Monday, July 25, 2011

Interview with Princess Esmeralda

Here is an interview with Princess Esmeralda, broadcast on C'est du Belge on February 25, 2011, prior to the screening of the RTBF documentary, Léopold III, mon père, narrated by the Princess. The clip also includes a virtual visit to one of the few monuments to the much-maligned fourth King of the Belgians, the memorial to the heroes of the Battle of the Lys (May 23-28, 1940), featuring an equestrian statue of Leopold III, in Kortrijk.

As always, I was impressed by Princess Esmeralda's gentle, irenic spirit. She emphasizes that she is glad to have been born during the most serene period of her father's life, after his abdication, when he finally had the time to concentrate on his family. She notes that her father forgave his political opponents, admitted errors on his own part and found peace after the tragic and tempestuous years of his reign. She also displays no bitterness over the treatment of her mother, Princess Lilian, viewing the Belgians' resentment of their King's second wife as an inevitable, if unfortunate, human reaction.

5 comments:

MadMonarchist said...

Thanks for posting this. The Princess is one of those who, the more I see of her, the more she impresses me. I wish we saw more of her.

May said...

Yes, I guess she likes to keep low-profile, but I wish she were better known. Beautiful, kindhearted, intelligent, she has all the qualities that win popularity.

Anonymous said...

Ik kan spijtig genoeg de video niet openen als ik op " here " druk. Verder veel succes met uw interessante blog.

May said...

Oh, dear. It seems to work when I click on it...

rtaylor1802 said...

It opened for me. Thanks for the post!