A senior member of Norway’s royal family has been rushed to hospital just hours after attending a public event.

Princess Astrid, the 94-year-old sister of King Harald, was taken to an emergency department by ambulance on Wednesday, according to Norwegian magazine Se og Hor.

Earlier that day, the royal had attended a 100th anniversary celebration for the Blindern and Vinderen Sanitetsforening, an organisation focused on improving women’s health and living conditions.

Princess Astrid has served as patron of the organisation since 1954.

Born in 1932, she is one of the world’s longest-serving working royals and currently holds more than a dozen patronages.

In a previous interview with NRK, the princess said her motivation to continue royal duties was driven by a desire to remain “useful”.

“That I can be of help to someone,” she said. “That I can still be useful for something. It’s a very good feeling.”

The princess, who has used a wheelchair since 2022, said she remains actively involved in her charitable work.

“I sit in a chair and stuff, but it’s my legs that fail and not so much my head, so I remember things and I can be involved with things.”

Her hospitalisation comes during a challenging period for the Norwegian Royal Family.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit was recently named in documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein, prompting her to express her “deepest regret” over a past friendship with the convicted sex offender.

Being named in the documents is not evidence of wrongdoing.

Separately, her son Marius Borg Høiby is awaiting a court verdict after being charged with multiple offences, including allegations of rape and assault. He has pleaded not guilty to the most serious charges but admitted to some lesser offences. A decision is expected on June 15.

It comes as large crowds of royal fans turned out to welcome the Princess of Wales as she arrived in Italy for her first solo overseas work trip in four years.

Princess Kate was all smiles as she greeted well-wishers in Reggio Emilia, waving to those gathered in the northern city as she began her official engagements.

Her last international work trip was in 2022, before her cancer diagnosis and subsequent chemotherapy treatment.

The visit is part of her ongoing work with the Royal Foundation for Early Childhood, with the trip described as a “fact-finding mission” and expected to be the first of several similar visits abroad.

In recognition of her efforts, the future queen is set to receive Reggio Emilia’s highest honour, the Primo Tricolore.

Excited locals cheered as she stepped out into the town square, with Catherine even addressing the crowd in Italian, saying: “I speak a little Italian. What is your name? I am Caterina.”