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 King of Norway from 1957 until his death in 1991. Olav was born at Sandringham House in England, the only child of Prince Carl of Denmark and Princess Maud o ...

and his wife, Princess Märtha of Sweden. She is the older sister of King

Harald V of Norway Harald V (, ; born 21 February 1937) has been King of Norway since 1991. A member of the House of Glücksburg, Harald was the third child and only son of King Olav V of Norway and Princess Märtha of Sweden. He was second in the Succession to t ...

and younger sister of the late Princess Ragnhild. Her 1961 marriage to divorced commoner John Martin Ferner caused a scandal, reported as "the most controversial royal wedding since the Abdication".

Life

Princess Astrid was born on 12 February 1932 at Villa Solbakken to the future King Olav V and Crown Princess Märtha. She was baptized in the Palace Chapel on 31 March 1932. Her godparents were her paternal grandparents,

King Haakon VII Haakon VII (; 3 August 187221 September 1957) was King of Norway from 18 November 1905 until his death in 1957. The future Haakon VII was born in Copenhagen as Prince Carl of Denmark. He was the second son of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess ...

and Queen Maud of Norway; her maternal grandparents, Prince Carl and Princess Ingeborg of Sweden; her maternal aunt, Princess Astrid, Duchess of Brabant; Elizabeth, Duchess of York; her grandaunt,

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, t ...

; her granduncle, Prince Eugen of Sweden; and Prince George of the United Kingdom. Princess Astrid was named after her maternal aunt, paternal grandmother, and maternal grandmother. Astrid is a great-granddaughter of King

Edward VII of the United Kingdom Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria and ...

and thus a second cousin to Queen

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

. 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, sex, legitimacy, and religion. Under common law, the Crown is inherited by a sovereign's children or by a childless sovereign's nearest Collateral descendant, collateral line. The Bil ...

. Princess Astrid grew up on the royal estate of Skaugum in

Asker Asker (), also called Asker proper (''Askerbygda'' or ''gamle Asker'' in Norwegian), is a district and former Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Akershus, Norway, located approximately 20km southwest of Oslo. From 2020 it is part of the ...

and was privately educated during her childhood. During World War II, she joined her family fleeing the Nazis and spent the war with her mother, brother and sister in exile in Washington, DC. Following the royal family's return to Norway she attended Nissen's Girls' School and graduated with the examen artium university entrance exam in 1950. She then studied economics and political history for two years at Lady Margaret Hall,

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

. Her

confirmation In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism, confirmation is seen as the sealing of the covenant (religion), covenant created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands. The ceremony typically involves laying on o ...

took place on 9 May 1948 in the Palace Chapel. Princess Astrid studied ceramics with Halvor Sandøs and had her own pottery studio in Skaugum. She was an accomplished ski-er and yachtswoman. Princess Astrid's mother died in 1954. From which time until her brother's marriage in August 1968 she 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. In September 1954, she took part in the ship tour organized by Queen Frederica and her husband King

Paul of Greece Paul (; 14 December 1901 – 6 March 1964) was King of Greece from 1 April 1947 until his death on 6 March 1964. Paul was born in Athens as the third son of Constantine I of Greece, Crown Prince Constantine and Sophia of Prussia, Crown Princess ...

, which became known as the “ Cruise of the Kings”, attended by over 100 royals from across Europe. In January 1961 Princess Astrid married commoner John Martin Ferner in Oslo. They met when she hired him to sail her yacht in a race. The marriage was met by "bitter opposition" from the Norwegian Church as Ferner had been previously married. After the marriage, she became known as Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner and no longer got the annual endowment of 50,000 Norwegian crowns that she previously received as First Lady. They raised their 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), Vinderen ...

. She now lives in Nordmarka, Oslo. In 2002, the government granted the Princess an honorary pension in recognition of 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

commoner A commoner, also known as the ''common man'', ''commoners'', the ''common people'' or the ''masses'', was in earlier use an ordinary person in a community or nation who did not have any significant social status, especially a member of neither ...

Johan Martin Ferner in

Church on 12 January 1961. They had five children, seven grandchildren, and as of 2023, three great-grandchildren. * Cathrine Ferner (b. 22 July 1962, Oslo), married 9 December 1989 in Oslo, Arild Johansen (b. 18 June 1961, Oslo), and has two children: ** Sebastian Ferner Johansen (b. 9 March 1990, Oslo), and his partner Ida Belinda Lundstrøm have two children: *** Nicoline Johansen (b. 2019). *** Ferdinand Johansen (b. 2021). ** Madeleine Ferner Johansen (b. 7 March 1993, Oslo), married 17 October 2022 in Oslo, Ole-Aleksander Karlsen, and has one daughter: *** Hermine Karlsen (b. 2023). * Benedikte Ferner (b. 27 September 1963, Oslo), married firstly 30 April 1994 in Oslo (divorced 1998) Rolf Woods (b. 17 June 1963, Oslo), without issue, and married secondly on 2 December 2000 in Oslo and separated in 2002, Mons Einar Stange (b. 26 May 1962, Oslo), without issue. * Alexander Ferner (b. 15 March 1965, Oslo), married 27 July 1996 in Holmenkollen Kapell, Oslo, Margrét Gudmundsdóttir (b. 27 March 1966,

Reykjavík Reykjavík is the Capital city, capital and largest city in Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland on the southern shore of Faxaflói, the Faxaflói Bay. With a latitude of 64°08′ N, the city is List of northernmost items, the worl ...

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

), and has two children: ** Edward Ferner (b. 28 March 1996,

Bærum Bærum () is a list of municipalities of Norway, municipality in the Greater Oslo Region in Akershus County, Norway. It forms an affluent suburb of Oslo on the west coast of the city. Bærum is Norway's fifth largest municipality with a populatio ...

, Norway). ** Stella Ferner (b. 23 April 1998,

, Norway). * Elisabeth Ferner (b. 30 March 1969, Oslo), married 3 October 1992 in Oslo, Tom Folke Beckmann (b. 14 January 1963, Oslo), and has one son: ** Benjamin Ferner Beckmann (b. 25 April 1999, Oslo). * Carl-Christian Ferner (b. 22 October 1972, Oslo), married 4 October 2014 in Oslo, Anna-Stina SlattumBirth announcement in ''Aftenposten'' 25 February 1984 No. 95 p. 18 and Norwegian tax lists of 2001 and 2009. and they have two daughters together: ** Fay Slattum Ferner (b. 10 July 2018 Oslo, Norway). ** Fam Slattum Ferner (b. 28 January 2021, Oslo, Norway).

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 of several organisations with a focus on children and young people with

dyslexia Dyslexia (), previously known as word blindness, is a learning disability that affects either reading or writing. Different people are affected to different degrees. Problems may include difficulties in spelling words, reading quickly, wri ...

, having the condition herself. * 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

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

* : Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the

Order of Saint Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav (; 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 II, known to posterity as St. Olav. Just be ...

Foreign honours

* : Knight 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 (; ) is one of three official Order (decoration), orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all ...

* : Grand Cross of the

Order of Merit The Order of Merit () is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms, recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII, admission into the order r ...

* : Grand Cross of the

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (, or , BVO) is the highest state decoration, federal decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It may be awarded for any field of endeavor. It was created by the first List of president ...

* : Grand Cross of the

Order of the Falcon The Order of the Falcon () is the only order of chivalry in Iceland, founded by Christian X of Denmark, 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. Nowaday ...

* : Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan * : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau * : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the House of Orange * : Grand Cross of the

* : Knight Grand Cross of the

Order of Isabella the Catholic The Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (; Abbreviation, Abbr.: OYC) is a knighthood and one of the three preeminent Order of merit, orders of merit bestowed by the Kingdom of Spain, alongside the Order of Charles III (established in 1771) and ...

* : Member Grand Cross of the

Royal Order of the Polar Star The Royal Order of the Polar Star ( Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden''), sometimes translated as the Royal Order of the North Star, is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order o ...

* : Recipient of 90th Birthday Medal of King Gustav V * : Recipient of 50th Birthday Medal of King Carl XVI * : Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of Chula Chom Klao * : Recipient of the

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal () is a commemorative medal instituted to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. Award This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir from the Queen to members of the Royal Family ...

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 (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...

Princess Astrid Coast Princess Astrid Coast () is a portion of the coast of Queen Maud Land, Antarctica, lying between 5° and 20° E. The entire coast is bordered by ice shelves. The region was discovered by Capt. H. Halvorsen of the Sevilla (ship) in March 1931 and ...

References

External links