First Norway's monarch King Harald V died. Then his sister, Princess Astrid died just days after attending his funeral. Now Astrid's beloved Chihuahua, Wilma, is also gone.
In life, the pair were inseparable. The 12-year-old dog was often seen perched on the lap of the 94-year-old, attending engagements on behalf of the Royal House. Astrid died on Sept. 11, and her funeral was held Sept. 23.
The Norwegian Court, which manages the communications of the royal family, confirmed Wilma's death but did not provide an exact date in a statement to USA TODAY. It said the cherished pet died within days of her owner.
"Wilma also passed away peacefully, resting where she was happiest – on a warm and welcoming lap," the statement said.
According to the Norwegian
Court, Wilma had been ill for some time and had been living with one of Astrid's children since the royal's death. Many people on social media had expressed concern about what would happen to the dog after her owner died.
Princess Astrid adopted Wilma from a rehoming and retirement home for dogs in need and the pair enjoyed living together for "several years," the statement said.
Astrid's love for animals, particularly dogs, sometimes drew comparisons to Queen Elizabeth II, who was rarely seen without her corgis hovering around her feet.
Princess Astrid was last seen in public at Harald's funeral in Oslo on Sept. 9. Harald died on Aug. 28, following a period of ill health. As his health deteriorated, Astrid was among the senior royals who rushed to be at his hospital bedside.
In a photo taken last year, Astrid sits in a wheelchair wearing a pearl necklace, pink lipstick and a fur coat. She drapes one arm around Wilma who is snuggled in a ball on her lap.
"Throughout her long life, Princess Astrid represented the royal house in a warm and dutiful manner," Norway's new monarch, King Haakon VIII, said in a statement posted on the official royal website following her death.
The tribute noted that she was rarely seen without Wilma.
In a statement, Astrid's five children, Cathrine, Benedikte, Alexander, Elisabeth and Carl-Christian Ferner, described her as "the best mother we could have."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Princess Astrid's beloved dog, Wilma, dies days after royal's death
