Princess Astrid of Belgium

Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (born 5 June 1962), is the second child and first daughter of King Albert II and Queen Paola, and younger sister to the current Belgian monarch, King Philippe. She is married to Prince Lorenz of Belgium, head of the Austria-Este branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and is fifth in line of succession to the Belgian throne.

Astrid
Archduchess of Austria-Este
At the World Investment Forum 2018
Born (1962-06-05) June 5, 1962
Belvédère Castle, Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
Spouse
Lorenz, Archduke of Austria-Este (m. 1984)
IssuePrince Amedeo
Princess Maria Laura
Prince Joachim
Princess Luisa Maria
Princess Laetitia Maria
Full name
Astrid Joséphine-Charlotte Fabrizia Elisabeth Paola Marie
HouseBelgium
FatherAlbert II of Belgium
MotherPaola Ruffo di Calabria
ReligionRoman Catholic
Austrian Royalty
House of Habsburg-Lorraine
Francis I (Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor)
Children include
Archduchess Marie Louise
Ferdinand I
Archduchess Maria Leopoldina
Archduchess Clementina
Archduke Franz Karl
Grandchildren include
Franz Joseph I
Archduke Maximilian
Archduke Karl Ludwig
Archduke Ludwig Viktor
Great-grandchildren include
Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Otto Franz
Ferdinand I
Franz Joseph I
Children
Archduchess Sophie
Archduchess Gisela
Crown Prince Rudolf
Archduchess Marie Valerie
Grandchildren include
Archduchess Elisabeth Marie
Charles I
Children include
Crown Prince Otto
Archduke Robert
Archduke Felix
Archduke Karl Ludwig
Archduke Rudolf
Grandchildren include
Archduchess Andrea
Archduchess Monika
Archduchess Michaela
Archduchess Gabriela
Archduchess Walburga
Archduke Karl
Archduke Georg
Archduke Lorenz
Great-Grandchildren include
Archduke Ferdinand Zvonimir
Archduke Amedeo

Biography

Princess Astrid was born one day before her father's 28th birthday at the Château de Belvédère, near Laeken, and was named after her late paternal grandmother, Astrid of Sweden, the popular first wife of King Leopold III. Her godparents were her uncle Fabrizio, Prince Ruffo di Calabria-Santapau, 7th Duke di Guardia Lombarda, and her aunt Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg.

Marriage and issue

Princess Astrid married Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este, subsequently head of the Archducal House of Austria-Este, on 22 September 1984 at Brussels.[1][2] Lorenz is the eldest son of Robert, Archduke of Austria-Este (1915–1996), and his wife Princess Margherita of Savoy-Aosta (born in 1930).[2] Her husband was also created Prince of Belgium by Royal Decree on 27 November 1995.[2]

Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz have five children:[1][2]

  • Prince Amedeo (born 21 February 1986)
  • Princess Maria Laura (born 26 August 1988)
  • Prince Joachim (born 9 December 1991)
  • Princess Luisa Maria (born 11 October 1995)
  • Princess Laetitia Maria (born 23 April 2003)

In 2016 Astrid's first grandchild, Princess Anna Astrid, was born, daughter of Prince Amedeo.

Astrid is also godmother to Archduchess Marie-Christine of Austria, Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg and Prince Gaston of Orléans.

Royal role

Astrid was formerly President of the Belgian Red Cross,[2] a position which ended on 31 December 2007. She declined to stand again for election to the role in light of internal struggles in the organisation in reconciling its French-speaking and Flemish branches, each of which seeks greater autonomy. The princess is also a colonel in the Medical Component of the Belgian Armed Forces. Her official residence is the Royal Castle of Laeken on the edge of Brussels.[2]

She is a member of the Honorary Board of the International Paralympic Committee.[3]

Special Envoy

Princess Astrid has been for many years a fierce advocate for landmine survivors rights, participating actively in the work of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, also known as the Ottawa Treaty, since Belgium joined in 1998.

In 2013, the Princess was named Special Envoy of the Convention,[4] and has promoted the acceptance of a global ban on landmines and promoted the rights of survivors in various UN meetings.[4][5][6]

In 2014, she met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, to encourage Oman to join the treaty, which occurred a few months later.

In 2019, she carried out a mission to Lebanon to promote the Convention[7][8]. In Beirut she met with President Michel Aoun[9], and Minister of National Defense Elias Bou Saab.[10]

Titles, styles and honours
Styles of
Princess Astrid,
Archduchess of Austria-Este
Reference styleHer Imperial and Royal Highness
Spoken styleYour Imperial and Royal Highness

Titles
  • 5 June 1962 – 22 September 1984: Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium
  • 22 September 1984 – present: Her Imperial and Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este[note 1]

Honours

National

Foreign

Awards

Other

2016 : Honorary mayor and The Hidalgo Award of San Antonio, Texas.[29]

Arms
Coat of arms of Princess Astrid of Belgium
Notes
As a Princess of Belgium and a descendant of King Leopold I, the Princess is entitled to use a coat of arms which was stipulated in the Royal Decree of King Philippe in 2019.[30]
Adopted
12 July 2019
Coronet
Princely crown of Belgium
Escutcheon
On a lozenge, sable, a lion rampant or, armed and langued gules (Belgium), on the shoulder an escutcheon barry of ten sable and or, a crancelin vert (Wettin), overall a bordure or.
Supporters
Two lions guardant proper
Motto
French: L'union fait la force
Dutch: Eendracht maakt macht
German: Einigkeit macht stark
Other elements
The whole is placed on a mantle purpure with ermine lining, fringes and tassels or and ensigned with the Royal crown of Belgium.

Ranks
19972003

Ancestry

Note
  1. She has held the title "Princess of Belgium" from birth under Belgian law. By marriage to an archduke of the house of Austria-Este, she gained, in addition to her native title, the style "Imperial and Royal Highness" and the title "Archduchess of Austria-Este". Upon her husband's succeeding to the headship of his house in 1996, as wife of the Archduke of Austria-Este, internationally or depending on the situation, she is also accorded the traditional title "Her Imperial and Royal Highness The Archduchess of Austria-Este" or, more formally, reflecting both her native and marital titles, is addressed as HI&RH Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este. Her children by Archduke Lorenz bear the titles "Prince(ss) of Belgium" by Belgian decree of 2 December 1991, in addition to their Austrian titles borne by tradition, "Archduke/Archduchess of Austria".

References
  1. Enache, Nicolas. La Descendance de Marie-Therese de Habsburg. ICC, Paris, 1996. pp. 44-45,50. French
  2. Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Furstlicher Hauser Bande XVI, C.A. Starke Verlag, Haus Osterreich, Limburg, 2001, pp. 91–92. German
  3. "Honorary Board". IPC.
  4. "AP Mine Ban Convention: Special envoy Princess Astrid of Belgium welcomes Oman's decision to join the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention". www.apminebanconvention.org.
  5. "AP Mine Ban Convention: Princess Astrid of Belgium calls for greater assistance to landmine survivors". www.apminebanconvention.org.
  6. "Maputo Summit: 3rd Review Conference". www.maputoreviewconference.org.
  7. "Lebanon aims at joining Ottawa Treaty: president - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  8. Liban, Délégation de l'Union Européenne au (3 October 2019). "Envoyé spécial en visite au Liban pour l'encourager à prendre des mesures concrètes pour adhérer au traité historique de désarmement humanitaire". Libnanews, Le Média Citoyen du Liban (in French). Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  9. "Lebanese Presidency". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  10. "AP Mine Ban Convention: Special Envoy asks the Lebanese Republic to join anti-landmine treaty". www.apminebanconvention.org. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  11. "Photo". c7.alamy.com.
  12. "Royal Wedding Of Prince Frederik And Mary Donaldson, Arrivals At The Cathedral In Copenhagen, Denmark On May 14, 2004".
  13. "Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz of Belgium attend the Te Deum mass, on Belgian National Day, at the Sint-Salvator Cathedral in Brugge, on July 21, 2014".
  14. "Photo". www.theroyalforums.com.
  15. "Stock Photography, Royalty-Free Photos & The Latest News Pictures - Getty Images". www.corbisimages.com.
  16. "Stock Photography, Royalty-Free Photos & The Latest News Pictures - Getty Images". www.corbisimages.com.
  17. "Hungary?s President Laszlo Solyom on State Visit to Belgium Day 1".
  18. "Hungary?s President Laszlo Solyom on State Visit to Belgium Day 1".
  19. "Wayback Machine". 25 April 2012. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012.
  20. "Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembou".
  21. "Wayback Machine". 25 April 2012. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012.
  22. "Tildelinger av ordener og medaljer". www.kongehuset.no.
  23. "Photo". modenaducale.altervista.org. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  24. "Portuguese State Visit To Belgium".
  25. "Photo" (PDF). www.boe.es.
  26. "Belga Image". www.belgaimage.be.
  27. "Stock Photography, Royalty-Free Photos & The Latest News Pictures - Getty Images". www.corbisimages.com.
  28. "Stock Photography, Royalty-Free Photos & The Latest News Pictures - Getty Images". www.corbisimages.com.
  29. "City Welcomes Princess Astrid of Belgium to San Antonio".
  30. Philippe, Koning der Belgen (12 July 2019). "Koninklijk besluit houdende vaststelling van het wapen van het Koninklijk Huis en van zijn leden" (PDF). MONITEUR BELGE/ BELGISCH STAATSBLAD. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  31. Le Soir, Article (French) announcing the rank
  32. Belgian Defense Website, Article evoking Princess Astrid & Prince Laurent
  33. Belgian Defense Website, Article evoking Princess Astrid, last section "Mon colonel !" Archived 3 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine
Princess Astrid of Belgium
Born: 5 June 1962
Belgian royalty
Preceded by
Princess Eléonore of Belgium		 Line of succession to the Belgian throne
5th position		 Succeeded by
Prince Amedeo of Belgium
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