Death of Queen Fabiola: December 5, 2014


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
episcogal said:
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.
Click to expand...

Well, in all fairness to JC his health has not been great. Didn't he have two hip replacements in the past 3-4 years. He just looks more frail every time I see him recently. And that goes for ex-king Constantine of Greece too.

I would not be surprised if he does not attend, despite his close relationship with Fabiola and her late husband. Fabiola was among the handful of people outside his family who referred to JC as "Juanito".
 
:previous: I agree with you wholeheartedly. It really sort of chocked me to see how frail JC looked at Felipe's inauguration and I don't find it the least disrespectful if he doesn't attend Fabiola's funeral because I doubt that he would actually actively try to avoid it. I'm certain that should he cancel, it would be because of health issues.
 
Moonmaiden23 said:
Well, in all fairness to JC his health has not been great. Didn't he have two hip replacements in the past 3-4 years. He just looks more frail every time I see him recently. And that goes for ex-king Constantine of Greece too.

I would not be surprised if he does not attend, despite his close relationship with Fabiola and her late husband. Fabiola was among the handful of people outside his family who referred to JC as "Juanito".
Click to expand...

I really didn't phrase my previous entry well. I totally agree, Moonmaiden23. Juan Carlos has been looking not so strong of late, and I know that whatever happens, Fabiola would be okay with the decision that is made. :flowers:
 
To Marengo, An Ard Ri and others.
On Thursday I may go to the Secretary Service of the Cathedral . They have a place for me inside the Cathedral for HM Queen Fabiola 's Funerals.
As I have to attend very early the Funerals, I booked one night in a 5 Star Hotel....the first time of my life!
 
Last edited:
maria-olivia said:
To Marengo, An Ard Ri and others.
On Thursday I may go to the Secretary Service of the Cathedral . They have a place for me inside the Cathedral for HM Queen Fabiola 's Funerals.
As I have to attend very early the Funerals, I booked one night in a 5 Star Hotel....near the Grand Place where we have our Christmas Market .
Click to expand...

Maria Olivia though it will be a very solemn and sad occasion I'm so happy you have a place there at the Funeral Mass as we all know how much you adored H.M.Queen Fabiola.
 
maria-olivia said:
To Marengo, An Ard Ri and others.
On Thursday I may go to the Secretary Service of the Cathedral . They have a place for me inside the Cathedral for HM Queen Fabiola 's Funerals.
As I have to attend very early the Funerals, I booked one night in a 5 Star Hotel....the first time of my life!
Click to expand...


What an honor maria-olivia! Please come back and tell us everything!
 
Ana Von Cleves said:
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.
Click to expand...

Just my two cents.
My grandmother passed away two weeks ago and we went to see her for the last time the day before the funeral. Her hair were done and so was makeup. When we saw her for the last time, we at first almost didn't recognize her. She was pretty good-looking but she was not herself. We had seen her husband, my grandfather, a few hours after his passing away and although he was less good-looking, it was easier for us as we saw really him, not someone else. I would rather have seen my grandmother two hours after her death than a few days after. Seeing a corpse which didn't look at all like her and knowing it was her was a painful experience, more than seeing my grandfather dead just a few hours after his passing away.
 
maria-olivia said:
To Marengo, An Ard Ri and others.
On Thursday I may go to the Secretary Service of the Cathedral . They have a place for me inside the Cathedral for HM Queen Fabiola 's Funerals.
As I have to attend very early the Funerals, I booked one night in a 5 Star Hotel....the first time of my life!
Click to expand...

My goodness, that will be some experience of a lifetime.
 
maria-olivia said:
To Marengo, An Ard Ri and others.
On Thursday I may go to the Secretary Service of the Cathedral . They have a place for me inside the Cathedral for HM Queen Fabiola 's Funerals.
As I have to attend very early the Funerals, I booked one night in a 5 Star Hotel....the first time of my life!
Click to expand...

How fortunate that your request got accepted! It is in the spirit of Queen Fabiola that not only officials but also other Belgians would be able to attend. It is nice that the court has appreciated this too. Please let us know how it went.

espicogal said:
From Thierry Debels:
Click to expand...

Considering the man has been downright nasty these last days, almost gloating over Fabiola's death, I take his remarks with a few pinches of salt.



***

It is better to postpone possible criticism of the (non-) attendees until we actually get a confirmed guestlist.

For British attendances of royal events, there is this thread in the British forum: http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f23/the-windsors-and-europe-2060.html
 
maria-olivia said:
To Marengo, An Ard Ri and others.
On Thursday I may go to the Secretary Service of the Cathedral . They have a place for me inside the Cathedral for HM Queen Fabiola 's Funerals.
As I have to attend very early the Funerals, I booked one night in a 5 Star Hotel....the first time of my life!
Click to expand...

that's such a gesture of fabiola to include anyone who wished to attend in her funeral. may i ask how you requested a place in the service, maria olivia? it must have been very well organised of the palace to have received requests and sent out the invitations already! best of luck, it seems like quite an exciting experience.
 
Well , the Protocol Service wanted my name , surname and my Number of National Registration.


It is not an invitation which was sent to me. It is a document, I sent a mail to have it, which allows me to enter the Cathedral and I have to go Thursday at the Cathedral Secretary Service to have it...

Where will I sit , perhaps people will see better on TV !

But even where I will sit I will hear Cardinal Danneels Speech, the Music and it is my last respect for my late Queen . I also have to thank Her because she visited the place where my handicapped Son is living in 1993.
 
Last edited:
Maria-olivia, I'm so happy that you are going to be able to attend the funeral mass of this beautiful soul that was Queen Fabiola. I am tending to believe that this is exactly what she expressed in her last wishes and to me, it makes the mass and celebration even more memorable to have among the people, those that truly felt a love for her.

It is my hope that you will carry with you to her celebration of life, all the warm thoughts and remembrances and condolences that have been expressed here in this thread.
 
maria-olivia said:
Well , the Protocol Service wanted my name , surname and my Number of National Registration.


It is not an invitation which was sent to me. It is a document, I sent a mail to have it, which allows me to enter the Cathedral and I have to go Thursday at the Cathedral Secretary Service to have it...

Where will I sit , perhaps people will see better on TV !

But even where I will sit I will hear Cardinal Danneels Speech, the Music and it is my last respect for my late Queen . I also have to thank Her because she visited the place where my handicapped Son is living in 1993.
Click to expand...

:verysad:

Here is an homage I put together back for Fabiola's 86th birthday.

The many faces of Fabiola
 
maria-olivia said:
Well , the Protocol Service wanted my name , surname and my Number of National Registration.


It is not an invitation which was sent to me. It is a document, I sent a mail to have it, which allows me to enter the Cathedral and I have to go Thursday at the Cathedral Secretary Service to have it...

Where will I sit , perhaps people will see better on TV !

But even where I will sit I will hear Cardinal Danneels Speech, the Music and it is my last respect for my late Queen . I also have to thank Her because she visited the place where my handicapped Son is living in 1993.
Click to expand...

What a special experience this will be for you Maria-Olivia, even though it will surely be a sad one. I do hope you will be able to share some of your thoughts of the day as it would be interesting to hear from someone who will actually have been there.

---------------------

I found a brief article from the Japanese news channel - NHK - concerning the Empress's attendance at Queen Fabiola's funeral, which I thought was interesting: -

Empress to attend funeral of Belgium's queen - News - NHK WORLD - English
 
Sancia said:
Just my two cents.
My grandmother passed away two weeks ago and we went to see her for the last time the day before the funeral. Her hair were done and so was makeup. When we saw her for the last time, we at first almost didn't recognize her. She was pretty good-looking but she was not herself. We had seen her husband, my grandfather, a few hours after his passing away and although he was less good-looking, it was easier for us as we saw really him, not someone else. I would rather have seen my grandmother two hours after her death than a few days after. Seeing a corpse which didn't look at all like her and knowing it was her was a painful experience, more than seeing my grandfather dead just a few hours after his passing away.
Click to expand...
I think this can safely be attributed to the embalming and funeral 'preparation' process. Especially if it's to be an open coffin, there are a lot of cosmetic 'procedures' done to the deceased.
 
My mother, died a month ago, She was almost 100. When we saw her in the hospital they had combed her hair, which was still beautiful, and as she never really wore make up, she looking peaceful and asleep. She had few wrinkles and never a facelift. She was never an old lady. She dressed fantastically, never used a walker, a cane or a wheelchair. She climbed up and down the full set of stairs to our upper level every day, several times a day. Death takes away what is what makes you look human away. Yes, morticians tricks can sometimes make some look wonderful. We were blessed, as she was cremated we didn't need any of that embellishment.
 
Okay...against my better judgment I looked at a closeup of Queen Fabiola's face on another site. Her mouth is definitely not open. But she is drawn and ghostly white, as white as the satin coffin lining. She seems to be wearing no makeup. She looks like someone who has been very ill for a very long time. I would not have recognized HM at all if I didn't already know it was her.:ermm:

COUNTESS, Sancia, and everyone else who has had the experience of seeing a loved one pass peacefully and then had a look at them again after the mortician made his "improvements"...I am very sorry. I know your experience well, because I went through it with my father years ago. I am still traumatized by it.

Marengo...please, who is Thierry Debels? What is he saying? Why does he have an axe to grind with QF? And even so, what kind of creep would gloat over the death of a frail old woman who has tried to help others??:bang:
 
Thank you, Moonmaiden, I think I just needed to say the things I did. Just grief.
 
maria-olivia said:
To Marengo, An Ard Ri and others.
On Thursday I may go to the Secretary Service of the Cathedral . They have a place for me inside the Cathedral for HM Queen Fabiola 's Funerals.
As I have to attend very early the Funerals, I booked one night in a 5 Star Hotel....the first time of my life!
Click to expand...
It seems wrong to say "I hope you enjoy it" but I hope the service is everything that Queen Fabiola wanted. A time to mourn but also a time of such joy to the faithful. May God go with you.
 
Blue_ said:
She was there : brief video caption

I do hope indeed there will be someone from the direct line.
Click to expand...

This is my YouTube account. I'm Lellobeetle on other forums - don't know why I didn't just use it here. Anyway...I collect together Fabiola/Baudouin videos that I've scrounged around the internet for, so if you want to see some of the 115 videos I've got - some I've created myself and some from others - Here's the Playlist address:

Baudouin/Fabiola YouTube Playlist

I also have a B/F pinterest board with some interesting tid-bits.
 
What about Beatrix of the Netherlands? She was very close to both Baudouin and Fabiola. She and Baudouin were good friends as teenagers, there is a terrific photo of them sitting together at a formal ball at Laeken in the late 1950's.:whistling:
 
Moonmaiden23 said:
Marengo...please, who is Thierry Debels? What is he saying? Why does he have an axe to grind with QF? And even so, what kind of creep would gloat over the death of a frail old woman who has tried to help others??:bang:
Click to expand...

isn't he the one who wrote a, not very flattering, biography of King Boudewijn?

eta: if anyone wants to discuss that content, than maybe that would be better in another thread, as i could imagine that Q.Fabiola was not thrilled about the book
 
Last edited:
Thanks so much Lee-Z

Yes, we will discuss this man and his bio of the late king. But some other time in another thread...;)
 
episcogal said:
This is my YouTube account. I'm Lellobeetle on other forums - don't know why I didn't just use it here. Anyway...I collect together Fabiola/Baudouin videos that I've scrounged around the internet for, so if you want to see some of the 115 videos I've got - some I've created myself and some from others - Here's the Playlist address:

Baudouin/Fabiola YouTube Playlist

I also have a B/F pinterest board with some interesting tid-bits.
Click to expand...

Thanks. That is great. i remember wachting the fuenral of King Baudouin live on german TV but did not record it as i have done for all other major royal Events.
With Queen Fabiola's funeral it seems i can not record it as it will most likel not broadcasted on german TV and i can not receive the belgian Channels. Hopefully the Coverage will be later online as i have to work at the time iof the funeral so no or little Chance to follow the Livestram.
 
Stefan said:
Thanks. That is great. i remember wachting the fuenral of King Baudouin live on german TV but did not record it as i have done for all other major royal Events.
With Queen Fabiola's funeral it seems i can not record it as it will most likel not broadcasted on german TV and i can not receive the belgian Channels. Hopefully the Coverage will be later online as i have to work at the time iof the funeral so no or little Chance to follow the Livestram.
Click to expand...

I'm surprised to hear that the funeral not will be broadcasted on German television, I thought the German media was very interested in royal events.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

iceflower
Belgian State Visit to Germany: December 5 - 7, 2023
Replies
25
Views
2K
iceflower
iceflower
iceflower
Queen Mathilde's Eveningwear Part 5: January 2024 -
Replies
20
Views
2K
iceflower
iceflower
Blog Real
Genealogy of Queen Mary of Denmark
Replies
1
Views
569
Muhler
Muhler
iceflower
Queen Margrethe's Fashion and Style Part 5: August 2023 -
2 3
Replies
83
Views
7K
iceflower
iceflower
Blog Real
Archives of the Royal Households
Replies
0
Views
1K
Blog Real
Blog Real

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom