Crown Princess Märtha's biography
Crown Princess Märtha was born a Swedish princess in 1901. On 21 March 1929, she married Crown Prince Olav, and from that day until her death in 1954, she was Crown Princess of Norway.
Princess Märtha was born in Stockholm on 28 March 1901 and was baptised Märtha Sofia Lovisa Dagmar Thyra. She was the daughter of Prince Carl of Sweden and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. King Oscar II, who had been forced to relinquish the Norwegian throne in 1905, was her grandfather.
The Princess became secretly engaged to her cousin, Crown Prince Olav of Norway, during the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. When the engagement became public, it was warmly received. It was seen as a symbol that the wounds left by the dissolution of the union had finally healed. But despite the obvious dynastic advantages, there was never any doubt that the relationship was based on love, not politics.
Princess Märtha and Crown Prince Olav were wed in Vår Frelsers church (now Oslo Cathedral) on 21 March 1929. Upon her marriage Princess Märtha became the Crown Princess of Norway, which she remained until her death in 1954.
Crown Princess of Norway
Charming, open and hard-working, Crown Princess Märtha soon became a popular and respected member of the Royal Family. She undertook a range of official engagements, and she also gave many speeches, which was unusual for females in the Royal Family at the time.
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess lived at Skaugum estate in Asker, a wedding gift to the couple in 1929. Crown Princess Märtha took an active part in planning the reconstruction of the building after Skaugum was destroyed by fire in 1930.
They had three children. Princess Ragnhild was born in 1930, Princess Astrid in 1932 and Prince Harald in 1937. The Prince was the first heir to the Norwegian throne to be born in Norway in 567 years.
Following the death of Queen Maud in 1938, Crown Princess Märtha became the country’s First Lady, taking on all the representational duties that this entailed.
World War II
When German troops invaded Norway on 9 April 1940, the Royal Family, the Government and most members of the Storting managed to flee before the Germans reached Oslo. Crown Princess Märtha and her three children crossed the border into Sweden that same night. On 12 August they travelled to the USA at the invitation of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The Crown Princess and her children remained in the United States for the rest of the war. They lived at Pook’s Hill outside Washington. Crown Prince Olav was in London with King Haakon VII and the government-in-exile.
The Crown Prince and Princess had become close friends with the American presidential couple during an extended visit to the United States in the summer of 1939. Crown Princess Märtha worked tirelessly on behalf of Norwegian interests, and her friendship with the presidential couple helped her gain influence. She was involved in a wide range of activities, from official visits, lectures and speeches to relief shipments and refugee work.
The Crown Princess was given a warm welcome when she returned to Norway with the children and King Haakon on 7 June 1945. Her ceaseless efforts during the war had made her even more popular with the Norwegian people.
Post-war period
As King Haakon’s health declined, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess assumed a growing number of official engagements. The Crown Princess became involved in many official tasks, and even held the annual New Year’s Eve speeches in 1946 and 1950.
Unfortunately, Crown Princess Märtha also suffered from poor health. Her death on 5 April 1954 was a tremendous loss for Crown Prince Olav and the children as well as for Norway.
Crown Princess Märtha never officially became Queen of Norway. However, as the Bishop of Oslo, Johannes Smemo, stated: “In our hearts she has long been our Queen, and she will be so forever.”
Unfortunately, Crown Princess Märtha also suffered from poor health. Her death on 5 April 1954 was a tremendous loss for Crown Prince Olav and the children.
Crown Princess Märtha never officially became Queen of Norway. However, as the Bishop of Oslo, Johannes Smemo, stated: “In our hearts she has long been our Queen, and she will be so forever.”
Funeral
Crown Princess Märtha was buried in the Royal Mausoleum at Akershus Castle on 21 April 1954. She rests in the Royal Mausoleum at Akershus Castle.