Astrid of Belgium

Astrid of Belgium , Archduchess of Austria-Este, second child of the King Albert II and the Queen Paola, was born the June 5th 1962 with the castle from the View-point (Brussels). Its godfather is his uncle Fabrizio Ruffo di Calabria and its godmother is her aunt the large-duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg. Astrid carries out her primary and secondary studies at the Institute of the Virgin Faithful to Brussels.

September 22nd, 1984, she marries in Brussels Her Imperial and Royal Highness the archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este, titrated Prince de Belgique in 1995. The couple has five children: Amedeo (born the February 21st 1986), Maria Laura (born the August 26th 1988), Joachim (born the December 9th 1991), Luisa Maria (born the October 11th 1995) and Laetitia Maria (born the April 23rd 2003). They live in the field of Stuyvenberg, property of the Royal Donation.

From 1984 to 1993, the princess Astrid, her husband and their children live in anonymity in Basle in Switzerland, where the Lorenz archduke works in a bank. At that time, the princess did not occupy any official function in Belgium.

Following the abolition of the Salic law in 1991 by the Parliament, Astrid becomes the first princess of the royal family to enter the order of succession to the throne, to transmit its title to his/her children, being sénatrice of right, obtaining a rank in the Belgian army and an equipment of the government.

In June 1993, the princely couple and their children return to Belgium. The Astrid princess is from now on the girl of the new sovereigns and begins her official life. She succeeds in 1994 her father the presidency of the Red Cross of Belgium. In 1996, it lends oath like sénatrice of right and made several speeches there on poverty. One year later, it becomes lieutenant-colonel of the Belgian Medical department and receives the Large Cord of the Ordre of Léopold, the highest distinction of the country.

The princess is president of honor of European Organization for the Research and Treatment off Cancer (which manages a data bank of cancers in Europe), asbl Pinocchio (which helps the children and teenagers flarings) and of the Medical Foundation Queen Elizabeth, created in 1926 by her great-grandmother in order to support research in the neurosciences. She grants also her High patronage to the Belgian section of the Worldwide association of the Friends of Childhood.

In 2007, the Astrid princess agrees to become representing special " Roll Back Partnership" Malaria; (RBM) for the fight against the malaria, created in 1998 by the World Health Organization, the Program of the United Nations for the Development and the UNICEF. Each year, 1 to 2 million (S) people die in the world of the continuations of the malaria.

It is currently fifth in the order of succession with the throne of Belgium, after her older brother Philippe, duke of the Brabant, and the three children of this one.

Decorations of the princess Astrid: Large Cord about Léopold (Belgium), Large Cross about the Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Large Cross about Alphonse de Nassau (Luxembourg), Large Cross about the Civil Merit (Spain), Large Cross of the Royal Order of Polar Star (Sweden) and Large Cross about the Merit (Norway).

http://www.monarchie.be/images/newimgs2005/newimg_astrid.jpg photograph

Bibliography:

GERALD OJ, " Albert II and his famille" , editions J-M Collet, 1993

Patrick WEBER, " Ten princesses" , editions Root

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