King Albert II & Queen Paola: Current Events, Part 2

[maria-olivia]

No show up , no special pictures ,no front page in the newspaper only a small picture and see pp.., on TV after the politics..We have to wait until August 30th when 58 couples married also on the second of July 1959 will be invited I believe to drink
a glass of wine from 1959....
King Albert II has very close family relationship with the Royal Houses of Norway, Sweden, Danemark, Luxemburg, Italy, Baviera..we missed a beautiful galadinner.sad!

[MAfan]

Yes, it's really a pity...but I guess this is their wish.

[LadyLeana]

From our blog

Today, 2 July, King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. This gives us the opportunity to take a look at the couple’s turbulent courtship and marriage, and the development of their feelings for one another - because King Albert and Queen Paola are undoubtedly a couple very much in love. But their marriage was not always the idyll it set out to be. For this match made in heaven, the road went through hell…

In 1958, the then Prince of Liège, Prince Albert of Belgium, went to Rome to attend the coronation ceremony of the new Pope, John XIII. After the ceremony, the Belgian embassy in Rome hosted a ball, on which the Prince was of course the guest of honour. Among the invitees was the young Italian Princess, Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria, who captured eye immediately withher shy smile. As far as love at first sight goes, this is definitely a royal example. Later, Queen Paola would say that at their first meeting, they were both so shy, they didn’t say much. In a coverage, “The Voice of the Queen”, Queen Paola admitted that she did not really know who Albert was. “I had a vague idea of who Baudouin was, but I didn’t really know anything about Belgium or Prince Albert. Only Tintin, yes. I had all the comics”. But lasting impressions were made, and when they met again a few days later, they both realized it was a match made in heaven. After meeting the young Princess, Albert remained in Rome, always looking for new engagements there so he could prolong his stay, and spend more time with la dolce Paola.

Read more...

[Al_bina]

It is always nice to see couples celebrating wedding anniversaries, especially the golden ones. Princess Paola Ruffo di Calabria was a stunning beauty. Although it is unfortunate that there will be a gala dinner, I think it is wise to celebrate low-key under the current economic circumstances.

[iceflower]

King Albert II of Belgium, the widow of Herge, Fanny Rodwell
and her husband, Nick Rodwell, of Moulinsart, pictured as the
king visits the newly opened Musee Herge, in Louvain-La-Neuve,
1 July 2009. Herge is the creator of Belgium's most famous cartoon
(strip - BD) character, Tintin (Kuifje).


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 **


King Albert II of Belgium pictured after Lambertz took the oath,
at the Royal Palace in Brussels, Wednesday 01 July 2009


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 **

[lucien]

TM will attend the Beatification of Father Damian at St.Peter Basilica,The Vatican on october 11th.

[sgl]

Bunte has an article that talks about the 50 year anniversary of King Albert and Queen Paola:

BUNTE Royal: Albert und Paola – 50 bewegte Ehejahre - BUNTE

[Renata4711]

Who would have thought that Albert and Paola would make it to their Golden Wedding... It must have been hard for the couple to step into the shoes of Baudouin and Fabiola who were practically regarded as saints....

[maria-olivia]

H.M. King Albert II ,the unexpected King , with a completely different childhood ,with his experience of more than 30 years as Prince the Liege , head of the economic royal visits all over the world, with his warm and joyfull way of living succeeded perfectly his brother Baudouin . The are two Queens in Belgium Fabiola and Paola having each their own way of living .
If Leopold III should remain King of the Belgians from 1934 until 1985 , Baudouin would be King from 1985 until 1993 and Albert II from 1993 until I hope a long time.
It is King Albert's succession which will be difficult...

[iceflower]

New Flemish Minister President Kris Peeters takes the oath
before King Albert II of Belgium and federal Prime Minister
Herman Van Rompuy, at the Royal Castle in Laken-Laeken,
Brussels, Monday 13 July 2009.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 **

[maria-olivia]

This year the King may go on holiday and enyoy his brand new ship !

[LadyLeana]

I hope so for him!

The King has offered to pay part of the renovation costs of the Royal Palace in Brussels:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/9627-k...ovation-costs/

[iceflower]

Queen Paola visited a sport camp of the Bloso in
the Netepark of Herentals, Belgium, July 14, 2009.
Every year nearly 10.000 children take part in one
of the sports centres during their school holidays.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** Pic 5 ** Pic 6 **

[iceflower]

Queen Paola of Belgium and Belgian artist Luc Tuymans visit
the 'Against the Day' exhibition at the Wiels Contempory Art
Center on July 15, 2009 in Forest, near Brussels, Belgium.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** Pic 5 **

** gettyimages ** belga **

[iceflower]

Belgium's Rudy Demotte (R) is sworn in as Minister President
of Walloon Regional Government in the presence of Belgium's
Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy (C) and King Albert II (L)
at Laeken Palace in Brussels July 16, 2009.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 **

[iceflower]

Belgium's newly appointed Foreign Minister Yves Leterme (C)
and Pensions Minister Michel Daerden are sworn in in the
presence of Belgium's King Albert II at Laeken Palace in
Brussels July 17, 2009.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 **

[maria-olivia]

Belgium has now her 4 governments. After the 21 of July the King and Queen may go on holiday. We will have in september brand new royals as both are starting diet.

[iceflower]

Maybe one of the last events before the summer break:


Belgium's King Albert II (R) is presented a medal by FIFA President
Sepp Blatter (C) as Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy (L) watches
on ahead of a meeting on the Benelux bid to host the 2018 World
Cup at the Royal Palace in Brussels July 20, 2009.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 **

[MAfan]

Originally Posted by maria-olivia

Belgium has now her 4 governments. After the 21 of July the King and Queen may go on holiday. We will have in september brand new royals as both are starting diet.

What do you mean with "4 governments"?

[queenofthelight]

Coutesy of Belga Gallery.

King Albert II of Belgium pictured during the recording of his annual television and radio speech on the occasion of the Belgian National day. (20/07/2009)

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