Erling Sven Lorentzen (1923–2021)

The Norwegian Royal Court announced today the death of the shipowner, industralist and war hero Erling Sven Lorentzen, widower of Princess Ragnhild and brother-in-law of King Harald V. Erling Lorentzen died in Oslo at 01.30 a.m. on Tuesday 9 March 2021, 98 years old, after a short period of illness.

The king's condolences on behalf of the royal family: «It is with great sorrow we have received the sad message that Erling Sven Lorentzen has passed away. Our thoughts go to his closest ones, who have lost a good father, father-in-law, grandfather and great-grandfather.»

Erling Sven Lorentzen was born at Huseby in Aker (now part of Oslo) on 28 January 1923 as the youngest of six children of the shipowner Øivind Lorentzen, Holmestrand (1881–1980) and Ragna Nilsen, Hamar (1885–1976). During the war he joined the so-called «Kompani Linge» («The Linge Company», i.e. the Norwegian Independent Company 1 (NOR.I.C.1), a British SOE group formed by Norwegian volunteers) in Scotland where he received military training before becoming regional commanding officer in Hallingdal in 1944. When the royal family returned from exile following the end of the war in 1945, Lorentzen served as one of their bodyguards. He met and fell in love with the the Crown Prince Olav's eldest daughter Ragnhild, who was 15 years old at the time. They corresponded while Erling studied at Harvard Business School. The couple was finally allowed to marry in 1953.

After the wedding in Asker Church on 15 May 1953 the couple settled in Brazil where Lorentzen became a successful business man. In the first years he owned a gas distribution company, before he went into the cellulose business, owning a large share of Aracruz Celulose S.A. and working as its executive chairman for many years.

Erling Lorentzen and Princess Ragnhild had 3 children – Haakon, Ingeborg and Ragnhild – as well as 6 grandchildren. Princess Ragnhild died in 2012 and was buried at Asker Cemetery, where it is also expected that Lorentzen will be laid at rest. After her death Lorentzen continued to live in Brazil, but usually spent the summers in Norway, either at his summer place at Ostøya in Bærum or at his childhood home in Husebyveien in Oslo. The last fall and winter was spent in Oslo. He was an active and vital man to the last. As late as in December 2020 he strongly critizised the TV series «Atlantic Crossing» in a letter to the editor of Aftenposten.

I never met Erling Lorentzen, but exchanged a few e-mails over the years, and he was always forthcoming when I asked for assistance to my genealogy inquiries. He had lived a long and rich life and one should of course not be too surprised when he passed away at the age of 98. Still, I had somehow expected that he would at least turn 100, as he said himself that he aimed for! His father was 99 years old when he died, and his elder brother Øivind Lorentzen, Jr. died in March 2020, 101 years old. 

The Norwegian Minister of Defence, Frank Bakke-Jensen, said today: «One of our last war heroes from WW2 has passed away. His war effort, his will to defend his country and his imparting of knowledge to the younger generations will stand as a monument.»

Ari Behn (1972–2019)

 Ari Behn in Stockholm, June 2013. Photo: © 2013 Frankie Fouganthin, Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license). 

The author and artist Ari Mikael Behn, former husband of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, died in his home in Lommedalen, Bærum on 25 December 2019. On behalf of Behn's family his manager Geir Håkonsund released the following statement in the evening on Christmas Day:

It is with great sorrow in our hearts that we, the very closest next of kin to Ari Behn, have to announce that he today has taken his own life. We ask for respect for our privacy in the future.

The Norwegian Royal Court released the following statements by the King and Queen and by the Crown Prince and Crown Princess later the same evening (in English):

The death of Ari Behn

In connection with the death of Ari Behn, His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen have issued the following statement:

It is with great sorrow that the Queen and I have learned of the death of Ari Behn. Ari was an important part of our family for many years, and we will bring many warm, good memories  of him forward with us. We are grateful that we had the chance to know him. We grieve for our grandchildren, who have lost their beloved father, and extend our deepest sympathy to his parents and siblings, who have lost a dear son and brother. We ask that respect be shown for the privacy of Ari’s closest family in this difficult time.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon and Her Royal Highness Crown Prince Mette-Marit issued the following statement:

Ari was a good friend, a much-loved member of the family and a fabulous uncle with whom we shared many of life’s precious moments. It is with great sadness we have learned of his passing. We were all extremely fond of Ari. Our thoughts at this time are with Maud, Leah, Emma, Princess Märtha Louise and Ari’s closest family.

Prime Minister Erna Solberg said among others that «I would like to express my sincere sympathy with Ari Behn's family and bereaved in connection with his tragic death. My thoughts go to everyone who was fond of him». Condolences have also been expressed by the Swedish and Danish royal courts as well as by many of Ari's friends.

The funeral service will take place in Oslo domkirke (Oslo Cathedral) on Friday 3 January 2020 at 1 p.m. The service, which will be open to everyone who wishes to attend, will be officiated by the Bishop of Oslo, Kari Veiteberg.

Ari Mikael Behn, who changed his surname from Bjørshol to Behn in 1996, was born in Århus, Denmark on 30 September 1972 as the eldest son of Olav Bjørshol and Marianne Solberg (who later took the surname Behn). He had two younger siblings. After having lived in among others England and Lavangen, Northern Norway, the family settled in Moss when Ari was 6 years old. Ari attended the Waldorf School (Steinerskolen) in Moss and later took a bachelor’s degree in history and religion from the University of Oslo.

Behn made his break-through as an author in 1999 with his collection of short stories called «Trist som faen» («Sad as hell»), which has sold more than 100 000 copies. He later among others wrote 4 novels and published 2 more collections of short stories as well as a play. While he received great reviews for his first collection, the reviews of his later works were more mixed. In the last years he achived great success with his art.

Ari Behn married Princess Märtha Louise, elder child of King Harald V and Queen Sonja, in the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim in 2002. They had 3 children – Maud Angelica (2003), Leah Isadora (2005) and Emma Tallulah (2008). In August 2016 the couple's separation was made public and they got divorced one year later.

Many people have laid flowers and lit candles at the Karl Johan statue in the Palace Square in Oslo following the death of Ari Behn. Photo: © 2019 Dag Trygsland Hoelseth.

Photo: © 2019 Dag Trygsland Hoelseth.

I always thought that Ari Behn and Princess Märtha Louise were wonderful together as a couple, and I was really sad when they left eachother. Behn was a colourful man who brought more life to the royal family. I never met Ari Behn. But everyone I know who met him had only good things to say about him – he was always friendly, warm and generous and included everyone. It is sad to know that he struggled and it is terrible that he felt he couldn't go on anylonger. The many expressions of praise after his death shows that he was loved and will be missed by many, not only by his closest family and friends.

He was often ridiculed because of his big words and «Bohemian style» and was called «dandy» and a bit «self-centred» and other less flattering descriptions. If people could only be more generous to eachother and accept people for the way they are and appreciate their different personalities. I guess I had my reservations about him in the beginning, but over the years I respected him more and more. He might have put up a facade sometimes, but in general he was true to himself and his ideals.

The tabloids and many royalty-watchers have described him as a controversial person. He certainly created headlines over the years – his political statements and his comments on a former royal staff member's working conditions come among others to mind – but I have always felt that his «controversial behaviour» has been exaggerated. Granted, I have myself been quoted in the press as saying – with the institution of the royal house in mind – that he sometimes created «a bit too much noise». In general I think the headlines have just been mild ripples on the water, as I have also said earlier. The king and queen welcomed Ari into their arms and have always said how fond they were of him. Naturally they gave him freedom to form his career independent of the royal family. Everyone who knows something about the royal house also know that Ari never spoke on behalf of the institution, only on behalf of himself. Obviously the king and queen and the royal family have been more generous than royalists and the royal-watching community, who tend to be more Catholic than the pope.

Ari Behn left behind his 3 children, his girl-friend Ebba, his parents, two younger siblings, other family members, his former wife Princess Märtha Louise and her family and many, many friends.

Death of Austin Prichard-Levy, husband of Princess Lavinia of Yugoslavia (Serbia)

The Office of HRH Crown Prince Alexander of Serbia announced today the death of Austin Prichard-Levy, second husband of Princess Lavinia, the youngest daughter of Prince Andrej of Yugoslavia by his second wife Kira, née Princess of Leiningen.

Austin died of a heart attack on 2 January 2017 in London. His death is the first royalty-related death to be registered in 2017 so far.

The press release in full:

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander is very sad to announce that Her Royal Highness Princess Lavinia’s (first cousin of HRH Crown Prince Alexander) beloved husband Austin Prichard-Levy died suddenly in London Monday 2nd January 2017 at home of a heart attack.

Crown Prince Alexander and family extend their deepest sympathy and condolences to the family of Princess Lavinia.

Austin Prichard-Levy was born 20 January, 1953 in Roma, Queensland, Australia. He married Princess Lavinia in London 4 October 1998 and they had a son Luca Orlando Christopher born in London 14 February, 2000 whose Godmother is Crown Princess Katherine. He was also loving stepfather to Nadya-Marie and Andrej Sidiropulous.

Princess Lavinia is the daughter of the late Prince Andrej of Yugoslavia (brother of King Peter II of Yugoslavia) and the late Princess Kira of Leiningen.