Marianne Behn, the former mother-in-law of Princess Märtha Louise, daughter of the late King Harald V, has shared a touching tribute to the late sovereign following his passing aged 89 on Friday.
Harald, Europe's longest reigning monarch, died at the Oslo University Hospital, where he was being treated for a rare blood condition. On Sunday, the monarch was honoured at the first funeral service, held at the Lutheran Church of Asker and attended by King Haakon VIII along with Queen Sonja and his children, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus.
© NTB/AFP via Getty ImagesTaking to Instagram on Saturday, Marianne honoured the late sovereign by sharing a photo of Harald ascending a wooden staircase alongside her late son Ari Behn, an author and artist who was married to Harald and Sonja's only daughter, Princess Märtha Louise, for 15 years until their divorce in 2017.
The image showcased the pair's close bond, with both men affectionately wrapping their arms around each other's backs. Marianne captioned the image: "These two can still teach us all about love. King Harald V and Ari Behn," alongside two red hearts and one white dove emoji.
Marianne's late son, Ari Behn
Ari, who welcomed three daughters with the Princess Märtha Louise, Maud Angelica, Leah Isadora, and Emma Tallulah, died by suicide on Christmas Day of 2019.
© AFP via Getty ImagesKing Harald and Queen Sonja paid tribute to Ari at the time. "We are grateful that we got to know him," the royals said in their statement. "We grieve that our grandchildren have now lost their beloved father."
Ari, who authored several novels and plays, met the Princess Märtha through his mother Marianne, who was the princess's physiotherapy tutor.
© GettyWhat has Märtha Louise said about her late husband?
Märtha Louise opened up about Ari's passing for the first time during an appearance on the Who's Your Daddy podcast with Sebastian Solberg last year.
"I didn't realise it was so physically demanding," she explained. "I felt like I'd been running a marathon every day, and at the same time, I couldn't sleep, eat, or anything like that. I was exhausted and in a kind of brain fog."
The royal revealed that she had to find an inner strength in order to support her three daughters, but after six months, her emotions overwhelmed her.
© Getty"After seeing the children start to get back on their feet, after six months, I went into a downward spiral. Really depressed," she said.
The mother-of-three said she was "completely devastated" by the news and said she wasn't able "to get out of bed".
Märtha Louise is now happily married to Shaman Durek Verrett. The couple wed in 2024 in a wedding exclusively covered by HELLO!.
