A last farewell to Princess Astrid at Ris Church

The service for Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner began at 1pm at Ris Church in Oslo on Wednesday. The church, which was the Princess's local parish church, was open to all, and its more than 600 seats were filled.

Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner. Photo: Svein Brimi, The Royal Court

King Haakon, Queen Mette-Marit, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Queen Sonja arrived five minutes before the service began. Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett arrived at about the same time with the Princess's three daughters, Maud Angelica, Leah Isadora and Emma Tallulah Behn.

Crown Princess Victoria was among the first royals to arrive, and is the only representative of the Swedish royal house. Belgium was represented by Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz.

• Opened with «Pie Jesu»

Sissel Kyrkjebø and the Sølvguttene choir opened the service with «Pie Jesu». Parish priest Paul Erik Wirgenes and the Bishop of Oslo, Sunniva Gylver, are leading the funeral, and after the welcome and prayer the congregation sang «Ein fin liten blome i skogen eg ser». Rolf Løvland's «You Raise Me Up» is also listed in the programme.

The order of service carries a photograph from 2016, taken when the Princess visited Trondheim during King Harald and Queen Sonja's 25th anniversary as king and queen.

• «The best mother in the world»

Wirgenes gave the memorial address and traced the Princess's long life. He dwelt on the close bond between her and her brother, King Harald, and on her care for other people and for vulnerable groups in society.

The priest also drew on the words of the Princess's five children, Cathrine Ferner Johansen, Benedikte Ferner, Alexander Ferner, Elisabeth Ferner and Carl-Christian Ferner, that she was the best mother in the world. He spoke too of her love for her family and for animals.

• «Astrid looked after Harald»

Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg gave the memorial address on behalf of the government. He opened by saying that the Princess had been dear to a great many people.

«Princess Astrid was King Harald's elder sister. He was her little brother. And you are a little brother all your life. She was there when he was born, she was there when he died. Astrid looked after Harald», Stoltenberg said.

He recalled getting to know the Princess when he became a government minister in the early 1990s, and described a woman of strong personality, firm opinions, sharp retorts and a great deal of humour and warmth. Their conversations ranged from international politics to everyday life in Norway.

One favourite subject was the 1950 school-leavers' celebration, when the Princess took part and Stoltenberg's father Thorvald was its president. The Finance Minister also recalled setting out the government's pension reform, only to be interrupted by the Princess, who is said to have replied that she had made her contribution to funding future pensions and did not need to hear any more about it.

• Red roses on the coffin

After the address the Princess's grandchildren and great-grandchildren laid red roses on the coffin. The Norwegian flag lies over the coffin as a mark of honour, and two guardsmen stand watch at the bier.

The church is filled with wreaths and flowers from the family and from royal houses abroad. Among them is a wreath from Buckingham Palace and Princess Anne, with a card bearing Princess Anne's signature and the words «with love and happy memories». No British royals are attending the service.

• Two weeks after the King's funeral

Princess Astrid died on 11 September at the age of 94, two weeks after her brother King Harald V and only two days after she followed him to his grave. She was five years older than him.

Prince Sverre Magnus has already begun his studies in Lisbon and is not on the list of those attending.

The family has not said where the Princess is to be buried. Her husband Johan Martin Ferner, who died in 2015, has his grave at the Ris cemetery beside the church. No official programme is planned after the funeral.