Belgian Queen Fabiola Has Died

The Belgian Royal Court today announced that Queen Fabiola, the widow of the late King Baudouin, has passed away at Stuyvenberg Castle in Brussels. She was 86.

“Their Majesties the King and Queen and members of the Royal Family announce with very great sadness the death of Her Majesty Queen Fabiola this evening at Stuyvenberg Castle in Brussels,” the official statement read. King Philippe, Queen Mathilde, the Duchess of Brabant and King Albert and Queen Paola were seen leaving the castle this evening.

Prime Minister Charles Michel called the Dowager Queen, “a great woman who will forever be part of the history of our country,” after the news broke.

Queen Fabiola was born in Madrid, Spain in June 1928. She was a daughter of Don Gonzalo Mora y Fernández, Conde de Mora and Marqués de Casa Riera, and a goddaughter of Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain. Following the Spanish Revolution, Fabiola grew up in France, Switzerland and northern Spain.

While working as a nurse in Madrid, Fabiola was introduced to Irish nun Sister Veronica O’Brien, who was in Spain searching for a bride for the unmarried Belgian King, Baudouin. The couple first meet in Brussels shortly after, feel deeply in love and were married on December 15, 1960. Unfortunately, the King and Queen did not have any children, despite Queen Fabiola’s five pregnancies (all ended in miscarriage or stillbirth).

Following the sudden death of her husband in July 1993, Queen Fabiola withdrew from public life, appearing scarcely as the years went on and her health declined. She and King Baudouin were vastly popular with the Belgian people for their dedication to their country.

Her funeral will take place on December 12.

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Tagged Death, Queen Fabiola of Belgium.

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