ASTRID, The Princess who served ALL FOUR KINGS of Modern NORWAY

At the State Funeral of King Harald V of Norway last September 9, the entire Royal Family sat on the right of the altar, the foreign Royalty split between its both sides. Yet, there was another, quite presence, much dear to the late King, sitting in a wheelchair in front of the Altar, and wearing medals bestowed by Three Kings. The word about Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner, King Harald's 94-year-old elder sister, with a lifelong service to the Norwegian Monarchy. A granddaughter, daughter, sister & aunt to four Norwegian Kings, she was the only one, who served them all as the longest-lived member of the 120-year-old Royal House and last Princess-by birth of her generation. From 1954 to 1968, Princess Astrid was the senior lady in The Royal Court, and thus undertook the role of First Lady, accompanying her widowed grandfather and (from 1957) father, to official engagements & hosting high profile delegations on her part. A family woman, charitable princess, dog-lover, & bearer of unique memories from another era, she dedicated her entire life to the crown & supported her Sovereign brother even after her health started failing this year.

Astrid died on 11 September, two days after paying her final respects to her brother, and was buried on September 23, at the graveyard of Ris Church, next to her husband who died in 2015. Her nephew, King Haakon VIII, whose reign she reached, carried her coffin alongside her five children after the funeral.

Her Life & Legacy

Princess Astrid Maud Ingeborg was the second daughter of then Crown Prince Olav & Crown Princess Märtha of Norway, born on 12 February 1932. Her paternal grandfather, King Haakon VII, was the second son of Denmark's King Frederik VIII (r. 1906-1912) & established the first Royal House in Norway in 1905. Her paternal grandmother, Queen Maud was a British Princess, youngest daughter of King Edward VII (r. 1901-1910) through whom Astrid was in line of succession to the British throne (whereas Norwegian banned women at the time of her birth). Her mother was a niece of the Swedish King Gustav V (r. 1907-1950) through her father, and first cousin to her husband through her Danish mother. Hence, Princess Astrid and her siblings, Ranghild (1930-2012) & Harald V (1937-2026) were born to a generation of Royalty, raised according to the standards of the 19th century Victorian Era. In WWII, the Royal Family went into exile, and the Crown Princess and her young children spent five years in Washington, DC, forming a close relationship with then US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, while The widowed King & The Crown Prince led the Norwegian government in exile from London.

Upon their return to Norway in 1945, the Royal Children were raised in Skaugum Royal Estate, Asker (outside Oslo) instead of the Royal Palace, receiving a private education. Following the death of her mother, on 5 April 1954, Princess Astrid, then 22, took over as First Lady of Norway, since her elder sister had been already married & out of Norway, and both grandfather & father widowed. She stayed in the role officially accompanying her father, upon his accession as King Olav V in 1957, up until the marriage of her younger brother, Crown Prince Harald, in 1968, passing her distinction to Crown Princess Sonja. Meanwhile, Astrid chaired Crown Princess Märtha's Memorial Fund, an association created during her mother's lifetime, supporting social & humanitarian initiatives and awarding those who distinguished in such causes. A historian, dressmaker & cook, and sharing her brother's passion about sports, Astrid met with several personalities of global influence during her youth, including Elvis Presley, during a summer tour in 1960 with her cousins Princesses Margaretha of Sweden & Margrethe of Denmark. Her charitable work included the vulnerable, like children & young people with dyslexia.

Princess Astrid married Johan Martin Ferner (1927-2015), a divorced sportsman & enterpreneur, on 12 January 1961, retaining her status as First Lady. She was known as Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner ever since and together they had five children, seven grandchildren & at least four great-grandchildren. In 2002 the Norwegian government granted her a honorary pension from the state treasury, recognizing the Princess's involvement in public life & efforts made for Norway, on the occasion of her 70th Birthday. Princess Astrid attended official events during the reign of her brother, King Harald V from 1991, and was the only member of The Royal Family bearing personal medals of three Kings. She had a series of recognitions in sports (including Holmenkollen medal & Ski Association's Birkebeiner Plaque), but first & foremost was a dog lover: from the age of two Her Highness had always had dogs. Her latest pet, a Chihuahua named Wilma, was adopted from a rehoming center, and was notably sitting on Astrid's lap in all the engagements she attended on a wheelchair since 2024. Wilma died just days after the Princess, whose health had been challenged with a bout of pneumonia & heart failure in her final, 95th year.

Princess Astrid died on 11 September 2026 at Rigshospitalitet (The National University Hospital of Oslo), where she last visited 15 days earlier, to be at her brother's death bed. She was 94, and had attended the Funeral & Committal Services of King Harald less than 48 hours earlier. She passed away peacefully, two weeks after entering into the fourth reign of her life, that of her nephew, King Haakon VIII. His Majesty issued a statement, remembering his aunt's commitment to her tasks, care about the most vulnerable, "infectious spirit" & fearlessness "to speak up". He decided that flags at the Royal Palace be flown at half mast throughout the day, and again on the day of her funeral. While national mourning for King Harald V had ended on September 9, The Royal Court's mourning lasted another month. Books of Condolences opened both online & in person, and officials went to the Palace to commemorate the late Princess, for whom floral tributes joined the remainder of her brother's outside. Her children remembered "the best mother we could have", expressing her their gratitude for her entire presence, with "love, wisdom & good humor" & for assisting several Kings, in a separate statement.

The funeral of Princess Astrid took place 12 days later, on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 13:00' at Ris Church, in Oslo. The State Funded, live-broadcasted, service, was attended by the entire Norwegian Royal Family & members of other Royal Families (Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Princess Astrid & Prince Lorenz of Belgium, Prince Jean of Luxembourg & Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein). The flag-drapped coffin was surrounded by two guards of honour, with her medal of St. Olav's Order on its footing, alongside numerous wreaths & floral tributes. The service, presided by Parish Priest Paul Erik Wirgenes & The Bishop of Oslo, Sunniva Gylner, included both funny (Finance Minister Stoltenberg's reflections) & moving elements (grandchildren & great-grandchildren laying flowers on her coffin). But the most poignant moment, came at the end; The King, joined his first cousins, Cathrine, Benedikte, Alexander, Elisabeth & Carl-Christian, in carrying their mother's coffin outside the Church to a hearse; on its way to her final resting place, by the side of her husband. King Haakon, whose reign Princess Astrid launched, carried his aunt on her final journey, which saw unvawering support to The Monarchy.

Princess Astrid was the embodiment of her generation's unique identical connection with Service for an entire lifetime. She was the world's oldest 'working royal', the longest-living member of The Norwegian Royal Family & the last who was part of its story firsthand. In that sense, her death is the end of an era.