Queen Fabiola Speaks Out: 'I Had 5 Miscarriages'

[Marengo]

VTM programme 'Het Nieuws' showed that Queen Fabiola said for the first time openly that she had 5 miscarriages. She said that this didn't make het bitter, on the contrary: 'You learn something out of it'. She said this during a dinner that was held last week. She also said 'You know, I lost 5 children. You learn something from that experience. During my pregnancies I got problems, but you know, in the end I think life is beautiful'.

Fabiola and Boudewijn paid a lot of attention to Prince Filip, to prepare him for the throne (GVA says they sort-of adopted Filip). These days Fabiloa is still close to him and his wife. The Queen said that Mathilde called her immidiately after the birth of Eléonore and that the delivery took 3 hours 'all went very natural'.

Article in Dutch here.

GVA article in Dutch here.

[marmi]

Wow I am always touched by the stories of women who have suffered from multiple miscarriages, and have been since I discovered that one of my aunts had had a terrible number, until she and my uncle decided that they just couldnt cope with anymore heartbreak and stopped trying.

It is wonderful that Mathilde and Fabiola are close.

[fearghas]

When I hear these stories I often wonder what those children may have been like. If even one had been born and survived Albert would not be King today and there would be a whole other Belgian Royal family.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Marengo

VTM programme 'Het Nieuws' showed that Queen Fabiola said for the first time openly that she had 5 miscarriages. She said that this didn't make het bitter, on the contrary: 'You learn something out of it'. She said this during a dinner that was held last week. She also said 'You know, I lost 5 children. You learn something from that experience. During my pregnancies I got problems, but you know, in the end I think life is beautiful'.

Fabiola and Boudewijn paid a lot of attention to Prince Filip, to prepare him for the throne (GVA says they sort-of adopted Filip). These days Fabiloa is still close to him and his wife. The Queen said that Mathilde called her immidiately after the birth of Eléonore and that the delivery took 3 hours 'all went very natural'.

Article in Dutch here.

GVA article in Dutch here.

I recall the times a pregnancy was announced,or a miscarriage was announced before the pregnancy was announced during
the sixties and IIRC the last one in the early seventies.

They,King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola,always said that their faith and their love for children,all children,helped them cope.

Yes,they did sort of adopt Prince Filip from then onwards,he spend a lot of,if not most of the time,with them,his Uncle and Aunt.

It was such a sad period really,the miscarriages and all that,but the Royal Couple could almost litterally float on the sympathy
and love of the Belgians,as they felt so sorry for them.

Time and time again after that episode,Queen Fabiola was all over the country whenever the opportunity arose to meet children.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

As someone who loves children and wanted them but am not able to have them, this story makes me very sad. But it also increases my deep admiration for Queen Fabiola and his late Majesty King Baudouin. They were able to keep their marriage, their love for one another and their deep faith in God intact despite this painful tragedy. They also had to endure the humiliation of having their personal lives discussed in the tabloids (I have several old copies from the 60's and 70's of Paris Match and Point de Vue) There was talk that Baudouin would petition the Vatican to have the marriage annulled and that Fabiola would retire to a convent in her native Spain, all untrue but it must have been awful for them to endure and keep their dignity intact, which they did.

The Queen has refused to discuss it even though her husband often did. I wonder why she chose to speak of it now?

They are my favorite Royal couple of all time.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by fearghas

When I hear these stories I often wonder what those children may have been like. If even one had been born and survived Albert would not be King today and there would be a whole other Belgian Royal family.

I wonder the same thing. In 1966 one child was actually taken dead from her womb, I think that I read that it was a little girl.

So tragic.

[Marengo]

I thi nk Queen Fabiola said something about it before. That she first didn't understand why God didn't grant her children but later she understood why, because she would be a mother to all of Belgium (or something along those lines).

[Her_Majesty]

That's so moving to read about. I really like Fabiola alot. It's hard to imagine how hard this time must have been for her. I feel really touched while reading about this all...

Originally Posted by Marengo

because she would be a mother to all of Belgium

This moves me even more. IMO the Belgians can be really proud of her.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by Her_Majesty

That's so moving to read about. I really like Fabiola alot. It's hard to imagine how hard this time must have been for her. I feel really touched while reading about this all...


This moves me even more. IMO the Belgians can be really proud of her.

I completely agree. I am not Belgian, but oh how I wish we in America had a lady like that to look up to. Fabiola is a treasure, in my opinion.

[Stefanie]

I´m interested in the reason why the then miscarriage happened. And whether it was always again the same reason with the next child. There are photos who show Fabiola quite high pregnant in the sixties. So at least one of the children must have been grown until the seventh month or so until she lost it. Very sad indeed.
My cousin had a miscarriage at her first pregnancy and then they found out that she needed what is called a "cerclage" or so. This cerclage makes sure that the utterine orifice doesn´t become open too early.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by Stefanie

I´m interested in the reason why the then miscarriage happened. And whether it was always again the same reason with the next child. There are photos who show Fabiola quite high pregnant in the sixties. So at least one of the children must have been grown until the seventh month or so until she lost it. Very sad indeed.
My cousin had a miscarriage at her first pregnancy and then they found out that she needed what is called a "cerclage" or so. This cerclage makes sure that the utterine orifice doesn´t become open too early.

From my understanding, one of the Queen biographer's (Guy Michelland) reported that Fabiola saw several specialists including the renowned Swiss expert Dr Axel Gamzell? who said Her Majesty had a "physiological abnormality" that made it almost impossible for her to carry a baby to term. She had a 10% chance of carrying to 9 mos and a 5% chance of surviving the delivery. I could be wrong but my understanding is that she never completed a pregnancy past 5 mos....I saw only one photo her where she appeared to be showing a little and it was taken in June 1961 at the Vatican.

She also had a least one tubal pregnancy and nearly died during surgery to save her life as a result(in July 1966)

Women today who are in the same situation sometimes opt to have a surrogate carry the baby for them, but this would have been out of the question for someone like Fabiola, with her staunch religious beliefs.

[lilytornado]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaDreamin

Women today who are in the same situation sometimes opt to have a surrogate carry the baby for them, but this would have been out of the question for someone like Fabiola, with her staunch religious beliefs.

Surrogacy is still not legal in very many countries.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by lilytornado

Surrogacy is still not legal in very many countries.

Oh goodness...thanks so much lilytornado. I should have realized that. Besides, for a Royal it's probably not an option anyway. I was surprised to learn that Japan's Princess Aiko had been conceived via invitro fertilization after Crown Princess Masako encountered fertility problems. For some reason I thought that would be taboo for the Japanese Imperial Court.

[Stefanie]

If Masako had so much difficulties why didn´t she have a boy at first? Nowadays it´s possible via Infitro to also choose the sex of the baby (what her sister-in-law possibly did....)If she had Aiko artificial I will never understand why she choose the risk to not immediately let the sex also "make".

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by Stefanie

If Masako had so much difficulties why didn´t she have a boy at first? Nowadays it´s possible via Infitro to also choose the sex of the baby (what her sister-in-law possibly did....)If she had Aiko artificial I will never understand why she choose the risk to not immediately let the sex also "make".

Hi Stefanie! That's a good question, I saw lots of discussion about it at the Japanese Royals thread. All I know for sure is that after she had the procedure she categorically refused to do it again. I have read that despite being very expensive it's really painful.

Sophie Wessex underwent it several times to try and have a second baby then she gave up, and a miracle happened...she conceived her beautiful little boy naturally!

[carla rizzone]

It's surprised me a lot how the Japanese Imperial house has changed its antique ideas. But we'd never know all the truth of all this comments about how princess Masako got pregnat. On the other hand, queen Fabiola and king Balduino were a beautiful couple and beloved by their people. More than the actual kings Albert and Paola. I must say she loves prince Philip (the heir of the throne) as a son. If she hadn't any children it's a pitty. Now she has to live as the former king's widow. Weird situation in Belgium. Two queens instead of one. Muy question is: What's Fabiola's situation after her husband's death?

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by carla rizzone

It's surprised me a lot how the Japanese Imperial house has changed its antique ideas. But we'd never know all the truth of all this comments about how princess Masako got pregnat. On the other hand, queen Fabiola and king Balduino were a beautiful couple and beloved by their people. More than the actual kings Albert and Paola. I must say she loves prince Philip (the heir of the throne) as a son. If she hadn't any children it's a pitty. Now she has to live as the former king's widow. Weird situation in Belgium. Two queens instead of one. Muy question is: What's Fabiola's situation after her husband's death?

Actually it's not the first time Belgium has had two Queens....Baudouin and Albert's grandmother Queen Elisabeth survived until 1965. At that time, Fabiola was Baudouin's consort and of course Queen of the Belgians.

The same situation now. Paola is wife to the King and is actual Queen of the Belgians. Fabiola is the widow of the late King and is Dowager Queen , coincidentally she is living out her days at Stuyvenberg which is where her husband was born and where his grandmother Queen Elisabeth lived until her death.

[Stefanie]

Imagine Albert dies ahead of Fabiola so then we have three living Queens: Fabiola, Paola and Mathilde.

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Originally Posted by Stefanie

Imagine Albert dies ahead of Fabiola so then we have three living Queens: Fabiola, Paola and Mathilde.

Oh God...! God forbid that will happen!

[Royal Fan]

An Amazing story ,if it did happen three Queens how would they be styled