Grand Duke Jean and the late GD Joséphine-Charlotte, News 1: May 2003 - April 2005

[bad_barbarella]

she is a truely bred royal... now i think i understand why she was a little agaisnt mt

 

[Hannelore]

I think that they just would never have liked one and other, even if Maria Teresa had been royal.

Their characters are miles apart.

 

[Hannelore]

Grand duchess Joséphine-Charlotte, news and picture thread

there doesn't seem to be a thread on Joséphine-Charlotte, so let's start one.

Here's the biography, written by Norvegianne:

Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg hasn’t had an easy time lately. Diagnosed with pulmonary cancer in March last year, she has struggled with the disease for a while. We at The Royal Forums wish to honour her for her courage, and as the Grand Duchess will be celebrating her 77th birthday this month we wish to take you along with us on a revisit of the life of a grand old lady.

****

On October 11th, 1927, a new princess was born to Belgium at the Royal Palace in Brussels. Princess Joséphine-Charlotte Ingeborg Elisabeth Marie-Jose Marguerite Astrid, Joséphine-Charlotte for short, was born as the oldest child of Prince Leopold and Princess Astrid of Belgium, and was to be their only daughter. The Princess would later be joined by a brother, Baudouin, in 1930, and another brother, Albert, in 1934.

Her early childhood was spent with her family at Stuvyenberg Palace, outside of Brussels, and quite some time was also spent in Sweden with her mother’s family. It was a much simpler childhood than the Belgian court-tradition would dictate, and it was the influence of her Swedish mother who wanted to raise her children as she had been raised. But tragedy struck the family of five when Queen Astrid, was killed in a car accident in Switzerland in 1935.

When the Germans invaded Belgium in 1940 the Royal family stayed put, which in turn caused them to live in exile in Switzerland for a number of years. Joséphine-Charlotte was the first one of the immediate family to return to Belguim, in 1949.

On November 27th, 1952, it was announced that Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of the Belgians was getting engaged to Heriditary Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg. They married the year after on April 9th in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Luxembourg. The two knew each other well, but the marriage was arranged.

Joséphine-Charlotte and Jean have welcomed 5 children into their family since their marriage in 1953, Princess Marie-Astrid (1954), Grand Duke Henri (1955), Prince Jean (1957), Princess Margaretha (1957) and Prince Guillaume (1963)

The children have also given their parents 20 grandchildren.

****

Joséphine-Charlotte began her education at The Royal Palace in Brussels. She has also attended a boarding school during the occupation, and studied at Ecole Supérieure de Jeunes Filles, in Geneva while in Switzerland. The princess also studied Child Psychology at the University of Geneva.

Upon her return to Belgium the princess begun taking up official duties took an interest in social problems and began to develop an interest in the arts. After her marriage, she took up many of the same duties in Luxembourg. Those duties expanded after her husband acceded to the throne in 1964.

She was the president of the Youth department of the Red Cross in Luxembourg from 1959 to 1970, and from 1964 she has been the president of the Red Cross in Luxembourg.

She is also Chief Guide of the Luxembourg Guide Movement. Other patronages include the Union of Blood Donors and the Luxembourg Paediatrics Society.

Joséphine-Charlotte has been known to enjoy gardening and horticulture, but also hunting, fishing, skiing and watersports in whatever spare time she has.

 

[Hannelore]

Some additions: Her mother, queen Astrid of the Belgians, née princess of Sweden gave her the name 'Josephine' in honour of Joséphine de Beauharnais. She was Napoleon's first wife, Astrid read a biography on her when she was expecting her first child and because she admired her so much, she decided to call her 'Joséphine' if it was a girl.

'Charlotte' is in honour of Josephine-Charlotte's godmother, grand duchess Charlotte of Luxemburg (who later became her mother-in-law!!).

So there you have it: "Joséphine-Charlotte", quite a monumental name, but at home she was called Joe-Joe

1. jc with her maternal grandmother, princess Ingeborg of Sweden, née princess
of Denmark.

5. with her brother, prince Boudewijn, who later became king of the Belgians
6. with her father, king Leopold III of Belgium and baby brother Boudewijn.
7. with her parents, queen Astrid & king Leopold, and her baby brother in 1930.
8. with her second brother, Albert, the present king of the Belgians.

 

[Hannelore]

As a child JC spent her summer holidays in Sweden, home country of her mother. Her two aunts were (by marriage) princesses of Norway and Denmark.

In 1935, her mother died in a car crash. JC was old enough to understand what happened and it marked her very deeply.

She always stayed very close to her Swedish (and Norwegian and Danish) relatives, and kept going on holiday there.


1. Jc and Boudewijn with their Swedish granparents, prince Carl & princess Ingeborg.
2. JC and Boudewijn with their Swedish grandmother, and their Danish cousins.
3. JC as a saint Lucia girl, a Swedish tradition.
All the rest: with her mother, Astrid of Sweden, queen of Belgium.

 

[Hannelore]

More pictures with her mother, the immensely popular queen Astrid.

 

[suturegeisha]

Thanks so much for all of the info and pictures, Hannelore!

I love J-C, she is one of my favorite royals. She was so cute as a youngster! And her mother, Queen Astrid, is just beautiful. It's a shame she died so young.
-Kara-

 

[Hannelore]

More pictures from JC's happy childhood, when her mother was still alive


1.with little brother Boudewijn
2. & 3. JC and Boudewijn with baby brother Albert
4. the whole family, last official foto before Astrid's death.
5. On her way to school

 

[Hannelore]

After their mother's death.

Even as children, they were often present at big parades or other official engagements.

2. with their uncle, prince Karel of Belgium.

7 & 8. Her holy communion.

 

[Hannelore]

During WWII, king Leopold III remarried a belgian commoner, Lilian Baels, who used all her influence to intervene in politics. This caused a huge political crisis in Belgium. Lilian was hated her entire life and after the war, Leopold's family stayed in exile for 5 years (in Switzerland). When they finally came back, a civil war nearly broke out between pro-Leopold people and the ones that were anti-Leopold. JC's father had to abdicate and her brother, Boudewijn, only just 21, became the new king.

Although Lilian was never liked in Belgium, she brought back some family life to JC and her brothers. Josephine-Charlotte also got 1 halfbrother, Alexander, and 2 halfsisters, Marie-Christine and Esmeralda.

1.Leopold's second family: JC, Albert, Leopold, Lilian, Boudewijn, Alexander.
2.Boudewijn and JC in exile.

 

[Hannelore]

As a young woman. I think she had a cool beauty, very distinguished.

 

[bad_barbarella]

but she must love her grandchildren and they wouldnt be there without MT

 

[bct88]

I had heard that she and her husband didn't love each other at the time of their marrage. I think she was crying the whole wedding not because she was happy, but because she was sad.

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Here you can see a thread on her marriage to prince Jean of Luxemburg:



http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=131337#post131337

 

[suturegeisha]

I had heard that she and her husband didn't love each other at the time of their marrage. I think she was crying the whole wedding not because she was happy, but because she was sad.

Are you talking about J-C or M-T?

If you're speaking of J-C, then I've also heard that. But, I believe that all of those sentiments were just rumors. They seem to be a very happy and lovely couple, with five wonderful children and 20+ grandchildren.

Now, I've never heard anything like that said about M-T and Henri....

-Kara-

 

[bct88]

I was talking about J-C.

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

Yeah, it was an arranged marrige, and Jean was in love with someone else.

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

It may have been arranged, it's always been a happy marriage.

 

[Hannelore]

Josephine-Charlotte and Jean have 5 children: Marie-Astrid (°1954, married to archduke Carl Christian of Austria), Henri (° 1955, married to Maria Teresa Mestre), the twins Margaretha (°1957, married to prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein) and Jean (°1957, married to Hélène Vestur), and Guillaume (°1963, married to Sibilla Weiler).

1 & 2. with Marie-Astrid
3. with henri and Marie-Astrid
4 & 5. with Marie-Astrid, Henri and the twins Margaretha and Jean
6. helping Marie-Astrid with her homework
7. With Guillaume as well.

 

[Hannelore]

Josephine-Charlotte has always been very elegant and classy.

 

[Hannelore]

2. In 1957.
3. at the time of her engagement
4. In 1981.
5. In 1964.
6. In 1977, with a giant I think because JC is quite tall herself
7. In 1983.

 

[Hannelore]

Glittering JC

She's got quite a large jewel collection and knows how to wear it!!

2. these earrings belonged to her mother, queen Astrid of the Belgians
4 - 8. with a tiara that was given to her as a wedding present from the people of Belgium when she married prince Jean in 1953.

 

[Hannelore]

3. tiara that used to belong to grandduchess Charlotte,and is now often worn by Maria Teresa.
4. at the wedding of Margrethe of Denmark and Henri de Laborde de Monpezat.

 

[Hannelore]

more jewelry

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

Is that 7 or 8 tiaras?

 

[bad_barbarella]

so thats why there have them belgium tiara... its my fav hehehe mwa

 

[gaggleofcrazypeople]

Wow! You can actually tell what nations the tiaras are from?

She's royal; of course she is going to be more regal than us mere commoners. But we can all dream.

 

[Hannelore]

1. With her mother on the beach
2. with her father, king Leopold III
3. With Jean

 

[bad_barbarella]

does anyone else here think the luxembourg royal family reminds them of the sound of music... those pics were beautiful thanks!~!

i think i can see Princess alex marrying a royal Prince... i dont understand why she was sad... with such beautiful dresses and jewels no girl could ever truely be sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Hannelore]

Jean and Joséphine-Charlotte at the vatican, in 2000.