Princess Astrid of Norway

Infobox Norwegian Royalty|princess
name = Princess Astrid
title = Princess Astrid of Norway
full name = Astrid Maud Ingeborg

|250px
caption =
date of birth = birth date and age|df=yes|1932|02|12
place of birth = Villa Solbakken, Oslo, Norway
royal house = House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
spouse = Johan Martin Ferner
issue = Cathrine Ferner
Benedikte Ferner
Alexander Ferner
Elisabeth Ferner
Carl-Christian Ferner
father = Olav V of Norway
mother = Princess Märtha of Sweden

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

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 the King 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. [ [http://www.kongehuset.no/c27294/artikkel/vis.html?tid=28759 Royal House web site on Crown Princess Märtha’s Memorial Fund] Retrieved 6 November 2007] The princess married divorced commoner Johan Martin Ferner (b. Asker, 22 July 1927), a department store owner, in Asker Church outside Oslo on 12 January 1961.

The couple has five children and five grandchildren together:
* Cathrine Ferner (b. 22 July 1962 in Oslo, Norway), married 9 December 1989 in Oslo, Norway, Arild Johansen (b. 18 June 1961 in Oslo, Norway), [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~cwolfram/royal/wettin/i0000265.htm#i269b] and has two children:
** Sebastian Ferner Johansen (b. 9 March 1990 in Oslo, Norway)
** Madeleine Ferner Johansen (b. 7 March 1993 in Oslo, Norway)
* Benedikte Ferner (b. 27 September 1963 in Oslo, Norway), married firstly 30 Apr 1994 in Oslo, Norway (div 1998) Rolf Woods (b. 17 June 1963 in Oslo, Norway), without issue, and married secondly on 2 December 2000 in Oslo, Norway (sep 2002) Mons Einar Stange (b. 26 May 1962 in Oslo, Norway), without issue [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~cwolfram/royal/wettin/i0000265.htm#i269b]
* Alexander Ferner (b. 15 March 1965 in Oslo, Norway), [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~cwolfram/royal/wettin/i0000265.htm#i269b] married 27 July 1996 in Holmenkollen Kapell, Oslo, Norway, Margrét Gudmundsdóttir (b. 27 March 1966 in Reykjavík, Iceland), and has two children:
** Edward Ferner (b. 28 March 1996 in Bærum, Norway)
** Stella Ferner (b. 23 April 1998 in Bærum, Norway)
* Elisabeth Ferner (b. 30 March 1969 in Oslo, Norway), married 3 October 1992 in Oslo, Norway, Tom Folke Beckmann (b. 1/14 January 1963 in Oslo, Norway), [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~cwolfram/royal/wettin/i0000265.htm#i269b] and has one son:
** Benjamin Ferner Beckmann (b. 25 April 1999 in Oslo, Norway)
* Carl-Christian Ferner (b. 22 October 1972 in Oslo, Norway), unmarried and without issue [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~cwolfram/royal/wettin/i0000265.htm#i269b]

Princess Astrid is 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 [ [http://www.kongehuset.no/c27293/artikkel/vis.html?tid=28758 Royal House web page on the Princess' patronages] Retrieved 6 November 2007]

Honours

infobox hrhstyles
royal name=Princess Astrid of Norway


dipstyle=Her Highness
offstyle=Your Highness
altstyle=Ma'am|A 580 000 km² area in Antarctica is named Princess Astrid Coast in her honour.
*flag|Norway Grand Cross with Collar of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
*flag|Norway The Royal House Centenary Medal
*flag|Norway Haakon VIIs Jubilee Medal 1905 – 1955
*flag|Norway Haakon VIIs Centenary Medal
*flag|Norway Olav Vs Commemorative Medal of 30. January 1991
*flag|Norway Olav Vs Jubilee Medal 1957-1982
*flag|Norway Olav Vs Centenary Medal
*flag|Norway Royal Family Order of King Haakon VII of Norway
*flag|Norway Royal Family Order of King Olav V of Norway
*flag|Norway Royal Family Order of King Harald V of Norway
*flag|Belgium Grand Cordon of the Order of the Crown
*flag|Sweden Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star
*flag|Sweden King Gustaf Vs 90th Birthday Medal
*flag|Sweden King Carl XVI Gustaf's 50th Birthday Medal
*flag|Finland Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose
*flag|France Grand Cross of the Ordre national du Mérite
*flag|Germany Grand Cross of the Federal Cross of Merit
*flag|Iceland Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
*flag|Jordan Grand Cross of the Al-Kawkab Al Urdoni Order (Order of the Star of Jordan)
*flag|Luxembourg Grand Cross of the Order of Adolph of Nassau
*flag|Netherlands Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau
*flag|Portugal Grand Cross of the Portuguese Order of Merit
*flag|Spain Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
*flag|Thailand Grand Cross of the Brilliant Chlua Chom Klao Order [ [http://www.kongehuset.no/c27431/artikkel/vis.html?tid=27433 Royal House web page on Princess Astrid's decorations] no icon Retrieved 5 November 2007]

Ancestry

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boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;
boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe;
1= 1. Princess Astrid of Norway
2= 2. Olav V of Norway
3= 3. Märtha of Sweden
4= 4. Haakon VII of Norway
5= 5. Maud of Wales
6= 6. Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland
7= 7. Princess Ingeborg of Denmark
8= 8. Frederick VIII of Denmark
9= 9. Lovisa of Sweden
10= 10. Edward VII of the United Kingdom
11= 11. Alexandra of Denmark
12= 12. Oscar II of Sweden
13= 13. Sophie of Nassau
14= 14. Frederick VIII of Denmark ( = 8 )
15= 15. Lovisa of Sweden ( = 9 )
16= 16. Christian IX of Denmark
17= 17. Louise of Hesse-Kassel
18= 18. Charles XV of Sweden
19= 19. Louise of the Netherlands
20= 20. Albert, Prince Consort
21= 21. Victoria of the United Kingdom
22= 22. Christian IX of Denmark (= 16)
23= 23. Louise of Hesse-Kassel (= 17)
24= 24. Oscar I of Sweden
25= 25. Josephine of Leuchtenberg
26= 26. William, Duke of Nassau
27= 27. Princess Pauline of Württemberg
28= 28. Christian IX of Denmark (= 16)
29= 29. Louise of Hesse-Kassel (= 17)
30= 30. Charles XV of Sweden (= 18)
31= 31. Louise of the Netherlands (= 19)

External links

* [http://pages.prodigy.net/ptheroff/gotha/norway.html Royal House of Norway]
* [http://www.saintolav.com/ The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav] (Includes a listing of all the recipients of the Grand Cross since 1847)

References