Wilma, and on September 24, the palace confirmed the tiny Chihuahua mix passed away shortly after her owner.

"Recently, Wilma lived with one of Princess Astrid's children," palace communications advisor Simen Sund told Norwegian media outlet NRK. “Days after Princess Astrid's passing, Wilma also fell asleep quietly, lying where she felt most comfortable—on a good lap.”

The 12-year-old dog “had been ill for some time,” per Sund, but before that, she was a regular fixture at royal appearances.

Princess Astrid, who used a wheelchair in her later years, frequently held Wilma on her lap while attending royal exhibitions and other events. During her funeral, priest Paul Erik Wirgenes spoke of the late princess's deep love of animals.

“The children remember packing for the summer holidays with dogs, budgies, parrots, rabbits and goldfish that would all be at the cottage,” he said during the service, per NRK.

In a touching interview with the media outlet earlier this year, she said the tiny dog had changed her life. "Wilma means everything to me," she said.

“It became a whole new world after she came home,” the princess added. “I had lost my old dog, and then there was a big void. It was great to have Wilma—instead of a broken world, I got a whole world when she came to me.”