Olav V & Crown Princess Martha of Norway

[grandduchessella]

A cute story about CP Martha & FDR visiting a private citizen

http://www.b-efa.org/befa/day_to_remember.htm

[Brian_Ahern]

GrandDuchessElla,
Thank you very much for posting these pieces.

I'm fairly certain that the "Count Wedel Karlsberg" mentioned as CPM's aide de camp during her American sojourn should actually read "Count Wedel Jarlsberg", of the family that originally owned Skaugam. I also think he wasn't technically a Count anymore, the nobles of Norway having been "de-nobled" (if you will ) in the first decade of the twentieth century.

[kmerov]

Crown Princess Märtha with her children arriving in New York in 1940.


Märtha with Roosevelt during a radio broadcast.

[Marc]

Any colour portraits of Martha?

[Viscount]

Admiral His Late Majesty King Olav V, The King of Norway,
KG, KT, GCB, GCVO
(b Appleton House, Sandringham 1903 - d Royal Lodge, Kongsseteren 1991)

Any good pics of this gracious man ?  I always remember how regal he bore himself, and yet was like a "favourite grandfather/uncle".  I remember he used to attend the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall each November - and when "God Save The Queen" was played, he would turn to HM Queen Elizabeth II and sing.

Wish I had met him!

The Viscount

[penn]

What exactly did Crown Princess Martha die of?  The only hint I've seen is "after a long illness."
(http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10202246)

A fascinating and informative thread.  Thanks all.  

[Rebecca]

What exactly did Crown Princess Martha die of?  The only hint I've seen is "after a long illness.

Crown Princess Märtha died from cancer.

[Leuchtenberg]

Crown Princess Martha was very much involved with the Red Cross during her time in the United States.  Before her marriage, Princess Martha studied pediatric nursing and she attended a cooking school.  Her knowledge of nutrition and medical care was known to be of great value to the Red Cross.

As mentioned, Franklin Roosevelt was captivated by the Crown Princess, much to his wife's displeasure.  Eleanor Roosevelt only began to voice her opinions on the matter when she discovered that during her frequent wartime absences, Franklin had asked Martha to act as his hostess at The White House.

[LORENZO]

Olav V has been a great King and a great man!

[Jebediha]

How do you know that he was a great king?

anyway he was a terribel king no i am just kidding,
He is one of the greatest Kings we have had in Norway.
in my oppinion it is only 3 kings that Norway has had that is greater then King Olav V

[LORENZO]

As Hereditary Prince and as King, Olav lived and reigned in a difficult period; he lived the German occupation and the exile and after, he lived the "cold war" and the great changes of the second part of the XX century; he has been able to create a newly, an innovative, image  of King's role and Monarchy role for Norway, if he didn't make this work I'm not sure that Norway would be a monarchy today!
I guess, but it's just my opinion, he should be an example, a lesson, for his grandson Prince Haakon Magnus...but just history will be able to tell it!

[Jebediha]

there where now dificultis in the time when King Olav V ruled norway ( 1957-1991 ).
But there where many dificultis under the rule of his father King Haakon VII ( 1905-1957 ).
You also have to rembmer that King Olav startet  his work as a Monarch frome where is father King Haakon VII left of when he died.
He simply tok an lade the finale tutch on the Norwigian monarchy that is father stared to make when he came to Norway with his wife and son,

[LORENZO]

I think he modernized the monarchy, or better, his image and I guess it was not so simple to be a sovereign between USSR and USA during the "cold war", expecially for the king of a Country that is between the two bloks, as the Norway was.
It has be clever to understand that a monarchy must follow the times and must develop itself to survive in those years as in thees years; the Greek lesson is clear and present for everybody!

[Jebediha]

yes he did modernzise the Monarchy.
but i do not agree with that it was hard to be a king between the USSR and USA. Fore one thing he had nothing to do with politics.
And it was the Govement that had dose problems not the king. At least not mutch,

[LORENZO]

Yes it's true "the king reigns but not governs", but anyway he must reign and politic always matters, perhaps just a little and not as in the Prime Minister's role, but it always matters in every monarchy!