Belgium's Lost Prince

Above, we see Prince Baudouin of Belgium (1869-1891), older brother of King Albert I. Baudouin was the first of the four children of the Count and Countess of Flanders. As the only legitimate son of his uncle, Leopold II, died as a child, Baudouin was raised as the heir to the Belgian throne. A young man of great promise, he died tragically, at age 22, of pneumonia (according to some accounts, complicated by renal hemorrhage). He was deeply mourned by his family and people.

Baudouin was particularly close to his eldest sister, Henriette (pictured below). As their niece, Marie-José, describes in her memoirs, the two siblings shared a sense of family, and a love of religion, duty, country, and tradition. According to Henriette:

At 21, Baudouin declared he would always be a traditionalist, that strength lay in tradition alone. He declared himself neither revolutionary, nor liberal, nor modern...It took courage to say this, in our democratic Belgium!

In contrast to his shy younger brother, Albert, Baudouin moved with ease in high society and enjoyed the companionship of his peers. Whereas Albert hated hunting and felt no interest in riding and dancing, Baudouin excelled in the traditional aristocratic pursuits.

In her diary, Henriette described Baudouin in the highest terms:

Baudouin was a born leader. From childhood, he held all three of us by the hand. How well he would have been complemented by his brother, Albert, if the two had been able to serve their country together! Albert, the younger one, has always preferred to take second place, and to serve a leader rather than to be one himself...Albert has a heart of gold, but, from his earliest childhood, he was irascible, and extremely sensitive, whereas in Baudouin, we were never able to find a single fault, apart from his excessive modesty.

Henriette also discussed the similarities between the two brothers:

Albert, like Baudouin, has this instinct for finding things out: to see them for himself so as not to be duped and so as to be equipped to govern...Both brothers spoke Flemish and Walloon, which neither the Count of Flanders nor King Leopold II knew, and enjoyed expressing themselves in Marollian and other dialects.

Albert great admired his older brother, and deeply regretted his loss. During World War I, he told Henriette:

"Ah! If Baudouin had survived, how different our life would have been, how much happier! What strength to be two instead of one! He would have done everything better than I."

After Baudouin's death, the press launched lurid campaign to slander his reputation. Malicious rumors circulated, to the effect that he had committed suicide or been murdered over a love affair. In her grief and indignation, Henriette wrote:

How could they launch, after his death, these tragic and painful lies! It is incomprehensible. It is true that people cannot recognize the virtue of princes, and that they so easily believe evil! He was the strongest of us all, yet he succumbed in two days! The mistake was not to announce that he had been taken to bed with a high fever. People invented stories of brawls, even of murder...over a woman. They made comparisons with the drama of Mayerling, although Baudouin became aggressive and violent whenever he spoke of Rudolf. He had experienced an impression of disgust at what he saw in Vienna during the Archduke's funeral...

Baudouin's fate prefigured that of his family. For years to come, tragedy and calumny would continue to haunt the Belgian royal house.

Below, we see one of the artistic works of the Countess of Flanders, dated shortly after Baudouin's death. The sombre tones, perhaps, reflect his mother's grief.

(The quotes in the original French may be found here)

Lilian & Esmeralda

Above, we see the late Princess Lilian of Belgium, second wife of King Leopold III; below, her youngest daughter, Princess Marie-Esmeralda. Mother and daughter were certainly very alike in appearance! In character, too, according to Esmeralda. In Léopold III, homme libre, Jean Cleeremans quotes her as saying: "My mother and I have the same character; both of us are stubborn and lively." Both forceful, determined personalities, the two princesses had a relationship characterized by tension and conflict as well as love and tenderness. Fortunately, the love prevailed; their disputes always ended in reconciliation. Sadly, the same cannot be said of Lilian and her elder daughter, Princess Marie-Christine, who became tragically estranged from her mother and the rest of her family.

Princess Esmeralda has admirably defended the memory of her much-maligned parents. In 2002, following her mother's death, she granted an interview to La Libre Belgique, entitled "Ma mère telle qu'on l'a peu connue" ("My mother as few knew her.") It is a fascinating description of Princess Lilian, a very great lady despite certain faults of character. It is also a touching filial tribute. Esmeralda praised her mother's many charitable initiatives, especially her establishment of the Princess Lilian Cardiological Foundation, which has saved the lives of thousands. Here is an excerpt:

A l'occasion de son décès et toute sa vie durant, beaucoup de choses ont été écrites sur elle qui l'ont réduite au rang d'épouse de mon père. Ce qu'elle était effectivement puisqu'elle considérait qu'il était la passion de sa vie. Ma mère était une passionnée de manière générale, mais elle a fait énormément de choses dans la discretion. Une foule de gens en témoignent maintenant. Mon frère et moi ne cessons de découvrir qu'elle a aidé beaucoup de monde. Elle n'en parlait jamais. Il y avait en elle un besoin de générosité et de vouloir bien faire parfois mal perçu. Elle a été violemment critiquée, souvent par des gens qui ne l'avaient jamais rencontrée. Il arrivait que ce soit si excessif qu'elle préférait en rire plutôt de s'en montrer blessée. Seules les attaques contre mon père la mettaient très en colère. Fière et obstinée, elle était pourtant reservée. Elle savait l'issue de la maladie qui l'a emportée. Jamais elle ne s'est plainte, n'a manifesté la moindre peur ou faiblesse. 

On the occasion of her death, and throughout her life, many things were written about her which reduced her simply to my father's wife. That is, in fact, what she was, as she considered him the passion of her life. My mother was a passionate woman in general, but she did a tremendous amount discreetly. Many people are testifying to it now. My brother and I are constantly discovering that she aided many people. She never spoke of it. There was, in her, a need to be generous, to do good, which was sometimes taken ill. She was violently criticized, often by people who had never met her. Sometimes it became so extreme that she preferred to laugh about it rather than to appear wounded. It was only the attacks on my father that enraged her. Proud and obstinate, she was, nonetheless, reserved. She foresaw the outcome of the illness that carried her off. Yet she never complained, never exhibited the slightest fear or weakness. 

May she rest in peace. 

Queen Astrid & Diana, Princess of Wales

On the internet, I keep encountering comparisons of Astrid and Diana. The Belgian queen has been called the "Princess Diana of the 1930's." Yet, despite some parallels, the two ladies were tragic in very different ways.

Astrid and Diana were both the youngest daughter in their families, with two older sisters and a younger brother. Both were shy and emotionally vulnerable girls, placed in a high profile position beyond their expectations. Both were very attractive, fashionable, graceful and gifted women. Both had a deep need and capacity for love and affection and were famous for their charity work. They shared great charm and popular appeal; both were called "Queen of Hearts." Tragically, both died young in car crashes, in foreign countries, at the end of August, leaving orphaned children behind. Strangely, the site of Diana's accident, the Alma Tunnel, is close to a square called the Place de la Reine Astrid.

Yet the similarities end here. The differences between the two women are even more striking. Astrid was a royal Swedish princess; Diana, a British aristocrat. Astrid was raised a Lutheran, converted to Catholicism after marrying the Belgian Crown Prince, and found peace and serenity in her faith. Diana belonged to the Church of England, but never seems to have had the deep and comforting religious life Astrid experienced. At any rate, she appears to have suffered much more emotional turmoil than Astrid ever did. In their family background and marriages, Astrid and Diana cannot be compared at all. Diana came from a broken home, suffering severely from her parents' divorce. Astrid grew up in a loving, united family, the daughter of happily married parents. The two women's own marriages recalled their early experiences. The Prince and Princess of Wales differed considerably in age, interests, and temperament, and the Prince was in love with another woman. The marriage, not surprisingly, proved unhappy. Tragically, both spouses became unfaithful and their union ended in divorce. King Leopold III and Queen Astrid, by contrast, were close in age, kindred spirits, and deeply in love. They formed a happy and devoted couple separated only by death.

So, in the end, I think Astrid and Diana were very different. May God have mercy on both and give rest to their souls.

(Credits for photo of Diana)

"Monte à l'autel, ô prêtre, et fais couler les grâces!"

The abbey of Orval

I wanted to post this poem, addressed, to the future Abbot (and restorer) of the Cistercian monastery of Orval, Charles (in religion, Dom Marie-Albert) van der Cruyssen (1874-1955), on the occasion of his ordination. During World War I, Dom Albert had been one of Belgium's most decorated combatants. In peacetime, he was intensely concerned with Catholic social and political action. In 1925, however, he decided to devote himself entirely to religion. He was a heroic and saintly man; many anecdotes, letters, and prayers testify to his charity, fortitude, and spiritual depth. 

Dom Albert van der Cruyssen was an intimate friend of King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth; the King and his cabinet assisted him in restoring Orval during the late 1920's. The Abbot was very devoted to King Albert; they seem to have had deep spiritual discussions and Dom Albert later remembered his Sovereign as "a great Christian, who could say to himself every day: 'I do not fear death, I am ready.'" Dom Albert was also close to King Leopold III and his second wife, Princess Lilian. Henri Baels, Lilian's father, was one of the Abbot's best friends, and, in his capacity as Minister of Public Works, and, later, Governor of West Flanders, greatly aided in the restoration project. 

I found this poem very moving. (I will add a summary in English in the comments box).

Au P. Marie Albert 

de la Grande Trappe

à l'occasion de sa Première Messe

20 Décembre 1925

1918-1925

"La grande guerre où les meilleurs sont tombés."

Les braves, les meilleurs ne sont pas tous tombés,

Non: lorsque sur l'autel de la terre natale

Ces martyrs affirmaient leur ferveur filiale,

Tous ne furent pas consumés. 

La rafale de fer, le feu, l'eau, les hivers,

Les heroïsmes fous et la longue patience,

Tout ce qui a sauvé la Belgique et la France,

Beaucoup sont passés à travers.

Dieu sur ces vaillants preux avait un grand dessein:

Leurs anges les couvraient de boucliers terribles...

Et la mort, se cabrant, a percé d'autres cibles,

Faites pour un moins haut destin.

Il est pourtant digne d'envie

Celui qui meurt pour sa patrie!

Existe-t-il un sort plus beau?

Et quel est ce destin plus haut?

S'abattre sur la terre aimée

Qu'on arrache à la brute armée, 

Mourir en donnant tout son coeur,

Quel plus noble idéal, Seigneur?

Alors ces héros, ces hosties,

Dont vous n'avez pas pris les vies,

Pour quelle oeuvre les gardiez-vous?

Seigneur tout bon, montrez-le nous!

Sept ans sont passés depuis la grande guerre,

Et une fête illustrée au petit monastère 

Est préparée.

Un prêtre aujourd'hui va monter

Pour la première fois à l'autel. Gaudete,

Superexaltate! Louons avec les anges

Le Très-Haut qui descend diviniser nos fanges,

Que nos coeurs et nois voix bénissent le Seigneur!

La Belgique et la France en ce jour de bonheur

Sont ici toutes deux. Abbé, moines, moniales,

Famille, amis émus, parentés idéales,

Et parentés de chair, noblesse selon Dieu

Et noblesse de sang au Sauveur, en ce lieu,

Vont s'unir tous ensemble à la première messe

De ce bienheureux prêtre, oint d'huile d'allegresse,

Parmi nous désormais ouvrier de salut,

Père qui rompt le Pain aux fils du peuple élu,

Mandataire d'En-Haut, prince parmi les princes.

Ah! pourquoi le Seigneur voulait que tu revinsses,

Pourquoi tu n'es pas mort dans les eaux de l'Yser,

Ce grand jour nous explique, homme de Christ, Albert!

Tu n'es pas mort pour la cité charnelle,

Puisque Dieu pour bâtir Jérusalem nouvelle,

T'avait prédestiné. Les intérêtes humains 

Sauvés, ton oeuvre reste: il consacre tes mains. 

La terre est délivrée, il faut sauver les âmes:

Les ténèbres, le deuil et le péché réclament, 

Et la terre des coeurs a soif du sang de Dieu!

Pour que l'amour divin l'embrase de son feu,

En dissipe la nuit et en fonde les glaces, 

Monte à l'autel, ô prêtre, et fais couler les grâces!

Va! ton sort est rempli, ne rêve rien de plus:

Prêtre, monte à l'autel et donne-nous Jésus!

Birthday of King Albert II

Today, Belgium's reigning monarch, H.M. King Albert II, celebrates his 75th birthday. He was born June 6, 1934, the second son and third child of King Leopold III and Queen Astrid of the Belgians. He was named after his illustrious grandfather, King Albert I, tragically deceased in a climbing accident only a few months before. At the age of 14 months, Prince Albert (titled "Prince of Liège") lost his mother, equally tragically, in a car crash. He would know no mother until his father's re-marriage, amidst World War II and Nazi occupation, with Lilian Baels, a lovely young Flemish commoner. Leopold and Lilian were married in a secret religious ceremony in September, 1941, and later, in December, in a civil wedding. After the second ceremony, the royal children were introduced to their step-mother, and welcomed her with open arms. In July, 1942, Lilian gave birth to a son, Alexandre. Albert was pleased to no longer be the youngest...

The royal family's captivity in Germany and Austria from 1944-1945 was a terrible ordeal for Prince Albert. The lack of food caused him to develop hunger edema. A leg injury treated perfunctorily by an SS guard turned into gangrene, but, fortunately, Lilian's vehement insistence on obtaining proper medical attention saved the leg of the future King. 

After the war, false accusations of treason would delay King Leopold's return to Belgium for five years. Prince Albert shared his family's Swiss exile from 1945-1950, attending high school in Geneva. In 1950, he accompanied his father and older brother, Baudouin, on the return journey to Belgium. Sadly, however, in 1951, further political agitation compelled King Leopold to abdicate. He was succeeded by Prince Baudouin.

On July 2, 1959, Prince Albert married a reigning beauty, Donna Paola Ruffa di Calabria, of mixed Italian and Belgian descent. The couple have three children, Prince Philippe, Princess Astrid, and Prince Laurent. After a long conjugal crisis, Albert and Paola were reconciled in the early 1980's.

During the reign of his brother, King Baudouin I, Prince Albert performed many official duties. From 1958 to 1993, he served as the President of the Belgian Red Cross. In 1962, he became Honorary President of the Board of Directors of the Belgian Foreign Trade Office. In this capacity, he presided, during the next few decades, over many trade missions throughout the world. To honor his achievements in this field, the Prince Albert Fund was established in 1984 to train foreign trade specialists. The Prince also took an active interest in urban planning, housing, nature conservation, and the preservation of historical monuments and sites. In 1969, he became President of the European Ministerial Conference on the protection of the cultural and architectural heritage. 

On August 9, 1993, after the death of King Baudouin, Prince Albert was sworn in as sixth King of the Belgians.

I wish His Majesty every blessing on his birthday, and many more to come!

Marie-Antoinette and Diana, Princess of Wales

The two ladies were tragic in very different ways. 

Incidentally, I am considering posting on Diana and Queen Astrid, another pair of tragic royal women who are all too often falsely compared with one another.

Marie-José's Memoirs

In 1971, Queen Marie-José of Italy, daughter of King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, published her memoirs. In this work, entitled Albert et Elisabeth de Belgique, mes parents, she discusses her childhood and youth in Belgium prior to her marriage with Prince Umberto of Savoy in 1930. She focuses on her parents, beginning with their engagement in 1900 and ending with Albert's death in 1934. The style is clear, concise, sober, and sensitive. The book is a tribute to Albert and Elisabeth, widely admired for their heroism during World War I, and regarded by their daughter as model sovereigns. Yet it is also a fascinating portrayal of a lost time, and of a wide range of modern political, cultural, and scientific figures. The memoirs have been translated into Italian as Giovinezza di una Regina (Youth of a Queen).

Throughout the book, Marie-José emphasizes that her parents' mutual love and complementary qualities enabled them to support and assist each other in their difficult and challenging roles as King and Queen. Both are portrayed as highly intelligent and sensitive, but with contrasting temperaments: Albert, thoughtful, reflective, reserved, steady, philosophic; Elisabeth, lively, energetic, spontaneous, imaginative, impulsive, artistic. Yet, Marie-José shows, they strove to forge a strong union, enabling their characters to complement one another in an exceptionally harmonious manner. It would be rare, their daughter asserts, to find two people collaborating so felicitously for the good of their country, "and even, if one may say so, for the good of mankind."

This is how Marie-José describes her parents' marriage:

Between Albert of Belgium and Elisabeth in Bavaria, a deep love formed a bond of an exceptional quality, a bond which only grew stronger, equally so in the years that were happy and peaceful as in those which would be tragic and painful. I do not consider that I am committing an indiscretion by publishing extracts from (their) correspondence. I think, on the contrary, that they will contribute to illustrating the depth and purity of their love. 

The letters are, indeed, very touching, and I would like to cite a few here. The day after the engagement of Marie-José's parents in Neuilly, Albert, who had been obliged to leave Elisabeth for Brussels, wrote to her:

...May you be as happy as I wish. You will always be able to count on my infinite love, and my absolute loyalty. After leaving you...everything seemed so empty to me that even the crowded streets of Paris seemed to me to be a desert...

Elisabeth immediately replied:

It is 11:45 in the evening, and I feel so lonely and so sad without you! In the few days I have been with you, I have come to love you with all my heart! Truly, I love you so much! In a way that I never would have believed I could love someone. You are so good and kind to me that it touches me and makes me happy. You know that I cannot express sufficiently what I feel for you, but I think you understand me...

After a visit to Elisabeth's family in Bavaria during their engagement, Albert wrote to his future bride:

During this visit to Possenhofen, so pleasant, but all too brief, I have come to know you even better, and, above all, if I may confess it to you, I have been able to appreciate all the qualities of heart, intelligence, and kindness, with which my dear Lisa is filled, and which had conquered me from the first day I had seen her. You know that I, myself, do not have many qualities, but I can promise you, in all sincerity, to have one: that of trying to please you always, and also of trying to deserve to have a wife such as you...

To which Elisabeth responded:

When will the time come when there will be no more of these terrible separations? I was so happy to have been with you. Every hour we pass together, is, for me, that greatest pleasure that exists...Every time I see you again, I love you even more. How happy I will be the day I no longer have to leave you.

Albert and Elisabeth seem to have taken the motto of Belgium, "union makes for strength," as the motto of their marriage. As Albert wrote to Elisabeth:

Husband and wife must find the greatest happiness in being together. It must be the best company that is sought out, and equally so for the one and for the other...

In life, there are many difficulties, always, everywhere, and for everyone, but if one is firmly united in a family by a strong mutual love, one does not fear them and one is sure to find, at home, the true happiness of this earth...

Many years after Albert's untimely death in a climbing accident, Elisabeth confided to her daughter, Marie-José: "Ever since the cruel separation from your father, I have not been able to live a single day, without his memory being present to me, and everything I have done, I have done out of fidelity to his memory."

An inspiring story. 

(The quotes in the original French may be found here)

Birthday of Princess Astrid

Today is the birthday of Princess Astrid of Belgium, the second child and only daughter of reigning King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians. She was born June 5, 1962, and named after her grandmother, the legendary Queen Astrid. After completing high school in Brussels, she spent a year in Leiden studying art history. She later attended the Institute of European Studies, in Geneva, and also studied in the United States, in Michigan.  

On September 22, 1984, Princess Astrid married Lorenz, Archduke of Austria-d'Este. In 1995, a royal decree made Astrid's husband a Prince of Belgium. The couple have five children, ranging from ages 23 to 6: Amedeo, Maria Laura, Joachim, Luisa Maria, and Laetitia Maria. 

Princess Astrid devotes her time to a number of medical, humanitarian, and social causes. From 1994-2007, she served as Chairwoman of the Belgian Red Cross. She is also the Honorary Chairwoman of the Queen Elisabeth Medical Foundation and the European Organization on Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). Particularly concerned with the plight of victims of violence (whether in peace or in war), she is intensely engaged in the struggle to ban antipersonnel mines and cluster munition. She also supports various initiatives assisting disadvantaged groups. 

Since 1996, Princess Astrid has been a member of the Belgian Senate, as senator by right (a privilege of the royal princes). In 1997, she joined the Belgian Armed Forces; she is now a Colonel in the Medical Unit. 

I join all others in wishing Princess Astrid a very happy birthday!

Josephine-Charlotte, Princess of Belgium, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg

Princess Josephine-Charlotte was the eldest child and only daughter of King Leopold III and Queen Astrid of Belgium. She was the sister of Belgian kings Baudouin I and Albert II. While expecting her daughter, Astrid had been reading a biography of the Empress Josephine, the consort of Napoleon Bonaparte. She must have found Josephine very appealing, as she decided to name the little Princess, born October 11, 1927, after this distinguished lady. Josephine was also the name of one of the child's great-aunts, the dearest sister of King Albert I. Astrid was a devoted mother to her "little Jo."

This love was one of the reasons for Astrid's conversion to Catholicism. As a Swedish-born Princess, she had been raised as a Lutheran, but, upon marrying Leopold, had agreed to educate their children as Catholics. As little Josephine-Charlotte began to ask religious questions, it seemed increasingly wrong to her mother that they should not share the same Faith. Astrid pondered the issue deeply, seeking instruction in Catholicism, partly to enable her to better instruct her daughter, partly to satisfy her own need to find the true religion. In 1930, Astrid became a convinced Catholic, confiding to a close friend, the Swedish noblewoman Anna Sparre: "My soul has found peace."

Josephine-Charlotte would lose her mother tragically in a car accident in 1935. Only ten days earlier, Astrid, filled with strange premonitions, had asked Anna to "look after" her 8-year-old daughter, if she herself should die prematurely. At Astrid's funeral, Anna remembered these words and tenderly embraced the little Princess, a small, bewildered figure in white amidst a sea of black. Despite her distress, however, Josephine-Charlotte responded courageously to the situation, trying to take care of her younger brothers, Baudouin and Albert.

More tragedies would follow: the Second World War, the Nazi occupation of Belgium, the royal family's deportation to Germany, the post-war Royal Question. During the family's imprisonment in Germany (and later, Austria), conditions were harsh and food was scanty; the Princess was driven to gnawing wild dandelions. After the war, King Leopold III was falsely accused of collaboration with the Nazis, and prevented, in consequence, from returning to Belgium. A commission of inquiry exonerated him of all charges, but political agitation continued to delay his return. A cruel and vulgar campaign of calumny was launched against the King and his second wife, Princess Lilian (married in 1941). It must have been a very painful period for Josephine-Charlotte, deeply attached to her father and step-mother.

During the Royal Question, the King and his family lived in Prégny, Switzerland. Josephine-Charlotte studied at the Ecole Supérieure des Jeunes Filles, in Geneva, and later took courses in child psychology with the world-renowned Professor Piaget. In 1949, she returned to Belgium, to raise support for her father. She also voted in the plebiscite held in 1950 to end the Royal Question. On both occasions, her arrival sparked an outpouring of royalist fervor; the King's supporters welcomed her with cries of "Vive la princesse!"  and "Léopold!" The King won a majority in the popular consultation, and was able to return to Belgium. Continued agitation, however, would finally force his abdication in 1951. He was succeeded by his son, the 21-year-old Prince Baudouin.

In 1953, Josephine-Charlotte married Prince Jean, heir to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Although politically motivated, it was a happy match. The couple had five children: Princess Marie-Astrid, Prince Henri (currently the reigning Grand Duke of Luxembourg), Prince Jean, Princess Margaretha, and Prince Guillaume. In 1964, Prince Jean and his wife succeeded to the throne of Luxembourg. Josephine-Charlotte was a conscientious and popular Grand Duchess, particularly interested in youth, family, and health issues. From 1959 to 1970, she was President of the Red Cross of the Luxembourg Youth. In 1964, she became President of the Luxembourg Red Cross. In her spare time, she enjoyed the arts, gardening, hunting, fishing, skiing, and water-sports. A very accomplished and athletic lady!

On January 10, 2005, after a long battle with lung cancer, Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte died at Fischbach Castle. She is survived by her husband, children, and grandchildren.

May she rest in peace.

Albert I & the Sacred Heart

In honor of June, the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I wanted to re-post this.

I have often mentioned the piety of Albert I, King of the Belgians. There is a remarkable account of Albert's meeting with the famous preacher of devotion and reparation to the Sacred Heart, Father Mateo Crawley-Boevey, during the priest's visit to Belgium in 1922. This is how Father Mateo described his audience with the King in Brussels:

At the door of his office, H.M. King Albert, smiling, said as he offered me his hand:

"What joy you bring me, Reverend Father, by coming all the way to me. Thank you for this visit."

And, without giving me the time to utter a word:

"I know you have something good to say to me; sit down here in this armchair."

And as he said this, he himself placed the chair opposite his own, near his desk.

"Sire," I said, "Your Majesty is reversing the roles, and overwhelms me by thanking me for having been so bold as to come. It is I who, from the depths of my heart, thank Your Majesty for the undeserved honor of this meeting."

"Oh!" replied the King. "I know that, for some time now, you have been preaching in Belgium, and that people have been crowding to hear your sermons...I have learned that you often lead the crowds, who come to hear you, in prayer for the King. You did it recently, here, at St. Gudule, and I am very grateful to you. And now, tell me a bit about your mission and what you are preaching everywhere."

Father Mateo began by offering the King a medal of the Sacred Heart, which Albert accepted and admired. Then the priest asked:

"And if it is not indiscreet, may I ask Your Majesty to pray with me for Belgium and the royal family?"

"Oh! Very willingly," replied the King, "Begin, Father, I will unite myself to you with all my heart."

The priest then blessed the medal, which had been placed on the King's desk, and knelt, before the image, on the ground. The King knelt at his side and joined his hands in prayer. The priest explained:

"Sire, I will recite a prayer to the Heart of Jesus the King, and I ask, very respectfully, that Your Majesty repeat it with great faith."

Father Mateo then began:

"Heart of Jesus, You are the Lord of lords and the King of kings, I adore You..."

The King, his head bowed, repeated after the priest. In deep meditation, they prayed for about ten minutes:

"Heart of Jesus, Belgium belongs to You, save it!"

"Heart of Jesus, the royal family belongs to You, bless it!"

"Mercy, oh King of kings, for the rulers who outrage You!"

"Mercy, oh King of nations, for the peoples who deny You!"

After the prayer was finished, Albert took the priest's hands and told him:

"Thank you, thank you, I shall never forget the emotion of this hour."

Father Mateo assumed he would now be taking his leave of the King. But Albert was not ready to let him go:

"Sit down, Reverend Father, for you have not yet said what you had to say to me...Speak."

The King was determined to hear a little sermon. So Father Mateo offered him some pious thoughts. Albert listened intently.

When, after three quarters of an hour, the priest rose to take his leave, the King said:

"I will let you go, Father, but you must promise me two things: come back to see me when you return to Belgium, and pray for me, for my family, and for Belgium."

Even at the door, the King was still insisting:

"Pray for me, and come back."

(Recorded in Albert 1er, insolite, 1984, a dossier compiled by Jo and Hervé Gerard, pp. 244-245; original French here)

I think that this account illustrates admirably, not only Albert's deep piety, but also his courtesy, warmth, simplicity, and kindness. It is easy to see why he was so loved, both in Belgium and abroad.

May his soul rest in peace.