The Anne Boleyn Files

A while back, I came across an intriguing blog, The Anne Boleyn Files by Claire Ridgway. The author describes herself as:

...a full-time freelance writer, closet history lover, armchair historian and champion of the underdog, from England - land of the Tudors, Shakespeare, green fields and yummy fish and chips.

Of course, as a Catholic, I take Catherine of Aragon's part in the divorce controversy, and she is one of my favorite historical heroines, a great and, ultimately, I  believe, saintly Queen. Yet, Anne was certainly a pivotal figure in English history. For all her faults, she was also an elegant, intelligent, witty and brave woman. Claire Ridgway has a talent for treating controversial topics in an engaging and entertaining fashion and stimulating lively discussions. While sympathetic to Anne, she is not blindly so, and I think her efforts to grasp the truth of an enigmatic character who has inspired such violently contrasting verdicts (monster? beauty? whore? witch? Protestant martyr?) are commendable. I encourage my readers to look at this site, it is a fascinating read.

Portrait of Prince Charles

A portrait of Prince Charles of Belgium (1903-1983), younger brother of King Leopold III.

A Tender Father

After the tragic loss of his wife, Queen Astrid, King Leopold III of the Belgians had to try to be both father and mother to his children... despite his many public obligations.

His eldest daughter, Princess Josephine-Charlotte, also attempted, courageously, to take care of her younger siblings, Baudouin and Albert. But she was only a child herself.

Queen Elisabeth did her best, lavishing affection on her grand-children, but it would take Leopold's remarriage with Lilian Baels, who proved to be a devoted step-mother to the royal children, to restore the family circle.

Yet, Leopold is reproached for marrying during the war, when the Belgians were suffering. He is accused of selfishly valuing his own happiness more than that of his people. Were there no other wartime weddings in Belgium? How did the marriage harm the people? Leopold and Lilian were married with great discretion, as befitted the somber and tragic times. It is not as though they indulged in feasting and revelry.

There is no doubt that the royal children would have suffered profound psychological damage, in the atmosphere of anxiety and insecurity during the Nazi occupation, and, particularly, in the traumatic period of captivity in Germany, without maternal care and affection. Lilian's vigilance, in fact, protected the family from many dangers, during their deportation by the SS and subsequent imprisonment under harsh conditions in an insalubrious German fortress (see HERE and HERE). Belgium owes her a great deal, since she played an essential role in safeguarding the lives and mental equilibrium of the King and the heirs to the throne.

The King's remarriage was not a selfish act, but an important one for the good of his family and country. He was a tender father and a responsible ruler.

The Grand Square of Brussels

Courtesy of Paul Ijsendoorn.

A Poem by Queen Elisabeth

As I have mentioned before, Einstein (perhaps surprisingly) was a close friend of King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium. He shared with the Queen a passion for classical music, and enjoyed discussing political and philosophical issues with the King. Many fascinating and touching letters between Einstein and the royal couple testify to the depth of their mutual regard (for example, see HERE). The King and Queen were both very anxious for Einstein's safety in the face of Nazi persecution. When he spent time at the seaside resort of Le Coq, Belgium, in 1933, Albert insisted on providing him with two bodyguards to protect him day and night.

Einstein and Elisabeth enjoyed exchanging rhymed greetings. Here is one, dated March 15, 1933, by the Queen. Playing on the scientist's name, (ein stein = "one stone") she alluded to her fears for his safety. Einstein had previously written her a poem, regretting his inability to visit the royal couple. He had compared himself to a tree:

It sends- its greetings to convey-

A twig, for it itself must stay.

The Queen's reply, I think, is very charming:

The twig the greeting did convey

From the tree that had to stay,

And from the friend, whose heart so big

Could send great joy by tiny twig.

A thousand thanks aloud I cry

Unto mountain, sea and sky.

Now, when stones begin to shake,

I pray ONE STONE no harm will take.

(cited in Albert Einstein: The Human Side, 1981, p. 49)

Videos of Queen Astrid

Slideshow of old photographs, beginning with Astrid's youth.

Newsreel of Astrid, the tragic accident in Küssnacht, and the Queen's funeral in Brussels. (With the Hail Mary sung beautifully in Latin).

It is terribly sad that she died so young, but, in a way, she was spared the evils to come (World War II, the Royal Question). I wonder, though, if Belgium's history would have been any different, if she had lived longer (the same question can be asked about King Albert I). Any thoughts?

Princess Elisabeth of Belgium

Here, we see HRH Princess Elisabeth of Belgium with her little sister, Princess Eleonore. Born October 25, 2001, Elisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène is the eldest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Brabant, Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium. She was named after her great-great-grandmother, the talented and heroic Queen Elisabeth, consort of King Albert I. Due to the abolition of the Salic law in 1991, she is second in line to the throne after her father, heir of the reigning monarch, King Albert II. Thus, she takes precedence over her younger brothers, Gabriel and Emmanuel. When, (God willing!), she ascends the throne, Elisabeth will be Belgium's first Queen Regnant.

Although, as the heir of the Duke of Brabant, Elisabeth ought to have been titled "Count(ess) of Hainaut," the issue created political controversy (even before her birth), as the French "Hainaut" was not considered linguistically neutral. (In Dutch the county is "Henegouwen"). Due to the disputes, a royal decree (sadly, in my opinion) abolished the traditional title of the second-in-line to the throne. (I have to say I think it would have made more sense simply to use both Dutch and French versions of the title).

Since September, 2004, Princess Elisabeth has been studying (in Dutch) at the Sint Jan-Berchmans College in Brussels. It is the first time that a future Belgian monarch's education has begun in Dutch. The little girl has already been appearing at public functions, and a Belgian scientific base in Antarctica, inaugurated February 15, 2009, is named in her honor.

I wish this future Queen a happy, long life and reign.

Official website of Princess Elisabeth

More photos HERE.

Survey Results

I took down this week's poll early, as it was giving a strange error message, somehow Google was reading it as an automated malware function. I noticed the same problem with the poll at Wilson Revolution Unplugged. Some technical mix-up, undoubtedly, but I was worried Google might decide this whole site was infected with sinister software. The issue seems to be resolved at Mr. Baltzersen's blog, but now I have already taken my poll down, alas.

In any case, the question was: who is your favorite Queen of the Belgians? There were 3 total votes, all for Astrid (1905-1935), first wife of King Leopold III. I would have liked more votes, but I suspect they would have all been for Astrid. She was known to be the most beloved Belgian royal consort, the original "Queen of Hearts."

A Forgotten Queen

Catherine of Braganza, long-suffering wife of Charles II of England.

Cléo de Merode

Cleopatra Diane de Merode was a famous Parisian dancer of Belgian noble descent. In the rumor mill, she was romantically linked with King Leopold II of the Belgians, but the gossip was unsubstantiated. She was born in 1875. At the age of 8, she entered the Opera School of Ballet in Paris, made her professional debut at 11, and soon became a rising star. She was also a reigning beauty, pioneering a new hairstyle that rapidly became the height of fashion (Belgian King Albert I later playfully joked about it). She attracted many admirers, and gained the reputation of a courtesan.

During the 1890's, rumors flared up that the aging Leopold II, who had many mistresses, had fallen in love with the charming young ballerina. Satirical drawings mocked the pair, and the King was dubbed "Cléopold." The Belgian monarch was fairly indifferent to scandal, but poor Cléo was mortified. She vehemently denied the allegations, even launching a court case to clear her name. Those familiar with the King's private life (such as Xavier Paoli, an agent of the French police who protected Leopold during his visits to France) likewise dismissed the gossip. In his memoirs, Paoli told an amusing story of Leopold meeting Cléo, (after the rumors had already circulated widely), for the first time. "Allow me to express my regrets," the King told her, " if the good fortune people attribute to me has offended you at all. Alas, we no longer live in an age when a king's favor was not looked upon as compromising! Besides, I am only a little king."

Unfortunately, the reputation of the royal mistress pursued Cléo for the rest of her life. Nonetheless, her career continued brilliantly, as she won acclaim for her performances across Europe and the United States. At the height of her popularity, she took the risk of dancing at the Folies Bergères, a taboo for elite dancers. She attracted a whole new audience. Meanwhile, her beauty inspired painters Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Gustav Klimt, Charles Puyo and Alfredo Muller, and the sculptor Alexandre Falguière. She was considered one of the most glamorous women of her time, even appearing on postcards and playing cards. In 1955, she published her memoirs, Le Ballet de ma Vie, again attempting to defend her reputation. She passed away in 1966.