Princess Märtha of Sweden and WWII
This time the Allaboutroyalfamilies series of royals and World War II, stays in
Scandinavia. The new post will talk about Princess Märtha of Sweden.
Her family
Märtha Sofia Lovisa Dagmar Thyra of Sweden was born on 28 March 1901
as the second child of Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland and
Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. Her father was the younger brother of
King Gustaf V of Sweden. Her mother was the younger sister of
King Christian X of Denmark and of King Haakon VII of Norway. What's
all in the family?
There were even more family ties! Märtha had an elder sister who became
Princess Margaretha of Denmark and a younger sister who became Queen
Astrid of Belgium.
Love and Marriage?
Princess Märtha of Sweden became engaged to Olav of Norway, who was
her first cousin. The engagement took place during the Olympic Summer
Games of Amsterdam (The Netherlands) in 1928. This news was well
received in both the countries. It was an excellent match in terms of
strenghtening the ties. However this match was based on love!
On 21 March 1929, Princess Märtha married Olav in the Olso Cathedral.
This was the first royal wedding in Norway for 340 years! It was attended
by many guests.
Märtha soon became a popular and respected member of the royal family.
She made a lot of official engagement and she even gave many speeches.
In 1935, Princess Märtha's sister, Astrid died in Küssnacht. The siblings
always had been very close and Märtha's husband later said that it took
his wife for more than ten years to come to terms with it. Together with
her elder sister, Margaretha, she became a support for her sister's children
in Belgium.
In 1938, Crown Princess Märtha became the senior lady of the court after
the death of her mother-in-law, Queen Maud.
The Crown Prince and his wife, princess Märtha visited in 1939, the
United States of America. There she became friends of Franklin Roosevelt,
the president, and his wife Eleanor Roosevelt.
World War II
On 26 January 1940, Princess Märtha made a public announcement in
which she encouraged Norwegian women to take part in the mobilization
work.
When Germany invaded Norway in April 1940, the Crown Princess and
her children fled to Sweden, however her native country didn't receive
her well!
Following an invitation by Franklin Roosevelt, she went to the United
States on the United State Army transport, American Legion.
In the US she and her children initially stayed at the White House.
Crown Prince Olav, Märtha's husband however, and his father went to
the United Kingdom. Thus the couple was separated for much of the war.
In 1942, the US presented the exiled Norwegian forces with a gift of the
submarine chaser HNoMS King Haakon VII, which was officially
received by Crown Princess Märtha.
Her impressive work to assist the American Red Cross and on behalf
of the Norwegian interests greatly impressed Roosevelt and influenced
his Look to Norway speech in 1942.
Princess Märtha spent much of World War II in the United States of
America. She tried to keep up support for Norway among the American
public and government.
In 1942, she visited London to take part in the birthday celebrations of
her father-in-law. When she returned to Norway after the war, in 1945,
she received a hero's welcome and was called the "Mother of the Nation".
After World War II
Princess Märtha died of cancer at the National Hospital in Oslo on
5 April 1954. At the time of her death, her elder daughter Ragnild
was expecting her first child. She never became Queen of Norway.
Her death was a great loss for her husband, the future King Olav,
for her children and for Norway as well.
People and things named after her
There were things called in her honor inter alia:
* the Princess Märtha Coast in Antartica
* A ship Kronprinsesse Martha was named after her.
* in Sweden the Princess Cake was named for Märtha and her two
sisters when they were chidren.
And perhaps the most loviest of all:
King Harald V of Norway, her son, named his daughter Princess
Märtha Louise after her grandmother.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
Scandinavia. The new post will talk about Princess Märtha of Sweden.
Her family
Märtha Sofia Lovisa Dagmar Thyra of Sweden was born on 28 March 1901
as the second child of Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland and
Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. Her father was the younger brother of
King Gustaf V of Sweden. Her mother was the younger sister of
King Christian X of Denmark and of King Haakon VII of Norway. What's
all in the family?
There were even more family ties! Märtha had an elder sister who became
Princess Margaretha of Denmark and a younger sister who became Queen
Astrid of Belgium.
Love and Marriage?
Princess Märtha of Sweden became engaged to Olav of Norway, who was
her first cousin. The engagement took place during the Olympic Summer
Games of Amsterdam (The Netherlands) in 1928. This news was well
received in both the countries. It was an excellent match in terms of
strenghtening the ties. However this match was based on love!
On 21 March 1929, Princess Märtha married Olav in the Olso Cathedral.
This was the first royal wedding in Norway for 340 years! It was attended
by many guests.
Märtha soon became a popular and respected member of the royal family.
She made a lot of official engagement and she even gave many speeches.
In 1935, Princess Märtha's sister, Astrid died in Küssnacht. The siblings
always had been very close and Märtha's husband later said that it took
his wife for more than ten years to come to terms with it. Together with
her elder sister, Margaretha, she became a support for her sister's children
in Belgium.
In 1938, Crown Princess Märtha became the senior lady of the court after
the death of her mother-in-law, Queen Maud.
The Crown Prince and his wife, princess Märtha visited in 1939, the
United States of America. There she became friends of Franklin Roosevelt,
the president, and his wife Eleanor Roosevelt.
World War II
On 26 January 1940, Princess Märtha made a public announcement in
which she encouraged Norwegian women to take part in the mobilization
work.
When Germany invaded Norway in April 1940, the Crown Princess and
her children fled to Sweden, however her native country didn't receive
her well!
Following an invitation by Franklin Roosevelt, she went to the United
States on the United State Army transport, American Legion.
In the US she and her children initially stayed at the White House.
Crown Prince Olav, Märtha's husband however, and his father went to
the United Kingdom. Thus the couple was separated for much of the war.
In 1942, the US presented the exiled Norwegian forces with a gift of the
submarine chaser HNoMS King Haakon VII, which was officially
received by Crown Princess Märtha.
Her impressive work to assist the American Red Cross and on behalf
of the Norwegian interests greatly impressed Roosevelt and influenced
his Look to Norway speech in 1942.
Princess Märtha spent much of World War II in the United States of
America. She tried to keep up support for Norway among the American
public and government.
In 1942, she visited London to take part in the birthday celebrations of
her father-in-law. When she returned to Norway after the war, in 1945,
she received a hero's welcome and was called the "Mother of the Nation".
After World War II
Princess Märtha died of cancer at the National Hospital in Oslo on
5 April 1954. At the time of her death, her elder daughter Ragnild
was expecting her first child. She never became Queen of Norway.
Her death was a great loss for her husband, the future King Olav,
for her children and for Norway as well.
People and things named after her
There were things called in her honor inter alia:
* the Princess Märtha Coast in Antartica
* A ship Kronprinsesse Martha was named after her.
* in Sweden the Princess Cake was named for Märtha and her two
sisters when they were chidren.
And perhaps the most loviest of all:
King Harald V of Norway, her son, named his daughter Princess
Märtha Louise after her grandmother.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
Comments