Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner (Astrid Maud Ingeborg; born 12 February 1932) is the second daughter of King
Olav V
Olav V (; born Prince Alexander of Denmark; 2 July 1903 – 17 January 1991) was the King of Norway from 1957 until his death in 1991.
Olav was the only child of King Haakon VII of Norway and Maud of Wales. He became heir apparent to the Norw ...
and his wife,
Princess Märtha of Sweden
Princess Märtha of Sweden (Märtha Sofia Lovisa Dagmar Thyra; 28 March 1901 – 5 April 1954) was Crown Princess of Norway as the spouse of the future King Olav V from 1929 until her death in 1954. The presently reigning King Harald V is h ...
. She is the older sister of King
Harald V of Norway
Harald V ( no, Harald den femte, ; born 21 February 1937) is King of Norway. He acceded to the throne on 17 January 1991.
Harald was the third child and only son of King Olav V of Norway and Princess Märtha of Sweden. He was second in the li ...
and younger sister of the late
Princess Ragnhild.
Life
Princess Astrid was born on 12 February 1932 at Villa Solbakken to the future King
Olav V
Olav V (; born Prince Alexander of Denmark; 2 July 1903 – 17 January 1991) was the King of Norway from 1957 until his death in 1991.
Olav was the only child of King Haakon VII of Norway and Maud of Wales. He became heir apparent to the Norw ...
and
Crown Princess Märtha
''Crown Princess Märtha'' is a bronze statue of Crown Princess Märtha of Norway, by Kirsten Kokkin.
It is located at the Norwegian residence at Massachusetts Avenue and 34th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. It was unveiled 18 September 2005. ...
. She was baptized in the Palace Chapel on 31 March 1932 and her godparents were: her paternal grandparents,
King Haakon VII
Haakon VII (; born Prince Carl of Denmark; 3 August 187221 September 1957) was the King of Norway from November 1905 until his death in September 1957.
Originally a Danish prince, he was born in Copenhagen as the son of the future Frederick VI ...
and
Queen Maud of Norway
Maud of Wales (Maud Charlotte Mary Victoria; 26 November 1869 – 20 November 1938) was the Queen of Norway as the wife of King Haakon VII. The youngest daughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom, she was known as P ...
; her maternal grandparents,
Prince Carl and
Princess Ingeborg of Sweden; her maternal aunt,
Princess Astrid, Duchess of Brabant;
Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother);
Princess Thyra of Denmark
Princess Thyra of Denmark, , (Thyra Amalie Caroline Charlotte Anna; 29 September 1853 – 26 February 1933) was the youngest daughter and fifth child of Christian IX of Denmark and Louise of Hesse-Kassel. In 1878, she married Ernest Augustus, ...
;
Prince Eugen of Sweden; and
Prince George of the United Kingdom. Princess Astrid was named after the popular
maternal aunt,
paternal grandmother
Grandparents, individually known as grandmother and grandfather, are the parents of a person's father or mother – paternal or maternal. Every sexually-reproducing living organism who is not a genetic chimera has a maximum of four genetic gra ...
,
maternal grandmother
Grandparents, individually known as grandmother and grandfather, are the parents of a person's father or mother – paternal or maternal. Every sexually-reproducing living organism who is not a genetic chimera has a maximum of four genetic g ...
.
Princess Astrid grew up on the royal estate of
Skaugum
Skaugum is an estate, manor house and the official residence of Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and his wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit. The estate is located in Asker municipality, southwest of Oslo, by the foot of the mountain Skaugumsåsen. T ...
in
Asker
Asker ( no, Asker), properly called Askerbygda in Norwegian, is a district and former municipality in Akershus, Norway. From 2020 it is part of the larger administrative municipality Asker, Viken (also known as Greater Asker) in Viken county, ...
and was privately educated during her childhood. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, she joined her family fleeing the Nazis and spent the war with her mother, brother and sister in exile in
Washington, DC
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...
. Following the royal family's return to Norway she attended
Nissen's Girls' School and graduated with the
examen artium
Examen artium was the name of the academic certification conferred in Denmark and Norway, qualifying the student for admission to university studies. Examen artium was originally introduced as the entrance exam of the University of Copenhagen in 1 ...
university entrance exam in 1950. She then studied economics and political history for two years at
Oxford University
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to th ...
.
The princess later learnt other skills including dressmaking and cooking and pursued her interests in handicrafts. Princess Astrid studied ceramics with
Halvor Sandøs.
Princess Astrid's mother died on 5 April 1954 from
cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
at age 53 when Astrid was 22 years old. From her mother's death until her brother's marriage in August 1968, Princess Astrid was the senior lady of the court and acted as
first lady of Norway, working side-by-side with her father on all representation duties, including state visits.
Princess Astrid raised her family in
Vinderen
Vinderen is a neighbourhood in the Vestre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway. It was a separate borough until 1 January 2004, when it was incorporated into the newly established borough of Vestre Aker.
Its amenities include Vinderen station.
The prosp ...
; she now lives in
Nordmarka
Nordmarka is the mostly forested region which makes up the northern part of Oslo, Norway. Nordmarka is the largest and most central part of Oslomarka. The area called Nordmarka also extends into the municipalities of Hole, Ringerike, Lunner, Je ...
,
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...
. Her hobbies include knitting, embroidery, reading and painting porcelain.
In 2002, the Government granted the Princess an honorary pension in recognition of all her efforts on behalf of Norway both during and following her years as first lady. In 2005, she took part in ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, including the unveiling of a plaque marking the Norwegian monarch's exile in London.
In February 2012, Princess Astrid celebrated her 80th birthday with a private dinner at the Royal Palace in Oslo.
Marriage and children
Princess Astrid married divorced
commoner Johan Martin Ferner in
Asker
Asker ( no, Asker), properly called Askerbygda in Norwegian, is a district and former municipality in Akershus, Norway. From 2020 it is part of the larger administrative municipality Asker, Viken (also known as Greater Asker) in Viken county, ...
on 12 January 1961. Together, the couple have five children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Patronages
Princess Astrid is chair of the board of
Crown Princess Märtha’s Memorial Fund which provides financial support to social and humanitarian initiatives carried out by non-governmental organisations.
She is a
patron
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...
of several organisations. She has been particularly involved in work for children and young people with
dyslexia, herself having that condition.
*Foundation 3,14 – Gallery 3,14 (Hordaland International Art Gallery)
*The Norwegian Women’s Public Health Association
*The Norwegian Women’s and Family Association
*The Norwegian Women’s Defence League
*Oslo Art Association
*The Norwegian Women’s Voluntary Defence Association
*Inner Wheel Norway
*The Norwegian Dyslexia Association
*Dissimilis Norway
*Foreningen for Kroniske Smertepasienter ("The Norwegian Association of Chronic Pain Patients")
*
Trondheim Symphony Orchestra
The Trondheim Symphony Orchestra & Opera ( Norwegian: ''Trondheim Symfoniorkester & Opera'') is a Norwegian orchestra based in Trondheim, Norway. Its principal concert venue is the Olavshallen. The orchestra is organised as a trust and receives p ...
Titles, styles and honours
Titles
* 12 February 1932 – 12 January 1961: ''Her Royal Highness'' Princess Astrid of Norway
* 12 January 1961 – present: ''Her Highness'' Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner
Honours
Princess Astrid has been awarded the following orders and decorations:
National honours
* : Grand Cross with Collar of the
Order of Saint Olav
The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav ( no, Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav I ...
* : Dame of the
Royal Family Order of Haakon VII of Norway
* : Dame of the
Royal Family Order of King Olav V of Norway
* : Dame of the
Royal Family Order of King Harald V of Norway
* : Recipient of the
King Haakon VII Golden Jubilee Medal
* : Recipient of the
Medal of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of King Haakon VII
* : Recipient of the
King Olav V Silver Jubilee Medal
* : Recipient of the
King Olav V Commemorative Medal
* : Recipient of the
Medal of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of King Olav V
* : Recipient of the
Royal House Centenary Medal
* : Recipient of the
King Harald V Silver Jubilee Medal
* : Recipient of the
Holmenkollen Medal
Foreign honours
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of the Crown
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of the White Rose
The Order of the White Rose of Finland ( fi, Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunta; sv, Finlands Vita Ros’ orden) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. T ...
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of Merit
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of the Falcon
The Order of the Falcon ( is, Hin íslenska fálkaorða) is the only order of chivalry in Iceland, founded by King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland on 3 July 1921. The award is awarded for merit for Iceland and humanity and has five degrees. N ...
* : Grand Cordon of the
Order of the Star of Jordan
The Order of the Star of Jordan (Wisam al-Kawkab al-Urduni) or The Order of Hussein ibn Ali (Wisam al-Hussein ibn Ali) is an award and military decoration of the sovereign state of Jordan and is awarded for military or civil merit. It was founde ...
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of Adolphe of Nassau
The Order of Civil and Military Merit of Adolph of Nassau (french: Ordre de Mérite civil et militaire d’Adolphe de Nassau) is an order of merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for meritorious service to the Grand Duke, the Grand-Ducal House ...
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of the House of Orange
The Order of the House of Orange (Dutch: ''Huisorde van Oranje''), sometimes referred to as the House Order of Orange, is a dynastic order of the House of Orange-Nassau, the royal family of the Netherlands similar to the Royal Victorian Order in ...
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of Merit
* : Dame Grand Cross of the
Order of Isabella the Catholic
The Order of Isabella the Catholic ( es, Orden de Isabel la Católica) is a Spanish civil order and honor granted to persons and institutions in recognition of extraordinary services to the homeland or the promotion of international relations a ...
* : Member Grand Cross of the
Royal Order of the Polar Star
The Royal Order of the Polar Star ( Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim.
The Order of ...
* : Recipient of
90th Birthday Badge Medal of King Gustav V
* : Recipient of
50th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI
* : Dame Grand Cross of the
Order of Chula Chom Klao
Honorific eponym
*
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest cont ...
:
Princess Astrid Coast
Ancestry
Astrid is a great-granddaughter of King
Edward VII of the United Kingdom and thus a second cousin to Queen
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
. At the time of her birth, she was 18th in the
line of succession to the British throne
Succession to the British throne is determined by descent, gender, legitimacy and religion. Under common law, the Crown is inherited by a sovereign's children or by a childless sovereign's nearest collateral line. The Bill of Rights 1689 a ...
.
References
External links
Website of the Royal House of Norway: Princess Astrid
{{DEFAULTSORT:Astrid Of Norway, Princess
1932 births
Living people
Norwegian princesses
House of Glücksburg (Norway)
Recipients of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Grand Crosses of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Grand Cross of the Ordre national du Mérite
Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Recipients of the Order of the Falcon
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
Recipients of the Order of the House of Orange
Grand Crosses of the Order of the House of Orange
Recipients of the Order of the Crown (Netherlands)
Grand Crosses of the Order of the Crown (Netherlands)
Grand Crosses of the Order of Merit (Portugal)
Recipients of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
Presidents of the Organising Committees for the Olympic Games
Holmenkollen medalists
Daughters of kings