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 Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a ...

hostess.

Personal life

She was born in

Tønsberg Tønsberg , historically Tunsberg, is a city and municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county, eastern Norway, located around south-southwest of Oslo on the western coast of the Oslofjord near its mouth onto the Skagerrak. The administrative c ...

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 b ...

(1864–1923) and Ragnhild Oppen (1869–1952). She was a granddaughter of the founder of

Wilh. Wilhelmsen Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding ASA (WWH) is a Norwegian multinational maritime group, headquartered in Lysaker, Norway. The group employs more than 21,000 people and has operations in 75 nations. The Wilhelmsen group operates the largest maritime netw ...

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 Niels Roth Heyerdahl Werring (4 August 1897 – 19 August 1990) was a Norwegian ship-owner. He was the senior director the shipping company Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding ASA. Werring was born at Kristiansund in Møre og Romsdal, Norway. He was the son o ...

. 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, Viken (county), Viken County, Norway. Lysaker is the easternmost part of Bærum and borders Oslo city proper, proper. Lysaker was initially a farming community, later becoming a residential area. Today ...

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 ...

. 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 the King of Norway from 1957 until his death in 1991. Olav was the only child of King Haakon VII of Norway and Maud of Wales. He became heir apparent to the Nor ...

Chief Court Mistress Court Mistress ( da, hofmesterinde; nl, hofmeesteres; german: Hofmeisterin; no, hoffmesterinne; sv, hovmästarinna) or Chief Court Mistress ( da, Overhofmesterinde; ('grand mistress'); ; no, overhoffmesterinne; sv, överhovmästarinna; russia ...

(''

Overhoffmesterinne Court Mistress ( da, hofmesterinde; nl, hofmeesteres; german: Hofmeisterin; no, hoffmesterinne; sv, hovmästarinna) or Chief Court Mistress ( da, Overhofmesterinde; ('grand mistress'); ; no, overhoffmesterinne; sv, överhovmästarinna; russia ...

'') for the Norwegian Royal Family. When assuming the position, royal-friendly newspaper described her as "representative, highly cultivated, as beautiful as her predecessor in the office, mrs.

Borghild Anker Borghild Anker (1876–1955), was a Norwegian court official.Eliassen, Sven G. m.fl.: Rød herregård gjennom 300 år. Utg. Aschehoug/Stiftelsen Rød Herregård. 2010. She served as the ''overhoffmesterinne Court Mistress ( da, hofmesterinde; ...

, 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 * Abdin Palace, Cairo * Al-Gawhara Palace, Cairo * Koubbeh Palace, Cairo * Tahra Palace, Cairo * Menelik Palace * Jubilee Palace * Guenete Leul Palace * Imperial Palace- Mass ...

. In 1958 the entire Court of the Norwegian Royal Family comprised as little as seven people;

Richard Andvord Sevald Theodor Richard Andvord (5 August 1839 – 8 November 1913) was a Norwegian businessperson, known for founding the company Rich. Andvord. Biography He was born at Lom in Oppland, Norway. He was the son of bailiff Paul Thorsteinson And ...

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 as the son of Colonel Ingvald Mareno Smith-Kielland (1863–1949) and Ra ...

Odd Grønvold Odd Grønvold (8 September 1907 – 18 February 1992) was a Norwegian royal servant. He was born in Kristiania, and was a grandnephew of the former private secretary to King Haakon VII of Norway, Hans Aimar Mow Grønvold. He was hired as secret ...

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 ( no, Nansenskolen – Norsk Humanistisk Akademi) is a folk high school in Lillehammer, Norway. History Nansen Academy was founded as a humanist and anti- totalitarian institution. The school ...

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 ( no, Den Kongelige Norske Sankt Olavs Orden; 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 ...

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 ( da, Dannebrogordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single class known ...

and the

Order of the Polar Star The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim. The Order of ...

. She died in November 1989.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Werring, Else 1905 births 1989 deaths People from Tønsberg People from Bærum Norwegian expatriates in the United Kingdom Norwegian expatriates in France Norwegian 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 philanthropists 20th-century Lutherans