Belgium's queen has been compared to Princess Diana for her beauty, her caring for others and her tragic death.
Early Life
She was born Princess Astrid of Sweden, the youngest daughter of Prince Charles, Duke of Vastergotland, and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark, on November 17, 1905. Her grandparents included King Oscar II of Sweden and King Frederick VIII of Denmark.
Astrid’s eldest sister, Margaretha, married Prince Axel of Denmark, her other sister, Martha, wed King Olav V of Norway. Her brother Carl would marry morganatically, meaning his wife did not receive royal status and neither did his children.
Marriage and Children
After a typical simplistic Scandinavian royal upbringing, Astrid herself married Prince Leopold of Belgium. When King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium announced the wedding of their son, the Queen insisted on mentioning that "It is a marriage of love… nothing was arranged."
Leopold and Astrid was married in Brussels on November 10, 1926, and Astrid was given the title Duchess of Brabant. The people of Belgium took her into their hearts from the start. Tender and understanding, her love for their prince was evident to all.
Their first child, Josephine-Charlotte, was born in October 1927. A male heir, Prince Baudouin, arrived three years later. The couple lived in Stuyvenberg and raised their young family. Princess Astrid did the cooking and , whenever possible, would go for a stroll with her children. Despite the anxious protests of her bodyguards, she often joined the crowds during military revues to watch her husband at the head of his regiment.
Queen of the Belgians
Her life changed abruptly in February of 1934 when King Albert, an avid mountaineer, was killed in a climbing accident. A few days later, the new king and queen made their solemn entry into parliament with their two children. King Leopold III swore allegiance to the constitution, and Queen Astrid lifted her son, offering him to the country.
The popularity of the royal family was boundless. The Queen’s work with charity, her exuberant, generous nature and her obvious love for her husband and children endeared her to her subjects. In June 1934, the couple welcomed another son, who was named Albert. Astrid’s one regret was reportedly that she was not able to spend enough time with her children.
Tragedy in the Mountains
In August 1935, the royal family took a vacation to the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland to spend time as a family. On the day they were scheduled to return home, Leopold and Astrid decided to take a final drive into the mountains. Driving his Packard 120 with his wife at his side, Leopold took his eyes off the road to look at something Astrid pointed out to him. Abruptly, the car left the road and plunged down a ravine. Astrid was tossed violently from the car. Witnesses report that Leopold cried her name as he held her lifeless body to his chest. She was interned in the royal crypt in Notre Dame Church in Brussels, Belgium.
In memory of their beloved queen, Belgium issued a set of semi-postal stamps that year featuring a beautiful portrait of the late queen bordered in black. The surtax was used to support the numerous charities Queen Astrid has supported in life.
Bibliography
The Royal Families of Europe. Geoffrey Hindley. Lyric Books, London, 1979
Encyclopedia Britannica
