On Call for Norway throughout Her Life
On 11 September 2026, Princess Astrid passed away at the age of 94. Her Highness Princess Astrid served as Norway’s First Lady for 14 years, from 1954 to 1968, and carried out official duties to the end of her life.
His Majesty The King expressed great sorrow upon receiving the news of the Princess’s passing:
“Throughout her long life, Princess Astrid represented the Royal House in a warm and dutiful manner,” The King said.
Princess Astrid possessed a great sense of humour and was often the natural centre of attention at family gatherings, thanks to her remarkable gift for storytelling and her witty remarks. She also had an exceptionally good memory and readily shared her rich and detailed recollections from her childhood — not least from the five years of war and exile in the United States. This proved to be a great enrichment not only for family and friends, but also for historians, authors, and the media.
First Lady
Princess Astrid served as the country’s First Lady and assistant to her father King Olav for 14 years. The 22-year-old Princess assumed the role after her mother, Crown Princess Märtha, died in 1954.
Princess Astrid attended major celebrations across Norway, either on her own or accompanying the King and Crown Prince. During state visits and other events, she acted as hostess at official dinners held at the Royal Palace or at Skaugum Estate. She also accompanied King Olav during his Consecration Tour in 1958 and on his tour of North Norway the following year.
Family
In November 1960, the engagement between Princess Astrid and Johan Martin Ferner was announced. The wedding took place at Asker Church on 12 January 1961. King Olav decided by royal resolution that after her marriage the Princess’s title would be Her Highness Princess Astrid Mrs Ferner.
Their first child, a daughter, Cathrine, was born in July 1962. Princess Astrid and Johan Martin Ferner had five children.
Johan Martin Ferner passed away on 24 January 2015.
After the marriage of Crown Prince Harald in 1968, Crown Princess Sonja assumed the role of Norway’s First Lady, but Princess Astrid continued to represent Norway and the Royal House for the remainder of her life. She carried out many official tasks every year and served as patron of many organisations. In performing her duties Princess Astrid always focused on the importance of supporting individuals with functional impairments, and ensuring that no one was excluded.
She also chaired the board of directors of Crown Princess Märtha’s Memorial Fund, which provides support for social and humanitarian initiatives by organisations and associations.
Met many prominent people
Princess Astrid met many of the leading figures of the day, including both heads of state and cultural personalities. A widely noted moment came in the summer of 1960, when she visited Paramount Studios in Hollywood together with Princess Margrethe of Denmark and Princess Margaretha of Sweden. There, they met a young Elvis Presley during the filming of G.I. Blues.
The Princess also greatly enjoyed sports and outdoor recreation and described herself as a “sports enthusiast”. With considerable knowledge and eager support from the sidelines, she was a faithful guest at Holmenkollen and frequently attended sporting events throughout the country — often with her brother, King Harald. In honour of her 80th birthday, in 2012, the Association for the Promotion of Skiing awarded Princess Astrid its Birkebeiner plaque for her support of the sport.
Honorary pension
Princess Astrid worked and served alongside three Kings: her grandfather, her father and her brother. Just two weeks before her death, King Harald V, her younger brother, passed away, and King Haakon VIII acceded to the throne. In recognition of Princess Astrid's great dedication and warm loyalty, she was granted an honorary pension by the Norwegian state in 2002, on the occasion of her 70th birthday.
"The Norwegian Government wishes to recognise Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner for her service to Norway as the country’s First Lady for many years and later in connection with her extensive official activities. She is therefore to be granted an honorary pension from the national treasury."
