Haakon Haraldsen (1921–2016)

Queen Sonja of Norway's brother Haakon Haraldsen died on 4 October 2016, 95 years old, cf. among others the NTB article published on Aftenposten.no 13 October 2016 and the death announcement in Aftenposten the same day.

The funeral service took place at Holmenkollen Chapel on 14 October 2016. Queen Sonja, King Harald, Crown Prince Haakon, Princess Märtha Louise and Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner attended the service, cf. the NTB article published on Bt.no today. Originally King Harald was invited to lay the foundation stone for the new Munch Museum in Bjørvika in Oslo today, but because of the funeral service, his daughter-in-law Crown Princess Mette-Marit went in his place.

Haakon Haraldsen, who was one of the sponsors («godparents») to Princess Märtha Louise, was born at Josefines gate 23 in Kristiania (now Oslo) on 22 September 1921 as the eldest son of (clothes) store manager Karl August Haraldsen (1889–1959) and Dagny Haraldsen, née Ulrichsen (1898–1994). Besides the future Queen of Norway, Karl August and Dagny also had the children Gry Dagny (1924–1970) and Karl Herman (1929–1936). The latter died in a boat accident, see my blog article from 2011.

Haakon Haraldsen married on 14 December 1957 in Denmark Lis Ingeborg Elder from Rungsted (Aftenposten 13 Desember 1957 no. 578, p. 13). They had 3 children – Karl Otto, Lis Dagny and Marianne – as well as 6 grandchildren.

Haraldsen worked for the most part with property management, first of all through his company AS Karl A. Haraldsen, but was also registered as manager and/or chairman (of the board of directors) of the companies Storgaten 10 A AS, Haakon Haraldsen Holding AS and Haraldsens Eiendomskontor AS (AS = Ltd.).

As Haakon Haraldsen lived at Vettakollen in Oslo, which is in the parish of Ris, it is expected that his last resting place will be Ris urnelund (Ris urn garden). The ashes of his parents, his sister Gry, his aunt Hanna Alice Haraldsen (1887–1971), uncle Halvor Haraldsen (1893–1970) and aunt Inger Elisabeth Haraldsen, née Rydgren (1904–1994), are all interred at Ris.

Funeral service for Johan Martin Ferner

The funeral service for Johan Martin Ferner, who died on 24 January 2015, took place at Holmenkollen Chapel in Oslo today, with bishop emeritus Sigurd Osberg and parish pastor Jan Erik Heffermehl officiating. In attendance were - besides Johan Martin Ferner's widow Princess Astrid and her nearest family - King Harald, Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Märtha Louise and Ari Behn, as well as other Ferner family members and many friends. Former foreign secretary Thorvald Stoltenberg, an old friend of Princess Astrid, and Crown Prince Haakon's former girl-friend Cathrine Knudsen, also attended.

The funeral service was described as private, meaning that the media was not allowed inside the chapel during the ceremony. A small pool of photographers covered the event when the mourners entered and left the chapel.

From today's press release from the Royal Court we learn that the ceremony was opened by the musician Ole Edvard Antonsen's trumpet with Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man". A group of soloists from the boys' choir Sølvguttene ("Boys of Silver", the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation's boys choir) sang "Pie Jesu" by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Antonsen also rounded off the ceremony with "Ave Maria" (Bach/Gounod). Hymns during the ceremony were "Alltid freidig" and "Deilig er jorden" ("Fairest Lord Jesus"). The organist was Petter Amundsen.

See also photo and film coverage at VG.no, Dagbladet.no and NRK.no. Among the many wreaths can be spotted one from the Grand Ducal family of Luxembourg as well as the one from Princess Astrid (green ribbon).

Updated on Monday 2 February 2015 at 22:35 (typo corrected; first paragraph modified).