Figure 1.--Here we see Princess Astrid on her First Communion, we think in 1969. She is for some reason standing with her brothers rather than the other First Communion children.

Princess Astrid was born on June 5, 1962. She was nammed after her Swedish grandmother who was much beloved by the Belgian people and who aroused great public emotion on her tragic death in a car accident in 1935. Here we see the Princes with her mother, QuennPaola, and her brothers doing her First Communion about 1969 (figure 1). She is separated from the other First Communicants. Following secondary schooling in Brussels, the Princess completed her education in the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United States. Princess of Belgium, she also became Archduchess of Austria-Este on marrying Archduke Lorenz of Austria in September 1984, who is also now, Prince of Belgium. Their first child, Prince Amedeo (February 1986- ), Princess Maria Laura (August 1988- ), Prince Joachim (December 1991- ), and Princess Luisa Maria (October 1995- ). The Princess is very active in representing the throne at public events, the Princess also serves as Chairperson of the Belgian Red Cross having succeeded her father in 1994. As such, she regularly chairs meetings of the National Executive Board, the National Council and the General Assembly, as well as visiting and closely following all Red Cross activities here and abroad.

Created: 5:42 PM 4/6/2016
Last updated: 5:42 PM 4/6/201604