The funeral of Princess Astrid of Norway will take place on September 23 in Oslo.
The princess died on September 11 at the age of 94, just two days after the funeral of her beloved younger brother, King Harald.
Astrid’s funeral will take place as Ris Church in the Norwegian capital with King Haakon VIII, her nephew, expected to lead mourners. His mother, Queen Sonja, was a close friend of Astrid over decades and will also be there to pay her respects.
Ris Church is noted for its architectural beauty but it has a very poignant link to Astrid. It was consecrated and opened for worship in 1932, the year that she was born. Now, 94 years later, it will be the setting for the final farewell to the princess who was first lady of Norway for years, in the last part of the reign of her grandfather, King Haakon VII, and the first part of the reign of her father, King Olav.
The funeral will begin at 1pm, the same time that King Harald’s funeral service began on September 9 at Oslo Cathedral. That was Princess Astrid’s last public appearance. She sat in the congregation to pay tribute to her brother. Her death was announced less than 48 hours later.
Princess Astrid was a hugely popular figure and had an active role in the Norwegian royal family for decades. Her funeral will be broadcast by Norwegian media.
Born in 1932, Astrid was the second child and second daughter of Olav and his wife, Martha, who had been born a Princess of Sweden. She grew up in Oslo before fleeing to the US with her mother, her brother and their older sister, Raghnhild, when the Nazis occupied Norway in World War Two. Princess Astrid studied at Oxford University and at the end of her time there, she returned to Norway where she became first lady as her grandfather and father were both widowed by then and her old sister had married and moved to Brazil.
Her decision to marry Johan Martin Ferner, a businessman, was met with widespread opposition as he had no royal blood and was divorced. Astrid refused to give up her romance and wed him in a discreet ceremony at Asker church in 1961. They had five children together. Astrid relinquished her role as first lady of Norway in 1968 when her brother married Sonja Haraldsen. However, the princess continued to carry out a wide range of engagements and retained a large number of patronages.
She was always known for her forthright manner and sense of humour, once likening one of her tiaras to a radio transmitter. Even in her nineties, she remained glamourous and ready to attend major events including State Visits.
Her bond with her brother was evident for all to see and they delighted in one another’s company. After his death, Norway’s royals released an image of Astrid sitting alone at the coffin of King Harald and another of her watching the outpouring of affection for him by those bringing flowers and candles to the front of the royal palace in Oslo.
Announcing her death, on September 11, King Haakon paid tribute to her years of service and devotion and showed his own affection for her as he continually referred to her as Aunt Astrid as he paid tribute. Her own children spoke of the love and care she had given them over the years in a moving tribute that was shared at the same time.
Princess Astrid was also close to her Swedish royal relatives who are likely to attend her funeral at Ris Church.
