Princess Esmeralda of Belgium

[princess olga]

Catherine wrote: "Marie Christine doesn't want any contact anymore with anyone from the family."

Why is that? Do we know? Does it have anything to do with princess Lillian's estrangement from Leopold's kids with Astrid?

By the way, how, since her death, do Belgians view Lillian? Have they changed their opinion about her?

[Warren]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Do you know if she and her brother Alexandre are in touch with their strange sister Marie-Christine?

Well, after the hatchet-job Marie Christine did on their mother in her recent book I wouldn't imagine relations are particularly close!
.

[tiaraprin]

Wow!! I never knew this Lady or her siblings existed. I knew the King remarried Lilian Baels, but I never heard about children.


It is so sad that all the siblings cannot get along. It is not the fault of Esmeralda and Alexandre that they were born.

Their sister Marie-Christine sounds like a real charmer .

[fanletizia]

Princess Esmeralda of Belgium will visit the Aqualandia Foundation

The Foundation Aqualandia Mundomar de Benidorm will receive the next Friday day 2 of September the deprived visit of Her Height Real Princess Esmeralda of Belgium, that has been interested in knowing the development the programs of therapy attended with dolphins that already have been counting on their support for a long time.

(...)

http://www.panorama-actual.es/noticias/not177602.htm

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Originally Posted by tiaraprin

It is so sad that all the siblings cannot get along. It is not the fault of Esmeralda and Alexandre that they were born.

It's just Marie Christine who doesn't want any contact with the family anymore. The others get along fine.

[Marengo]

Catherine, do you know if Esmeralda (or Alexandre) attended the funeral of Josephine-Charlotte?

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Catherine, do you know if Esmeralda (or Alexandre) attended the funeral of Josephine-Charlotte?

I believe none of Lilian's children were there, only Léa Wolman, the wife of prince Alexandre.

[btsnyder]

Does anyone else think Princess Esmerelda looks like the Australian actress Rachel Griffiths?

http://www.celebrities.pl/rachel_griffiths/rachel4.jpg

[hania]

I also thought the same thing!!!!!!!btsnyder

[michelleq]

She does. She favors her mother but in a handsome sort of way. Her mother was naturally beautiful.

Does that make sense?

[Elspeth]

Originally Posted by Marengo

but she (MC) wants their money, I am sure?

I think that's why the siblings had to auction off a lot of Princess Liliane's jewels and other items, so they could afford to give Marie-Christine her share in cash.

[auntie]

Originally Posted by Elspeth

I think that's why the siblings had to auction off a lot of Princess Liliane's jewels and other items, so they could afford to give Marie-Christine her share in cash.

Princess Lilian was known as wearing some of Queen Astrid's jewels, were any of them auctioned off in Sotheby? or did she use them often?

[Elspeth]

I have no idea. I've got a copy of the catalogue somewhere, but I don't think it specifies if any of the jewels belonged to Queen Astrid.

[Zonk]

What did Marie Christine say about her mother?

Like tiarapin, I am just learning about this side of the family.

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Originally Posted by Zonk1189

What did Marie Christine say about her mother?

Like tiarapin, I am just learning about this side of the family.

Marie Christine was raped by a member of Lilian's family. Her mother didn't believe her and locked her up in her room for a couple of weeks.

Apart from that, her daughters had no freedom to lead their own lives, it was their mother who decided about who they were to go around with.

[martha-louise]

I think we have to put question marks on the character of Marie-Christine too. She sais in an interview that she couldn't adapt in royal environments, that she always had to rebel. Look at her (extravagant) life in the States, not really a modest princess. Her parents must have been more than ones desperate to see how their daughter behaved.
I don't think Lilian is the big witch here. You see, Esmeralda, who is a very fine woman, went to visit her mother till her dead. She has never spoken about her terrible mother or something. On the contrary I would say.

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

No of course Lilian wasn't a witch! But I don't think she was a good mother either.

Esmeralda (I agree she's a very nice woman) does present things in a very positive way all the time, but that has to be exagerated too.

It's true that MC is a bit eh...daft, but I do believe the things she says. Her parents must have been concerned about her, but her father was hardly ever there and she was more raised by nurses than her own mother...

[martha-louise]

It's certainly true what you tell, although, about king Leopold ,I thought he was Esmeralda's teacher. so they spent quite some time toghether i guess. He gave her mathematics, you can see an exaple of that in "My father, Leopold III", if i'm right. Leopold and Esmeralda made also several trips toghether, e.g. to Afrika.
My opinion on Lilian as a mother is also rather negative than positive, and about Leopold, I think he had a good relationship with Esmeralda. Also the efforts she is doing to remeber the king (books, photo's), shows that he meant something special to her.

[Hannelore]

Leopold often spent months abroad on his "exploration travels" and when he was at home he used to spend hours in his dark rooms developping photos (one of his great hobbies). After his abdication he was bitter and tried to hide away from the Belgian reality.

Esmé was his favorite, the youngest child, a cute little girl, a very obediant one too. He had a bit of a priviledged relationship with her.

The last trip he made before he died was the only one he made alone with her, to Africa.

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

From Newscom

Princess Esmeralda at her London home with husband Salvador Moncada, daughter Alexandra (7) and son Leopoldo (4)