Princess Astrid, Norway’s former first lady, dies after recent heart procedure

Princess Astrid, the second-eldest daughter of King Olav V and Crown Princess Märtha, died after a hospital stay that included the implantation of a temporary pacemaker. Raised at Skaugum and educated at Nissen Pikeskole and Oxford, she became Norway’s first lady at age 22 following her mother’s death, representing the monarch until 1968. After stepping back, she continued to act as a royal representative and patron of twelve organizations, focusing on vulnerable groups and inclusion.

She married businessman Johan Martin Ferner, with whom she had five children: Cathrine, Benedikte, Alexander, Elisabeth and Carl-Christian. Her death follows her attendance at King Harald’s funeral earlier that month.