De Brantigny has a beautiful post on Belgium's beloved Queen Astrid (1905-1935), consort of King Leopold III. Born Princess Astrid of Sweden, this gracious young woman married Crown Prince Leopold of Belgium in 1926. They had three lovely children, Princess Josephine-Charlotte, later Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Prince Baudouin (later King Baudouin I of Belgium ), and Prince Albert (the present King of the Belgians, as Albert II). Raised as a Lutheran, Astrid converted to Catholicism in 1930, out of genuine religious conviction. In 1934, after the tragic death of her father-in-law, King Albert I, Astrid became Queen Consort of the Belgians. Tragedy struck the Belgian royal family again, in 1935, when the immensely popular Queen died in a car accident in Küssnacht, Switzerland. She was deeply mourned by her husband, King Leopold, by the Belgians, and by the Swedes. Astrid is still remembered with great affection by the Belgians.
May her soul rest in peace.
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