Else Werring, née Wilhelmsen (29 April 1905 – 23 November 1989) was a Norwegian

royal Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or Royalty (disambiguation), royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Ill ...

hostess.

Personal life

She was born in

Tønsberg Tønsberg (), historically Tunsberg, is a List of towns and cities in Norway, city in Tønsberg Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is located about south-southwest of the capital city of Oslo on the western coast of the Oslofjord near ...

as a daughter of shipowner

Halfdan Wilhelmsen Halfdan Wilhelmsen (March 11, 1864 – November 18, 1923) was a Norwegian shipowner and consul. Wilhelmsen was born in Tønsberg, the son of the shipowner Wilhelm Wilhelmsen and his wife Catharina Fredrikke Lorentzen. After graduating from bu ...

(1864–1923) and Ragnhild Oppen (1869–1952). She was a granddaughter of the founder of Wilh. Wilhelmsen Wilhelm Wilhelmsen (1839–1910), an aunt of Tom Wilhelmsen and a niece of businessmen Finn, Axel and Wilhelm Wilhelmsen. She had middle school, and also attended school for two years in England and one year in France. In March 1926 she married shipowner Niels Werring. The couple had four children; the daughters Ragnhild (who married Henning Astrup) and Gina "Else Catharine" and the sons Niels, Jr. and Morten. The Werring couple lived at the Munkebakken estate in

Lysaker Lysaker is an area in Bærum Municipality, Akershus County, Norway. Lysaker is the easternmost part of Bærum and borders Oslo proper. Lysaker was initially a farming community, later becoming a residential area. Today it is primarily known as ...

is a residence designed by

Arnstein Arneberg Arnstein Rynning Arneberg (6 July 1882 – 9 June 1961) was a Norwegian architect. He was active professionally for 50 years and is often considered the leading architect in Norway of his time. Personal life Arnstein Rynning Arneberg was b ...

. The family led a social life which included royals.

Career

In January 1958 she was appointed by

Olav V of Norway Olav V (, ; born Prince Alexander of Denmark; 2 July 1903 – 17 January 1991) was King of Norway from 1957 until his death in 1991. Olav was born at Sandringham House in England, the only child of Prince Carl of Denmark and Princess Maud of ...

Chief Court Mistress Court Mistress (; ; ; ; ) or Chief Court Mistress (; ; ; ; ; ) is or was the title of the senior lady-in-waiting in the courts of Austria, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Imperial Russia, and the German princely and royal courts. Chief c ...

(''

Overhoffmesterinne Court Mistress (; ; ; ; ) or Chief Court Mistress (; ; ; ; ; ) is or was the title of the senior lady-in-waiting in the courts of Austria, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Imperial Russia, and the German princely and royal courts. Chief c ...

'') for the

Norwegian royal family Members of the Norwegian royal family are people related to King Harald V of Norway or former Norwegian monarchs who are royals and who hold royal titles. The term does not include non-royal relatives. The current family who holds the throne a ...

. When assuming the position, royal-friendly newspaper described her as "representative, highly cultivated, as beautiful as her predecessor in the office, mrs. Borghild Anker, and as eminent a hostess as her". Her main assignment was to assist the Crown Princess in her tasks as a hostess at the court. As such she played an important role in the social life at the

Royal Palace This is a list of royal palaces, sorted by continent. Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania {, class="wikitable" width="95%" , - bgcolor="white" !align=center, Residence !align=center, Photo !align=center, City !align=cen ...

. In 1958 the entire court of the Norwegian royal family comprised as little as seven people; Richard Andvord,

Ingvald Smith-Kielland Ingvald Marillus Emil Smith-Kielland (9 August 1890 – 29 January 1984) was a Norwegian military officer, diplomat, sports official, and royal servant. He was born in Egge Municipality as the son of Colonel Ingvald Mareno Smith-Kielland (1863� ...

, Odd Grønvold and Ellinor Grønvold, Ingeborg von Hanno and Vincent Bommen. In 1985 she retired and was replaced by Ingegjerd Løvenskiold. She was also a council member in the

Nansen Academy The Nansen Academy – Norwegian Humanistic Academy () is a folk high school in Lillehammer, Norway. History Nansen Academy was founded as a humanist and anti-totalitarian institution. The school was named after polar explorer, scientist, author a ...

from 1948 to 1962 and in the Filharmonisk Selskap from 1952 to 1960. She was a board member of several philanthropic institutions in Tønsberg. As a godmother in the baptising of ships belonging to her family's shipping company Wilh. Wilhelmsen, she donated "godmother gifts" to nonprofit organizations. She was an active churchgoer, and was fond of art collecting, literature, skiing, tennis and horseriding. She was decorated as a Commander of the

Order of St. Olav The Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav (; or ''Sanct Olafs Orden'', the old Norwegian name) is a Norwegian order of chivalry instituted by King Oscar I on 21 August 1847. It is named after King Olav II, known to posterity as St. Olav. Just be ...

in 1967, and upgraded to Commander with Star in 1980. She also held the Grand Cross of the

Order of the Dannebrog The Order of the Dannebrog () is a Denmark, Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V of Denmark, Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the Order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single cla ...

and the

Order of the Polar Star The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish language, Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden''), sometimes translated as the Royal Order of the North Star, is a Swedish order of chivalry created by Frederick I of Sweden, King Frederick I on 23 F ...

. She died in November 1989.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Werring, Else 1905 births 1989 deaths People from Tønsberg People from Bærum Norwegian expatriates in England Norwegian expatriates in France Norwegian women philanthropists Grand Crosses of the Order of the Dannebrog Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star Norwegian Lutherans Mistresses of the Robes (Norway) 20th-century Norwegian philanthropists 20th-century Lutherans