The funeral service for the industrialist Erling Sven Lorentzen, widower of Princess Ragnhild, took place today at Asker Church at noon. Lorentzen died on 9 March 2021, 98 years old. Asker church is where Erling Lorentzen married Princess Ragnhild in 1953.
Due to the pandemic, the number of people attending the funeral was limited to 30 only. From the Norwegian royal family came King Harald, who still is on sick leave following his operation in January, Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Märtha Louise and Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner. All the Ferner children were also present.
Erling Lorentzen's eldest son Haakon Lorentzen and his family decided not to travel from Brazil because the situation there due to the pandemic is so bad at the moment. They had to follow the service on Internet instead. Lorentzen's daughters Ingeborg Lorentzen Ribeiro and Ragnhild Lorentzen Long and their husbands Paulo Ribeiro and Aaron Long have lived in Norweay since last year and could therefore attend. In addition, Ingeborg's daughter Victoria, her husband Felipe Falcão and their son Frederik had travelled from London to say their last farewell. There were also other members of the Lorentzen family present, in addition to Lorentzen's partner Ebba Løvenskiold, Princess Ragnhild's close friend Bitten Giæver-Krogh, who was Ragnhild's maid-of-honor at the wedding in 1953 and Erling Lorentzen's secretary Randi Færden. The only representative of the official Norway was Chief of Defence Eirik Kristoffersen, who held a speech in English where he among others talked about Lorentzen's war effort.
Anne Netland, who is Sjømannskirken - Norwegian Church Abroad's ambulatory pastor in Latin America and knows the Lorentzen family well from her time in Branzil, officiated the service. She spoke both Norwegian and Portugese during the service. As Haakon Lorentzen was absent, his speech was read by his cousin Einar Lie, son of Ingjerd Ragna Lie, née Lorentzen (1914–1999) and Ragnar Holm Lie (1912–1997). Brazil's Ambassador to Norway, George Monteiro Prata, was meant to attend, but was in quarentine, so his speech was read in Portuguese by Lorentzen's son-in-law, Paulo Ribeiro. Ribeiro also said a few words on his on behalf, this time in Norwegian.
After the service, the coffin, which was draped in the national flags of Norway and Brazil, were carried out to the grave by Aaron Long, Felipe Falcão, Einar Lie, Jan Lorentzen, Crown Prince Haakon and Alexander Ferner. Erling Lorentzen was then laid to rest next to the grave of Princess Ragnhild, who died in 2012. The headstone had been made ready in advance with Erling S. Lorentzen's name, date of birth and date of death inscribed.
The funeral service was broadcast on the Norwegian TV2 with Trond Norén Isaksen as commentator and who as always did an excellent job.
