Figure 1.--Here the three children of King Leopold and Queen Astrid were photographed together in 1935, soon afrer Albert's arrival. |
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Queen Astrid gave birth to her first child in 1927. The Belgian press in 1930 gave extensive coverage to the birth of the long awaited royal heir. Leopold was on his way to visit some areas away from Brussels when the Duchess of Brabant went into labor. The royal palace immediately sent him a telegram that reached Leopold at a stop during his journey. The royal palace's message announced the impending birth of the couple's second child. Without thinking twice about the day's engagements, Leopold returned to Brussels immediately. Prince Leopold and King Albert walked anxiously in the garden at Stuyvenberg Palace while the Duchess of Brabant began her labor. Next to Astrid were her mother, Princess Ingeborg of Sweden, and her mother-in-law Queen Elisabeth. At 4:15 pm the royal physicians proudly announced the healthy birth of a little prince. The sound of cannon silenced the general happiness expressed by the people of Brussels.
Their first child, Josephine-Charlotte, was born in 1927. Girls in Belgium were not, however, potential heirs. Only boys could succeed their fathers as king. Josephine-Charlotte of Belgium married Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg in 1953, who acceded to the throne and became Grand Duke in 1964 on the abdication of his mother.
Three years after the birth of Josephine-Charlotte in 1930, an heir was born. He was given the name of Baudouin in memory of his deceased great-uncle who was supposed to have been king. Baudouin and his little brother Albert commonly wore sailor suits as boys before the German invasion in 1940 during World War II. As an older boy he wore short pants suits. Baudouin married doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón. When his father was not accepted as king after the War, Baudouin rose to the Crown when his father abdigated. He reigned successfully for over 40 years and helped restore the reputation of the Belgian monarchy.
Astrid a few months after becoming Queen in 1934 gave birth to yet another little prince, Albert (Prince of Liege). The couple's youngest child, Albert, married donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria and inherited the Belgian throne from his brother Baudouin in 1993. The present heir to the Belgian throne, Prince Philippe, is the eldest son of Albert and Paola.
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