Yesterday, the Royal Court of Norway released two new photos of Her Highness Princess Astrid, Mrs FernerĀ ahead of her 85th birthday on Sunday, 12 February. Sven Gj. Gjeruldsen was the photographer.
One of the images features Princess Astrid’s beloved dog, Pepita. The seven-year-old dog is aĀ Japanese Chin.
In the other picture, Her Highness stands in between two paintings of her parents in one of the halls of the Palace in formal wear with her Order of St Olav.
Princess Astrid was born on 12 February 1932 inĀ Villa Solbakken in Oslo. She was the second child of King Olav andĀ Crown Princess MƤrtha. She had an older sister, PrincessĀ Ragnhild (9 June 1930 – 16 September 2012). Her younger brother, King Harald V, was born onĀ 21 February 1937. Joint celebrations for his and his wife, Queen Sonja’s 80th birthdays will be held later this year.
Astrid was christened on 31 March 1932 in the Palace Chapel withĀ King Haakon VII, herĀ paternal grandfather;Ā Queen Maud of Norway, her paternal grandmother; Prince Carl of Sweden, her maternal grandfather; PrincessĀ Ingeborg of Sweden, her maternal grandmother; Princess Astrid of Belgium, her maternal aunt;Ā Princess Thyra of Denmark;Ā Prince Eugen of Sweden; Prince George, Duke of Kent; and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.
The Princess spent five years of her childhood in the United States with her mother, sister, and brother during World War Two. The family fled Oslo in 1940 when German troops invaded Norway. Many members of the government andĀ Norwegian Storting escaped, as well. Astrid, her mother, and her siblings spent a few months in Sweden before taking a boat to the United States where they remained until the end of the war.
Her Highness, who is ineligible for the crown, served as First Lady after the death of her mother in 1954 and until her brother married in 1968. She still undertakes official engagements on behalf His Majesty and the Norwegian Royal Family.
She marriedĀ Johan Martin Ferner onĀ 12 January 1961. Together they had five children:Ā Cathrine,Ā Benedikte,Ā Alexander,Ā Elisabeth, andĀ Carl-Christian.
On the evening of her birthday, the King and Queen held a dinner in her honour at the Palace. The Royal Court then released an image featuring Astrid with her brother, sister-in-law, nephew and niece-in-law from the dinner. It was taken byĀ Morten Brun.
She was born on 12 February not 12 January.