King Harald and Princess Astrid were the last two surviving children of King Olav V. Think of them as the original “royal ride-or-dies,” except their rides were horse-drawn carriages and their “dice” were ceremonial scepters. They grew up during World War II, which is basically the ultimate “we survived this together” story. If you and your sibling ever hid from a scary babysitter in a closet, imagine hiding from actual occupying forces in a neutral country.
They were the classic “older brother, younger sister” dynamic—Harald was the serious heir, Astrid was the lively, mischievous one. I bet she was the one who got him to sneak out for a late-night pastry when the palace guards weren’t looking. Every family has that one member who pushes you to break the rules just a little, and then laughs when you get caught. Astrid was probably that person for Harald.
The Heart of the Royal Mess
Princess Astrid wasn’t just a royal figurehead. She was the family’s unofficial glue, the one who remembered everyone’s birthdays and sent handwritten notes. You know that aunt or cousin who shows up with the perfect casserole and a story that makes everyone laugh until they snort? That was her, but with a tiara. She was the one who made sure the family stayed human, even when the press was watching their every move.
Harald once said Astrid was his “closest confidante”. If you have a sibling you can call at 2 AM to complain about a weird dream or a bad haircut, you get it. That’s a bond that doesn’t need a palace—it just needs a shared history of sibling squabbles over the remote control, even if that remote was a royal decree.
Crownprincess Margrethe of Denmark and Crownprince... - Post Tenebras
