Kristine Elisabeth Gudde was born and raised in Trondheim and married at the age of 17 to the 33-year-older British businessman, Charles Peto Bennett. They settled in London and had sons Alfred and Charles (Peto).
Roald Amundsen first met “Kiss” in London on 16 November 1912, at a party organized by the Norwegian colony in honor of Amundsen at the Hotel Cecil. When she and her husband arranged a party at London’s Savoy Hotel just a few weeks later, they met again.
Their encounters would become more numerous as their feelings for each other grew. They met at Leigh Court, where the Bennetts lived in England, and in Norway, where Kiss visited Uranienborg several times, at least once with her sister Gudrun.
A unique photograph of the two Gudde sisters on the steps outside Uranienborg. Big sister Gudrun on the left and Kiss on the right with the white hat. Photo: Follo museum, MiA / Private collection.
Kiss was not the only member of her family whom Amundsen got to know. Over time he became good friends with her sister Gudrun and her brother Trygve, and her sons, Alfred and Peto, visited Uranienborg several times.
In 1918, her brother Trygve Gudde, who was a lawyer, helped Roald Amundsen to sign over the properties at Svartskog to Kiss before he left on the Maud expedition. She never moved in, but Amundsen made several references to her while he was with the Maud; the expedition’s aircraft were named Kristine and Elisabeth, and he also named a small peak on Cape Chelyuskin in her honour.
In 1924, Amundsen began a diary that is now held at the National Library of Norway. Though sealed for many years, it is now accessible and gives a unique insight into Amundsen’s thoughts and feelings for Kiss. Although the diary revealed their strong feelings for one another, the relationship between Amundsen and Kiss cooled during 1925, after which they maintained contact but rather less closely than before.
Alfred and Peto Bennett visiting Amundsen’s home. Kiss’s two sons are on the far left of the picture, Amundsen on the far right. Photo: Follo museum, MiA / Private collection.
After Amundsen’s death in 1928, Kiss paid a large sum to Roald’s relatives to retrieve the letters she had written to him. It is said that she later deliberately destroyed them.
She was widowed in March 1940, just a few weeks before Norway was invaded. She stayed in England during the war and set about raising funds for Norwegian seafarers. With the help of influential Englishmen, she arranged an exhibition on Norway that toured England with artists and speakers. She also collected gifts that were sold at auction. With the funds she raised – the equivalent of half a million kroner today – Kiss sought out Norwegian sailors who had been admitted to English hospitals and might be in need. For her efforts, she was made a Knight of the 1st Class of the Order of St. Olav after the war.
One November night in 1980, she died peacefully in her bed at home in Jersey.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage, 1903-06. A tinted photograph of him hangs in Amundsen’s home.
The girls Nita and Camilla Carpendale went to Norway and Svartskog together with Amundsen in 1922 where they lived until 1924. The girls called Amundsen “Grandpa”.
Betty was one of the key women in Amundsen’s life. She was the nanny when he grew up, and when Amundsen moved to Svartskog, she joined him and moved into the gatehouse, which became “Betty’s house”.
Eivind Astrup became one of the world’s most experienced polar explorers of his time and a great role model for Roald Amundsen. He chose to end his life when only 24 years old.
Roald Amundsen had strong feelings for Kristine Elisabeth “Kiss” Bennett. She visited Uranienborg several times, but even though Amundsen transferred ownership of it to her, she never moved in.
The girls Nita and Camilla Carpendale went to Norway and Svartskog with Amundsen in 1922 and lived there until 1924. The girls called Amundsen “Grandpa”.
Sigrid Flood Castberg, often called “Sigg”, was one of the women Amundsen had a relationship with. But when Amundsen proposed, she was already married and wanted to wait, and when she was ready he wanted…
Håkon Hammer met Roald Amundsen in Seattle in 1921. He quickly became a collaborator and supporter, but was later named by Amundsen as one of the reasons for his personal bankruptcy.
Participated in the Maud expedition, but left the expedition in 1919, together with Peter Tessem. Both perished. What really happened to them is still unknown.
The Alaska Inupiaq called Elizabeth Magids “Queen of the Arctic”, Amundsen’s crew referred to her as “the mysterious lady”. Amundsen called her “Bess”. She went to live with Amundsen in Norway in 1928….
Participated as a research assistant on the Maud expedition, and as a meteorologist on the Norge expedition. Died on Umberto Nobile’s airship expedition in 1928.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of him decorates a window in Amundsen’s home.
Nobile was the airship engineer whom Amundsen criticized after the expedition in 1926. During the search for his wrecked expedition in 1928, Roald Amundsen disappeared.
Joined the Maud expedition after visiting the ship in Khabarovsk. Also participated in the Norge expedition, but was left out from the actual voyage across the Arctic Ocean.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of her hangs in Amundsen’s home.
One of the Netsilik Inuit Amundsen met during the expedition through the Northwest Passage 1903-06. A coloured picture of him decorates a door in Amundsen’s home.