Albert married Paola Di Calabria Ruffo [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_III_of_Belgium

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Leopold III
King of the Belgians
Leopold III, Leopold Philippe Charles Albert Meinrad Hubertus Marie Miguel (November 3, 190 1 - September 25, 1983) reigned as King of the Belgians from 1934 until 1951, when he abdicat ed in favour of his Heir Apparent, his son Baudouin.

Leopold III was born in Brussels as Prince Leopold of Belgium, Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Goth a, Duke of Saxony, and succeeded to the throne of Belgium on February 23, 1934 on the death o f his father, King Albert I of Belgium.

Crown Prince Leopold, just a teenager, fought as a private during World War I with the 12th B elgian Regiment. At the end of the War, in 1919, the Crown Prince Leopold was enrolled at St . Anthony Seminary in Santa Barbara, California.

In Stockholm, on November 4, 1926, he married Princess Astrid Sophie Louise Thyra, Princess o f Sweden who became Queen Astrid of the Belgians. She was born in Stockholm on November 17, 1 905, the youngest daughter of Prince Charles of Sweden and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark.

Leopold married Princess Astrid of Sweden on 10 Nov 1926 in Brussels, Brussels (Bruxelles), Belgium. Astrid (daughter of Prince of Sweden Oscar Carl Wilhelm and Ingeborg of Denmark) was born on 17 Nov 1905 in Vret, Odensjo, Kronoberg, Sweden; died on 29 Aug 1935 in Kussnacht, Switzerland; was buried on 17 Nov 1905 in Laeken. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Princess Astrid of Sweden was born on November 17, 1905. She was the youngest daughter of Pri nce Charles of Sweden, Duke of Vastergotland, and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. Astrid's gran dparents were King Oscar II of Sweden and King Frederick VIII of Denmark. Astrid"s sister, Pr incess Martha, married the future King Olaf V of Norway. Her eldest sister, Princess Margaret ha married Prince Axel of Denmark, while her only brother Prince Carl, Duke of Ostergotland , married morganatically. Some months later, King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium inv ited the press to the royal palace in Brussels. "The Queen and I, declared Albert, would lik e to announce to you the impending marriage between Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant and the P rincess Astrid of Sweden. We are convinced that the princess will bring joy and happiness t o our son. Leopold and Astrid have decided to join their lives without any pressures or reaso ns of state. Theirs is a true union among people with the same inclinations." Queen Elisabeth , incorrigible romantic that she was, insisted in saying "It is a marriage of love...tell i t to our people. Nothing was arranged. Not a single political consideration prevailed in ou r son's decision." Leopold and Astrid were married in Brussels on November 10, 1926. Astrid w as immediately adopted by the Belgians. She was tender, understanding and profoundly human. H er public and official engagements irradiated enthusiasm. Leopold was her most fervent admire r. The love shared by the young couple was evident to all. In more than one occasion people c ould see them holding hands, even during official engagements. Astrid was immediately adopte d by the Belgians.

On August 29, 1935, while the King and Queen were driving along the winding, narrow roads nea r their villa at K©ossnacht am Rigi, Schwyz, Switzerland on the shores of Lake of Lucerne, Leo pold lost control of the vehicle and the car plunged down a ravine, killing Astrid.

Oscar married Ingeborg of Denmark in 1897. Ingeborg (daughter of King of Denmark Frederik Christian Vilhelm, VIII and Queen of Denmark Louise Josefine Eugenie) was born in 1878 in Stockholm, Stockholms l©Pn, Sweden; died in 1958. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]