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Denmark
King Christian IX
Ancestor
Denmark
King Frederik VIII
(Chr. IX's son)
Great Britain
Queen Alexandra
(Chr. IX's daughter)
Greece
King George I
(Chr. IX's son)
Russia
Czarina Dagmar
(Chr. IX's daughter)
Belgium
Queen Astrid
Norway
King Haakon VII
(Frederik VIII's son)
Luxembourg
Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte
Spain
Queen Sophia
(Princess of Greece)
Romania
Cr. Princess Helena
(Princess of Greece)
Yugoslavia
Princess Olga
(Princess of Greece)
Sweden
Princess Ingrid of Sweden. Queen of Denmark Miscellaneous
Useful Links
About the Author |
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Princess Astrid's mother, the Danish Princess Ingeborg, was the fifth child of the Danish king Frederik VIII. Astrid's mother had in
1897 married the Swedish Prince Carl (a brother to the then Swedish king), by whom she had two daughters, Märtha who
would later become Crown Princess of Norway, and Astrid who became Crown
Princess, and eventually Queen of Belgium. Through Astrid's sister Märtha the Norwegian
royal family is thus closely related to the Belgian royal family.
- Belgium 2005. Commemorative stamp in honour of Queen Astrid.
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In 1926 Astrid married Prince Leopold of Belgium, who in
1934 became King Leopold III, and thus became the first member of the Glücksburg
Dynasty ever in the Belgian royal family. The young couple's marriage was
happy and soon blessed with three children (Josephine-Charlotte *1927,
Baudouin *1930, and Albert *1934.
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After three child births the couple went on holiday to
Austria in their private car in 1935. In a tragic accident in Küssnacht (Switzerland) the royal vehicle, driven by the king himself, crashed, and the
queen was killed instantaneously. She was only 30 years old. Although
severely injured, the king survived the accident, and returned to Belgium
to resume his duties as both sovereign and single father of three young
children, the youngest still a baby.
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Belgium 2000. Memorial issue of Queen Astrid (1905-1935). In
spite of her only eight years as Belgian queen, she was the most popular
queen ever during the country's 100 years of monarchy.
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Belgium 1998. Memorial issue of King Leopold III
(1901-1983).
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Belgium 1935. Mourning issue for Queen Astrid. The
stamp exists in four face values and different background colours. They all
have the black mourning border.
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Belgium 1935. Three motherless siblings. The stamp is a
semi-postal for the benefit of Belgian Red Cross. It is part of a set of
several stamps of different colours and face values.
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Belgium 1936. Prince Baudouin.
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Belgium 1937. Queen Astrid with her daughter, Princess
Josephine-Charlotte, who would later become Grand-Duchess of
Luxembourg. Also this stamp is part of a set of several stamps of
different face values and colours.
In 1951 King Leopold, who never overcame his wife's death caused
by himself, abdicated in favour of his eldest son, Prince Baudouin, who became
King of Belgium at the age of only 21. In September 1941 King Leopold had
married Mary-Lilian Baeis (1916-2002).
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King Baudouin married in 1960 Dona Fabiola, born 1930
countess of Mora y Aragon (Spain). Much to their regret the couple
remained childless, and at King Baudouin's death in 1993 the Belgian
Throne was assumed by his younger brother Albert, who was now King Albert
II of Belgium. Through his mother, Queen Astrid, King Baudouin was a
member of the Glücksburg Dynasty.
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King Albert II is married to Queen Paola, born Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria
of Italy, whom he married in 1959. Queen Paola was featured on a stamp from her
native Italy in 1997.
- Italy 1997. Paola Ruffo di Calabria, Regina dei Belgi.
- Belgium 1995. King Albert II of Belgium, sovereign since 1993.
- Belgium 1995. King Albert II and Queen Paola at a royal celebration.
Realizing that King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola much to their regret would
remain childless, their son, Prince Philippe, was brought up to be Crown Prince
and eventually king of Belgium. Crown Prince Philippe married in February 2000
the Belgian civil citizen, Miss Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz. The couple has been blessed
with two children, a girl Princess Elisabeth (2001), and a boy Prince Gabriel
(2003).
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Belgium 2000. Souvenir sheet issued at the occasion of the
Royal Wedding in Brussels February 2000. From left to right: The
bride's mother, King Albert II, the bride Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz, the groom Crown Prince
Albert, Queen Paola, and the bride's father.
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Queen Astrid's tragic and early death has cast long shadows
of grief onto Belgium, where her memory is still much alive.
She was the
most popular queen in Belgium ever, and was loved by high and low for her
youth, her vitality, and good-natured character that became a model for
many Belgians. Her Christian name, Astrid, has reached ever lasting
popularity, and many baby girls are still named after her. Her popularity
has nearly reached iconic status, and she will never be forgotten.
- Belgium 2005. Commemorative souvenir sheet containing one stamp
showing a photograph of the queen with her children. Prince Albert is
in her arms, next to her is Prince Baudouin, and then Princess
Josephine-Charlotte.
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