Princess Märtha | |||||
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Crown Princess of Norway | |||||
Photograph of Princess Märtha in 1929
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Born |
Palace of the Hereditary Prince, , Sweden |
28 March 1901||||
Died | 5 April 1954 Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway |
(aged 53)||||
Burial | 21 April 1954 Akershus Castle, Oslo |
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Spouse | Olav, Crown Prince of Norway | ||||
Issue |
Princess Ragnhild, Mrs. Lorentzen Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner Harald V of Norway |
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House | Bernadotte | ||||
Father | Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland | ||||
Mother | Princess Ingeborg of Denmark |
Full name | |
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Märtha Sofia Lovisa Dagmar Thyra |
Styles of Crown Princess Märtha of Norway |
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Reference style | Her Royal Highness |
Spoken style | Your Royal Highness |
Alternative style | Ma'am |
Princess Märtha of Sweden (Märtha Sofia Lovisa Dagmar Thyra; 28 March 1901 – 5 April 1954) was Crown Princess of Norway as the spouse of the future King Olav V from 1929 until her death in 1954. The presently reigning King Harald V is her only son.
Princess Märtha was born in as the second child and daughter of Prince Carl of Sweden and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. Following a year-long engagement, she married her cousin, Crown Prince Olav of Norway, in Oslo Cathedral on 21 March 1929. Märtha's was the first royal wedding in Norway in 340 years. The marriage, which is widely believed to have been a success due in large part to their genuine love and affection for one another, produced three children: Ragnhild (1930–2012); Astrid (b. 1932); and the much awaited heir, Harald (b. 1937).
The Crown Princess was quickly taken into the hearts of the Norwegian people due to her easy-going, yet serene manner. Rather than indulge in the excesses of her lofty position, The Crown Princess was immensely humble, light-hearted, and generous. One such example of this is shown in her desire to put into practice her skills as seamstress, sewing clothes for herself and her children. In 1939, shortly before the outbreak of World War II in Europe, the Crown Prince and Princess made a highly popular visit to the United States. The couple befriended President Franklin Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor Roosevelt. During this visit, the couple conducted an extensive tour of the Upper Midwest, where many Norwegian immigrants had settled.