Princess Astrid of Norway

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

Princess Astrid was christened in the Palace Chapel on 31 March 1932 and her godparents were: her paternal grandparents, King Haakon VII 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 (later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother); Princess Thyra of Denmark; Prince Eugen of Sweden; and Prince George of the United Kingdom. Princess Astrid was named after the popular maternal aunt, paternal grandmother, maternal grandmother.

Princess Astrid grew up on the royal estate of Skaugum in Asker and was privately educated. 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. After the war, she studied economics and political history at Oxford.

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 raised her family in Vinderen; she now lives in Nordmarka, Oslo. 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.

Princess Astrid married divorced commoner Johan Martin Ferner (22 July 1927 – 24 January 2015), a sailor, Olympic medalist and businessman in Asker on 12 January 1961. The wedding was conducted by Bishop Arne Fjellbu of Nidaros.

The couple have five children:

• Cathrine (b. 22 July 1962), m. 1989 Arild Johansen, a fund manager, and has a son and daughter, and a granddaughter.
  • Sebastien Ferner Johansen (b. 9 Mar 1990)
    • Nicoline Johansen (b. 2019) (with Belinda Lundstrøm)
  • Madeleine Ferner Johansen (b. 7 March 1993)
• Benedikte (b. 27 September 1963), married Rolf Woods and had no issue. Then married Mons Ainar Stange, and has had no issue.
• Alexander (b. 15 March 1965), married Margrét Gudmundsdóttir on 27 July 1996, and had a son and a daughter.
  • Edward Ferner (b. 28 Mar 1996)
  • Stella Ferner (b. 23 Apr 1998)
• Elisabeth (b. 30 March 1969), married Tom Folke Beckmann, and had one son.
  • Benjamin Ferner Beckmann (b. 25 Apr 1999)
• Carl-Christian (b. 22 October 1972), m. 4 October 2014 Anna-Stina Slattum Karlsen (b. 23 February 1984) in Oslo, Norway.
  • Fay Ferner (b. 2018)

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 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

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

National honours

•  Norway: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Saint Olav
•  Norway: Dame of the Royal Family Decoration King Haakon VII
•  Norway: Dame of the Royal Family Decoration of King Olav V
•  Norway: Dame of the Royal Family Decoration of King Harald V
•  Norway: Recipient of the King Haakon VII Golden Jubilee Medal
•  Norway: Recipient of the Medal of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of King Haakon VII
•  Norway: Recipient of the King Olav V Silver Jubilee Medal
•  Norway: Recipient of the King Olav V Commemorative Medal
•  Norway: Recipient of the Medal of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of King Olav V
•  Norway: Recipient of the Royal House Centenary Medal
•  Norway: Recipient of the King Harald V Silver Jubilee Medal

Foreign honours

•  Belgium: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
•  Finland: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose
•  France: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
•  Germany: Grand Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
•  Iceland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
•  Jordan: Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan
•  Luxembourg: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
•  Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the House of Orange
•  Netherlands: Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
•  Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
•  Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
•  Sweden: Member Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star
•  Sweden: Recipient of 90th Birthday Badge Medal of King Gustav V
•  Sweden: Recipient of 50th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI
•  Thailand: Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of Chula Chom Klao

• Antarctica: Princess Astrid Coast

Astrid is a great-great granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and thus a second cousin to Queen Elizabeth II. She is in the line of succession to the British throne. Princess Astrid's maternal aunt was Queen Astrid of Belgium, which also makes Princess Astrid a first cousin of kings Baudouin and Albert II of Belgium.