Fabiola turns 80!

[indian princess]

i'm taking a guess here but amadeo must be giving his final papers at LSE...it is his last year there.

[stephanievl]

Originally Posted by PrincessofEurope

the baby has grown and Mathidle hasnt lost her baby weight after the birth

PPE Agency dress is too short

Queen Fabiola looks remarkable for her age and her hair !!

I find it a bit normal that Mathilde hasn't lost all her baby wieght, she just got a baby 1 .5 month ago.

Mmaria Laura turned out in a beautiful, stylish young lady
[DNF] Fotoarchief Denieuwsfoto
[DNF] Fotoarchief Denieuwsfoto

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by johann

Laurent was missing in action because he was caught up in a traffic jam. Ahem, yes…. This guy sure is haunted by ill luck, last national day his uniform was too small, now a little traffic jam and so on …I wonder if he still expects ppl to believe in it. But at least his better half Claire and his adorable kids managed to arrive in Laeken in time. Kudos to her.

Gallery by getty:
Getty Images - Unsupported browser detected

Well, I understand he has difficulties in being a hyporite here and I can imagine that he has difficulties in celebrating his aunt. Jan van den Berghe usually likes to tell the story that Fabiola once ordered an exorsist for Laurent (as do others). I don' t know if we should believe that but their relationship has always been difficult to say the least, IMO not all due to Laurent. It was rather painfull during the wedding of Mathilde and Filips: Fabiola and Laurent left the palace in one car, to the city hall. After the civil wedding Laurent was placed with the sisters of Mathilde while Fabiola went in a car with Josephine-Charlotte and Jean.

Did Laurent actually make it to the party? The VRT said he did but I do not see any pictures.

Het Niewsblad has an article, saying that Laurent, his wife and family were not there (they are obviously blind).

--

According to the Standaard Queen Fabiola has had the same hairdo for 50 years (which might be a royal record) and a recent biography by Brigitte Balfoord says that Fabiola hesitated for a long time before accepting Boudewijn's marriage proposal.

--

I agree, Maria Laura loos much better lately. Did anyone else notice how much Louise-Marie resembles a young Queen Paola btw?

[johann]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Well, I understand he has difficulties in being a hyporite here and I can imagine that he has difficulties in celebrating his aunt.

Well, if he has difficulties celebrating with his aunt it would be wiser to stay at home, he made it to the party btw, right after the last photograph left Laeken. Talking about being caught in a traffic jam in this context would be hypocrisy at it´s best IMVHO. But most likely he is neither annoyed by his aunt (these two seem to get along lately), nor by the journalists, perhaps he really isn´t able to check the clock. After all he is (in)famous for arriving late, he arrives too late for state visit galas, National Day concerts or his own activities. I´m all for cultivating a trademark, but it doesn´t have to unpunctuality as it does come across very impolite. Well, at least he got his honorary mention in all newspapers this way.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

In one of Boudewijn's biographies it alleged that Laurent was always something of a wild child. When he was in his late teens, early twenties he was booted out of Belvedere by his parents the Prince and Princess of Liege. He came to stay with Boudewijn and Fabiola at Laeken. Things were fine until Laurent snuck a girlfriend into the palace for a night of passion(she was smuggled in the trunk of the car) and things soured very quickly between the Royal couple and their youngest nephew.

Laurent was rebellious and difficult to manage, unlike his elder siblings.He had very volatile relationships with numerous women(there are very ugly stories of physical abuse and even one girlfriend getting an abortion which I don't want to believe) Then came lovely Claire, the best thing that ever happened to him.

Sadly, Laurent never healed his relationship with Boudewijn before the King's unexpected and sudden death in the summer of 1993. There is a very revealing photo taken at the military airport the night HM's body was flown back to Brussels from Spain. The entire BRF are standing close together with their arms linked tightly forming a sort of human chain...Astrid, Paola, Albert, Josephine-Charlotte, Philippe and of course Fabiola. All are weeping and holding on to one another. And sort of off to the side alone stands Laurent. It's one of those pictures that tells the whole story.

Laurent doesn't seem to be close to anyone in his family quite honestly even thought thank God he has healed his relationship with his parents.

[giov]

Pics from Hola
Galerías de imágenes

[stephanievl]

http://img171.imageshack.us/my.php?i...0202037ui6.jpg

ImageShack - Hosting :: 4220202033ew4.jpg
ImageShack - Hosting :: 4220202036ep8.jpg
ImageShack - Hosting :: 4220202039xg0.jpg
ImageShack - Hosting :: 4220202042xy4.jpg
ImageShack - Hosting :: 4220202051yq4.jpg
ImageShack - Hosting :: 4220202052fw2.jpg
ImageShack - Hosting :: princesamatildeacx5.jpg

[Regina]

Thanks for the pics!

It's very pleasant to see this very classy and so dear person celebrating her 80th Birthday.

It would be lovely if King Baudouin was alive at her side on this event. I see their same true love on Mathilde and Philippe.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by Regina

Thanks for the pics!

It's very pleasant to see this very classy and so dear person celebrating her 80th Birthday.

It would be lovely if King Baudouin was alive at her side on this event. I see their same true love on Mathilde and Philippe.

There are indeed parallels between the two relationships..Baudouin was withdrawn and unfulfilled as Philippe was, then they both blossomed under the love and devotion of wives who seem to have been sent to them from God.

Both married at an age that was considered "late" for a Crown Prince...Baudouin was thirty and Philippe in his middle thirties.

BTW...Fabiola always wears a gold medallion in the shape of a heart that has her late husband's image on it. She started wearing it after his death. I always wonder where she got it from.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by stephanievl

I find it a bit normal that Mathilde hasn't lost all her baby wieght, she just got a baby 1 .5 month ago.

Mmaria Laura turned out in a beautiful, stylish young lady
[DNF] Fotoarchief Denieuwsfoto
[DNF] Fotoarchief Denieuwsfoto

Maria Laura is a DEAD RINGER for her mother Astrid! And you are correct...Mathilde only just had the baby weeks ago...it's way too soon to be discussing her weight if you ask me!

[R_Bee]

I like Queen Fabiola very much. I'm glad she still has a big family around to help her celebrate, even though she and her husband were unable to have children.

As a side note, I've heard that Laurent was a big reason why the late King had the succession laws changed to give females full inheritance rights, to keep him as far away from the throne as possible...it seems that, at one time, there was a fear that Philippe might never get married and have children, and under the old laws the throne would have bypassed Astrid (who was was already married with children) and gone to Laurent instead. If this is true, it wouldn't surprise me at all.

[giov]

More pics from Prisma
Derechos España y Portugal: 80 cumpleaños de Fabiola de Belgica - Agencia Prisma

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by R_Bee

I like Queen Fabiola very much. I'm glad she still has a big family around to help her celebrate, even though she and her husband were unable to have children.

As a side note, I've heard that Laurent was a big reason why the late King had the succession laws changed to give females full inheritance rights, to keep him as far away from the throne as possible...it seems that, at one time, there was a fear that Philippe might never get married and have children, and under the old laws the throne would have bypassed Astrid (who was was already married with children) and gone to Laurent instead. If this is true, it wouldn't surprise me at all.

Paul Belien makes the same assertion in his book "A Throne For Brussels"...that the main reason the succession laws were changed by Baudouin was to ensure that Laurent would never ascend the Throne.

[Turkish Delight]

Pictures : You can see Mathilde & little baby ,too.

Royalportraits

[Regina]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaDreamin

There are indeed parallels between the two relationships..Baudouin was withdrawn and unfulfilled as Philippe was, then they both blossomed under the love and devotion of wives who seem to have been sent to them from God.

Both married at an age that was considered "late" for a Crown Prince...Baudouin was thirty and Philippe in his middle thirties.

Another thing in common is their strong living Christian faith.

Originally Posted by CaliforniaDreamin

Paul Belien makes the same assertion in his book "A Throne For Brussels"...that the main reason the succession laws were changed by Baudouin was to ensure that Laurent would never ascend the Throne.

If that was the real reason, I think Baudouin was right. Laurent is an anti-system person. He doesn't seem involved in Royalty's affairs.

[alterego]

Wow, the beauty of Princess Luisa Maria is really blossoming... And Princess Laetitia Maria is adorable as always... Why was Princess Elisabeth absent? All the other female cousins were present even incl the new-born Princess Eleonore...

[Marengo]

According to Het Laatste Nieuws VTM Programme 'Royalty' will broadcast a special portrait on Queen Fabiola this saturday at 17.55. For the programme the camerateam even went to Madrid. Friends of the Queen will speak but Fabiola herself will also be replying to some questions.

I believe the programme is usually available online, so I am looking forward to that!

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Oh how I wish I could see this special programme...would someone be kind enough to watch it and give those of us who live in America but love and admire HM a review? Thanks in advance!!

[LadyLeana]

Princess Elizabeth was on a school trip, according to "dag allemaal" (flemish tabloid). (didn't say where to, though) Princes Joachim and Amedeo had to study for their exams. so that explains why they weren't there.

[indian princess]

it was good thinking on baudouin's part....god forbid if philipe hadn't married and the succession law hadn't changed, laurent could have been king! that would have definitely signaled the end of the monarchy......another question... i don't think laurent and baudouin were close like their uncle was with philipe and astrid....i also read somewhere that baudouin was very fond of amedeo when he was alive and was keen to see him on the throne if phillipe never married....can anyoone confirm that?