Princess Astrid of Norway

Princess Astrid of Norway, Mrs. Astrid Maud Ingeborg Ferner (born 12 February 1932, Oslo, Norway) is the second daughter of King Olav V of Norway (1903–1991) and his wife, Princess Märtha of Sweden (1901–1954). She is the older sister of King Harald V of Norway and younger sister of Princess Ragnhild of Norway.

As she is the great-granddaughter of Edward VII of the United Kingdom, she is in the line of succession to the British throne. She is a second cousin to Elizabeth II and also a maternal first cousin to Baudouin of Belgium and his successor Albert II of Belgium.

Biography

From her mother's death in April 1954 until her brother's marriage in August 1968, Princess Astrid was the First Lady of Norway, working side-by-side with her father on all representation duties, including State Visits. 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.^[1]

The Princess married divorced commoner Johan Martin Ferner (b. Asker, 22 July 1927), a sailor, Olympic medalist and businessman in Asker on 12 January 1961. ^[2]

The couple have five children and five grandchildren together:

• Cathrine Ferner (b. 22 July 1962, Oslo), married 9 December 1989 in Oslo, Arild Johansen (b. 18 June 1961, Oslo),[1] and has two children:
  • Sebastian Ferner Johansen (b. 9 March 1990, Oslo)
  • Madeleine Ferner Johansen (b. 7 March 1993, Oslo)
• 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; married, secondly, on 2 December 2000, in Oslo (separated 2002), Mons Einar Stange (b. 26 May 1962, Oslo), without issue [2]
• Alexander Ferner (b. 15 March 1965, Oslo),[3] married 27 July 1996, Holmenkollen Kapell, Oslo, Margrét Gudmundsdóttir (b. 27 March 1966, Reykjavík, Iceland), and has two children:
  • Edward Ferner (b. 28 March 1996, Bærum, Norway)
  • Stella Ferner (b. 23 April 1998, Bærum, Norway)
• Elisabeth Ferner (b. 30 March 1969, Oslo), married 3 October 1992 in Oslo, Tom Folke Beckmann (b. 1963, Oslo),[4] and has one son:
  • Benjamin Ferner Beckmann (b. 25 April 1999, Oslo)
• Carl-Christian Ferner (b. 22 October 1972, Oslo), unmarried and without issue [5]

Style

Princess Astrid has been styled Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner, since her marriage. Abroad she is entitled to be styled as Her Highness Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner.

Patronages

The Princess is a patron of several organizations and participates in their activities with great interest. She has been particularly involved in work for children and young people with dyslexia, herself having had a hard time during her childhood and youth due to 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^[3]

Honours

A 580,000 km² area in Antarctica is named Princess Astrid Coast in her honour.

• Grand Cross with Collar of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
• The Royal House Centenary Medal
• Haakon VIIs Jubilee Medal 1905–1955
• Haakon VIIs Centenary Medal
• Olav Vs Commemorative Medal of 30. January 1991
• Olav Vs Jubilee Medal 1957-1982
• Olav Vs Centenary Medal
• Royal Family Order of King Haakon VII of Norway
• Royal Family Order of King Olav V of Norway
• Royal Family Order of King Harald V of Norway
• Grand Cordon of the Order of the Crown
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star
• King Gustaf Vs 90th Birthday Medal
• King Carl XVI Gustaf's 50th Birthday Medal
• Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose
• Grand Cross of the Ordre national du Mérite
• Grand Cross of the Federal Cross of Merit
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Jordan (Al-Kawkab Al Urdoni)
• Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
• Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (Portugal)
• Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
• Grand Cross of the Order of Chula Chom Klao^[4]

Ancestry

References

External links

• Website of the Royal House of Norway: Princess Astrid