Queen Astrid of Belgium, Princess of Sweden

[amani]

On the original question of her in her early, pre-Belgium life, there will be an exhibit opening next week in Stockholm that deals with just this. I'm not sure how long it will be running. It will apparently have many photos and memorabilia from her childhood.

The exhibition will opened on May 27 by King Albert (Son of Queen Astrid), Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg (her grandson),  King Harald of Norway (her nephew, actually his wife Queen Sonja as King Harald is still recovering from heart surgery) and King Carl Gustav of Sweden in Stockholm. The exhibition will cover Queen Astrid's youth in Sweden.

The second part of the exhibition will open on November 17 in Brussels. This part will cover her life after coming to Belgium as the wife of King Leopold.

This exhibition is a joint effort by the Royal Houses of Sweden and Belgium.

[Katia]

Svenks Damtidnig (Swedish Ladies Magazine) nr 21/2005 has an article about Astrid with many photos of her and her family. It compares Astrid to princess Diana and Grace of Monaco, who, like Astrid, were celebrated and loved beauties, and died in car accidents.

Astrid Sofia Louisa Thyra was born 17th of Niovember, 1905 (it's the 100th anniverary of her birth this year). She died 29th August, 1935 (it will be 70 years ago). She was only 29 years old. The exhibition in Stockholms slott (castle) will be opened for public on May 28th. It will be closed the 25th September, 2005. The exhibit is open daily 10-16. There will be Astrid's clothes, for example her wedding dress and shoes, and four other dresses, as well as personal belongings and photographs. There is a photo of her beautiful kimono style dress in the article. It also tells about the wedding of Astrid and Leopold, their life and children, and the tragic car accident which took the life of an young mother, whose children were only 7, 5, and 1 years old.

[amani]

Svenks Damtidnig (Swedish Ladies Magazine) nr 21/2005 has an article about Astrid with many photos of her and her family.

The magazine is Svensk Damtidning.

[Grand_Duke]

I think they are the same portrait but reversed!

[crazy_wing]

Good observation GD !  You are right, they are reversed and the smaller one's colors r darker.  

[Katia]

The magazine is Svensk Damtidning.

Yes, I know, sorry about spelling!  

[Marlene]

Rosvall Royal  Books just published a lovely book on Princess Astrid - lots of photos with a Swedish and English text.  Book is called Astrid.

I have very little information during Astrids life as a princess of Sweden. I'm guessing that the low countries will be added to the forum soon. I want this one to be about her life before she became engaged to the Belgain prince.

[Lanie]

Rosvall Royal  Books just published a lovely book on Princess Astrid - lots of photos with a Swedish and English text.  Book is called Astrid.

Marlene, where could someone go about getting this book?

[Marlene]

Marlene, where could someone go about getting this book?

The book was published a few weeks ago.  I suspect one could order it from Rosvall in Sweden .. Hatchards has carried his books, as has Hoogstraten in the Netherlands.  Majesty magazine also sells Rosvall Royal Books  ...

[ferngully]

what happened to the children and her husband after? (just curious, i've never heard of them before)
selina                xxxxxxx

[TampaBay]

Crown Prince Leopold and Crown Princess Astrid of Belgium, Margarethe & Axel of Denmark, Crown Prince Olav & Crown Princess Martha of Norway
 

Gd Ella,

I am lost !!! Could you do a simple succession line of Beligium Soverigns (with consorts) from Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha through Astrid and her husband to the present day heir.  I realize the last/most current heir is a child.    I thank you in advance for your efforts .

TampaBay

[Katia]

what happened to the children and her husband after? (just curious, i've never heard of them before)
selina                xxxxxxx

His husband remarried and got children with his new wife, but I think Belgians didn't accept the marriage and Leopold abdicated the throne for his elder son Baudouin.

Leopold and Astrid's firstborn, princess Josephine-Charlotte, later married Grand Duke Jean of Luxemburg. They had five children. She died earlier this year.

Baudoin married Fabiola (she was from Spain). They didn't get any children, so Baudouin's younger brother Albert inherited the throne after Baudouin's death. Albert was the youngest of Astrid's children. He married italian Paola and they had three children: Philippe, Astrid and Laurent. Philippe and his wife Mathilde are the current crown prince couple and their daughter will one day be the queen of Belgium.

Please correct if I didn't get it right...

[grandduchessella]

Gd Ella,

I am lost !!! Could you do a simple succession line of Beligium Soverigns (with consorts) from Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha through Astrid and her husband to the present day heir.  I realize the last/most current heir is a child.    I thank you in advance for your efforts .

TampaBay

I'll try.  

Leopold I m. 1832 Princess Louise of Orleans (dau. of Louis Philippe of France)
1) Louis-Philippe (1833-1834)
2) Leopold II (1835-1909); m.1853 Archduchess Marie Henriette of Austria [on his deathbed in 1909, LII married his mistress Blanche Delacroix, Baroness de Vaughan in Belgium (a courtesy title) ]
  a) Louise (1858-1924); m.1875 (div 1906) Philipp of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha  
b) Leopold, Duke of Brabant (1859-1869)
c) Stephanie (1864-1945); m.(1) 1881 Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria (2) 1900 Elmer Prince Lonyay
 d) Clementine (1872-1955); m.1910 Prince Victor Napoléon (head of the house of Bonaparte)

Because LII's only son died and females couldn't inherit, the succession passed to his brother Phillip, Count of Flanders. He predeceased his brother so his son, Albert became King. Albert had had an elder brother, Baudoin, who predeceased their father. The 8 year gap between LII's daughters Stephanie and Clementine came about because LII and Marie Henriette detested each other and only resumed relations to attempt to get another son.

Philippe, Count of Flanders (1837- 1905); m.1867 Pss Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (aunt of King Ferdinand I of Romania)
1) Baudouin (1869-1891)
2) Henriette (1870-1948); m.1896 Prince Emanuel of Orléans Duc de Vendôme
3) Joséphine Marie Stéphanie Victoire (1870-1871)
4) Joséphine (1872-1958); m.1894 Prince Karl Anton of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
5) Albert I (1875- 1934); m.1900 Elisabeth Duchess in Bavaria

Albert & Elizabeth's children  
1) Leopold III  abdicated 1951 (1901-1983); m.(1) 1926 Astrid of Sweden (d. 1935); m.(2) 1941 Lilian Baels, created Pss de Rethy

Children by 1st marriage:  
1) Joséphine Charlotte (1927-2005); m.1953 GD Jean of Luxemburg
2) Baudoin I (1930-1993); m.1960 Doña Fabiola Mora y Aragón
3) Albert II m. 1934; m. 1959 Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria
 a) Crown Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant (b.1960)  m. 1999 Mathilde --they have 2 children Elisabeth and Gabriel
 
b)  Astrid (b.1962) ; m. 1984 Archduke Lorenz of Austria, created Prince of Belgium 1995; their children bear by Royal Decree 1991 title Prince[ss] of Belgium plus their Austrian titles--they have 5 children
 
c) Laurent (b.1963); m.2003 Claire Coombs

As you can see from above, the path often wasn't a straight one. Leopold II's nephew Albert I succeeded him after the deaths of his father and elder brother and Albert II succeeded his childless brother Baudoin.

[Rebecca]

I have very little information during Astrids life as a princess of Sweden. I'm guessing that the low countries will be added to the forum soon. I want this one to be about her life before she became engaged to the Belgain prince.

Princess Astrid was born in a palace in Stockholm, Arvfurstens Palats, which is now home to the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She was considered to be a kind and patient child. She was also considered to be very, very shy, especially to strangers. Already at the age of 4 she was allowed to accompany her older sisters Margaretha and Märtha to their lessons (private). The emphasis was on languages, but Astrid is said to not have had any bigger talent for book studies. Her talents was more on the practical side. Later she was a pupil at Anna Behle's ballet school in Stockholm, and also had an education in childcare.

There is a sweet story about how Princess Astrid and Crown Prince Léopold met. I don't know how true it is; it may be a myth, and it's very sugary. Anyway: A person presented to Astrid as Monsieur Réthy was invited to her parent's home. She was shy and got nervous and accidently spilled some tea in his lap. It is said to have been instant love.

Princess Astrid's childhood friend, Anna Sparre (née Baroness Anna Adelswärd), wrote a book about her some time in the 1980's, "Vännen min" (which means "My friend", but with a more affectionate ring to it than the translation indicates). I have not read this book, so I can not say if it is good or bad. Anna Sparre wrote several novels and the critics is said to have been chilly, but I have not heard anything specific about this book.

[KentKim]

Some good photos of Leopold in his youth, and then with Astrid and their children


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