Death of Queen Fabiola: December 5, 2014


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JR76 said:
I agree with you Moonie, while I'm a bit of an anarchist myself when it comes to certain things and doesn't let people's opinions stop me from doing what I feel is the right thing for me in life I'm a stickler to tradition when it comes to funerals- Wear your best black (or darkish) suit, as a man know when to wear a white or black tie, lower your head at the last goodbye and don't laugh when the woman-who-took-all-those-singing-lessons-but-only-ended-up-as-a-funeral-singer-but-still-think-she's-at-The-Met (coffin larks as we call them) sings a funeral hymn about the afterlife. Then again I just labeled myself as an anarchist royalist so it might be me that's the wrong one out and not everyone else...


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I feel the same, JR! I was hoping that the mourners would be attired the same as they were for Alix, Comtesse de Lannoy's (mother of HGD Stephanie) funeral a couple of years ago. The men in their cutaway suits and the adult women in their mantillas looked very elegant. But true to herself, Queen Fabiola wore neither mantilla nor black to that Requiem Mass. She wore an ivory pants suit. So there you have it;)!

melina-premiere, I agree with muriel that Prince Philip is past the age where he should be expected to travel abroad to attend funerals, but I cannot believe QEII would send the Wessexes either. Edward and Sophie are among my favorite royals, but frankly they are not "senior" enough for this event. If the Empress of Japan is coming, then the Prince of Wales or the Duchess of Cornwall should too.

Marengo-that story about Queen Fabiola deliberately ordering an ugly coffin for herself to discourage a lavish funeral and lying-in-State gave me the first good laugh I have had since hearing that she passed away Friday!:lol: That lady was a noblewoman to her teeth, but no one can ever say she was not an original. I will miss her.
 
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I was quite taken aback to hear that Empress MichiKo will be attending Queen Fabiola's funeral - it will be a long and sad journey for her to take. However, it is testimony to the importance of this event.
This brings me to my thoughts on who will attend from the British royal family. Initially I thought that if the Empress can travel all the way to Belgium then Prince Philip can certainly make the journey, which is a very short one. But more than that, although I agree Philip is elderly and must be careful of his health, we must be mindful of his own fortitude and sense of duty and, ultimately, if he wants to go to his friend's funeral he will surely go whether his doctors or advisors like it or not! We will have to wait and see.
 
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The telegram that Prince Luiz, Head of the Imperial House of Brazil, sent to the King of the Belgians:

“À Sa Majesté le Roi des Belges,

Profondement peiné par la nouvelle du décès de la Reine Fabiola, j’envoie mes sincères condoléances. Que Dieu veuille recevoir son âme dans la gloire eternelle, c’est que je Lui demande en mes prières.

D. Luiz de Orleans e Bragança”

"To His Majesty The King of the Belgians

Deeply saddened by the news of the death of Queen Fabiola, I send my sincere condolences. May God receive her soul in His eternal glory, that is what I ask in my prayers.

D. Luiz de Orleans e Bragança"


The Head of the Imperial House said he never met Queen Fabiola personally, but they wrote letters to each other, especially at Christmas time.

It was also confirmed that the Prince and Princess of Ligne will attend the funeral. Prince Antonio and Princess Christine are still not sure if they'll be able to travel to Belgium, so the Head of the Imperial House asked his younger sister, the Princess of Ligne, to represent him.

Source: Pró Monarquia

https://www.facebook.com/promonarqu...551259781459/1569835013253083/?type=1&theater
 
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Juan Carlos and Sofia of Spain? Together? That does surprise me...
 
I wonder where the blog gets the information from. i can't find any confirmation from The Hague, neither do I see any royalty journalist twittering about it. Not that the attendences listed are very surprising. JC and Sofia did attend some Dutch funerals together, and considering the close bonds between the Spanish royal couple and Baudouin & Fabiola their attendence is rather likely.
 
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melina premiere said:
Photos of the coffin arriving at the royal palace of bruxelles


https://twitter.com/MonarchieBe/status/542329907939127296/photo/1


There is no flag and no many flowers on the coffin.
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I am rather surprised that there is no Belgian flag, or at least her personal standard. But perhaps QF wanted it plain and unadorned. And despite the news that she wanted an ugly coffin, that one appears rather elegant and tasteful.

But it's seems soo tiny...almost like that of a child....:sad:.
 
I like that there are no flowers or flags because if that's the kind of person Fabiola was then its nice to reflect that even in death.

With regards to Royal representatives I think its highly likely Charles will cancel his engagements to attend, although I think if he is going to do that it would be polite for him to announce his cancelled engagements sooner. The companies they visit spend months planning the visits and its only polite to say they wont be attending sooner rather than the day before.

Andrew or Edward do not have engagements that day so they could represent the Queen if Philip or Charles cannot go. I don't thinking sending Andrew or Edward is a "low representation" as they are children of a reigning monarch. Others of course may think it is, but Elizabeth sends her youngest son to Royal weddings so why not send another son to a funeral?
 
If Belgian Royal tradition is followed, HM's coffin will be open for the viewing. And I dread seeing it. I can't forget when I saw photos of King Baudouin lying in State. He didn't even look like the same man!:sad:
 
:previous:Because I haven't seen them together abroad at an official event in so long I have forgotten what it looks like.

Just as I feared, they opened the queen's coffin but thankfully you can't really see her in the photos. And I feel terribly sad for Mathilde and Philippe .:sad:

Belga Image - Editorial
 
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Molly2101 said:
I like that there are no flowers or flags because if that's the kind of person Fabiola was then its nice to reflect that even in death.
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I assume the coffin will be draped with the Belgian national flag during the funeral mass.


Andrew or Edward do not have engagements that day so they could represent the Queen if Philip or Charles cannot go. I don't thinking sending Andrew or Edward is a "low representation" as they are children of a reigning monarch. Others of course may think it is, but Elizabeth sends her youngest son to Royal weddings so why not send another son to a funeral?
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I tend to think Andrew or Edward would be "low representation" considering it is the funeral of a queen consort.

If the news is accurate, all other European royal houses apparently will be represented either by the current monarch and his/her consort (Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden), or by a former monarch who has abdicated (Spain, the Netherlands).
 
Forgive me, my comment is not meant to give offense, but rather to express incredulity. The coffin is open and the queen does not seem to have hair and makeup done. Neither is her mouth closed.

I guess every country has its own traditions and I can't know what her wishes were for her final rest. Perhaps it is a wish to go to god with no earthly pretense or vanity.

I guess I am just surprised that she wouldn't have wanted to face the public for the last time as she had in life.

I am glad the photos are from a distance and at an angle.

Will they close before the public are allowed to file past?

Ana


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community
 
Ana von Cleves, I am surprised to read that. In her 50+ years of public life there was never a time when Queen Fabiola appeared in public looking less than immaculate. If she looks the way you describe her, I hope they close the coffin.
 
Yes this is my point exactly.


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I saw the photos as the photos are taken , we can not see the face of Queen Fabiola.
I am not surprised , it is the habit of many monarchies to let the coffin open.
I remember that the former queen Elisabeth had no hair and no make up done. and even when Queen Astrid was dead by accident, the coffin was open and it was worse
The coffin will be close just before the mass on next friday.














it is the habit of the family to let the coffin opened,
 
You can see how this has affected King Phillipe. I feel Queen Fabiola was more than an aunt to him, his youngest child has Fabiola as a middle name yet he didn't give either of his daughters his own mothers name.
 
Moonmaiden23 said:
:previous:Because I haven't seen them together abroad at an official event in so long I have forgotten what it looks like.
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They were together at an event last week in Madrid at the Palacio Real and to be honest I'd expect to see them there together more so than Felipe and Letizia as they are part of the old guard of royals who all knew each other.
 
:previous:Yes, good point, you are exactly right.

Queen Fabiola seems to have been not only loved within the BRF, but revered. I saw a photo of Mathilde in tears,which was very moving as she is the most composed and serene of all the Royal women.:sad:


melina-premiere..you are right. It seems totally in keeping with the philosophy of the BRF and with QF herself to commit her to her tomb "bare". It's just startling to me as she was always perfectly coiffed and made up in public. She seems to be dressed in off white and is very pale. She has her rosary beads entwined through her hands of course.
 
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Mbruno said:
I assume the coffin will be draped with the Belgian national flag during the funeral mass.
.
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If the do it like at King Baudouions funeral not the entire coffin will be drapped in the belgian flag but it will be wrapped around it at one End of the coffin.
 
I see an image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help at the head of the bier, and there is also a blowup photo nearby of Baudouin and Fabiola in their youth, lovely.
 
An Ard Ri said:
The King,Queen and Princess Astrid looked upset,who were the last few mourners ,perhaps members of Queen Fabiola's family?
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second to last group were Princes Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg (Arch-duchess of Austria), Princes Margaretha of Luxembourg and her husband Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein.
(Q.Fabiola was their aunt; the mother of both princesses being GD. Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg, sister to King Boudewijn)
 
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Yes, I think it was members of the extended Mora family.
 
Lee-Z said:
second to last group were Princes Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg (Arch-duchess of Austria), Princes Margaretha of Luxembourg and her husband Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein.
(Q.Fabiola was their aunt; the mother of both princesses being GD. Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg, sister to King Boudewijn)
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Thanks Lee-Z,I did recognize Archduchess Marie-Astrid and Princes Margaretha of Luxembourg,but hadn't a clue who she was married to.The last 2 ladies also made me think they were members of the Mora family.

Belga Photos

http://portal.belgaimage.be/editorial/coverage/4906994
 
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Moonmaiden23 said:
I am reading that the queen left special instructions for her funeral and that she wants things to be as joyous and as "happy" as the liturgy will allow. And being familiar with Cardinal Danneel's reputation, I wouldn't be surprised if it's an...unusual Requiem, to put it mildly.

I cannot warm to the idea of adults wearing white to a Funeral Mass but by God if that's what HM wanted then that is what she should have.
<snip>
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If it helps you to think of it this way, as an Episcopalian, we believe the liturgy of the dead to be an Easter Liturgy - one of hope and resurrection.

Here's a quote to explain:
“The liturgy for the dead is an Easter liturgy. It finds all its meaning in the resurrection. Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, shall be raised. The liturgy, therefore, is characterized by joy, in the certainty that ‘neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.’

This joy, however, does not make human grief unchristian. The very love we have for each other in Christ brings deep sorrow when we are parted by death. Jesus himself wept at the grave of his friend. So, while we rejoice that one we love has entered into the nearer presence of our Lord, we sorrow in sympathy with those who mourn.” (BCP 507)
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Both Queen Wilhelmina and Queen Juliana believe this to be true and when you experience that in communion with other mourners, it can be so utterly powerful and uniting. Some of the best services of hope and love I've been to have been funerals, believe it or not. It's a beautiful send-off for a most devout believer in the surety of the resurrection promise God shares with us.

Just wanted to explain where I was coming from with that thought, my friend. :flowers:

From Thierry Debels:

thierry debels ‏@thierryd 3h3 hours ago Brussels
gecontesteerde ex-koning Juan Carlos van Spanje zou begrafenis van landgenote @FabiolaKoningin vrijdag niet bijwonen... #wandelgang #FB

In English:
ex-King Juan Carlos of Spain would funeral of compatriot @FabiolaKoningin friday not attend ... #Walkway #FB

I really thought Juan Carlos would find some reason to blow it off. I hope this is not true and I thoroughly admit that Debels is the LEAST reliable of sources, but I saw that and just had to pass it along.
 
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episcogal said:
If it helps you to think of it this way, as an Episcopalian, we believe the liturgy of the dead to be an Easter Liturgy - one of hope and resurrection.

Here's a quote to explain:Both Queen Wilhelmina and Queen Juliana believe this to be true and when you experience that in communion with other mourners, it can be so utterly powerful and uniting. Some of the best services of hope and love I've been to have been funerals, believe it or not. It's a beautiful send-off for a most devout believer in the surety of the resurrection promise God shares with us.

Just wanted to explain where I was coming from with that thought, my friend. :flowers:
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I saw parts of Queen Juliana's funeral service on the Dutch Royal House channel and I must say I found it quite uninspiring. I am not familiar though with Dutch Reformed (Presbyterian) liturgy, which differs greatly from the more traditional Roman Catholic, Anglican (Episcopalian), or Lutheran services.
 
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