Princess Lilian of Belgium (2nd wife of King Leopold III)

[micas]

I found Princess Liliam at very few time. I realise that she have a excelent great sence of fashion.
So is possible post more pics from her dress.???????
And some 1 have the front part of this dress?

http://worldroots.com/brigitte/gifs2...nderethy35.jpg

[wymanda]

I recently read somewhere that Princess Lillian's marriage to the King was "illegal". I know very little about the Belgian royals other than their descent from Queen Victoria's beloved Uncle Leopold. Can anyone tell me if the marriage was in fact not legal and why.

I had wondered if it was simply a case that the public were not consulted and his late wife was so beloved by the Belgian people. If this is the case then it would appear that the King found himself in a similar situation to that which the Prince of Wales now finds himself with the British public (and the americans) sanctifying Diana.

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

It wasn't legal because in Belgium the cicvil wedding has to procede the religious one. So you can't get married in church, if you haven't been married by the law first. They just got married for church.

take a look at the thread about Lilian Baels to find out more:

http://www.lestribunesroyales.com/forums/i...?showtopic=2633

[Elspeth]

That link isn't working, Catherine; do you mean this thread

http://www.lestribunesroyales.com/fo...read.php?t=695

If they weren't legally married, how come her children have the title Prince and Princess?

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

I suppose those things can be arranged for a king...certainly in those days.


The children he had with Lilian Baels have no right to the throne though.

[Josefine]

how do the belgiums feel about her now?

[Valentine]

I'm Belgian and always have been very fond of Lilian.
I've never really understood why people didn't accept her.
Astrid died in a car accident, Léopold had three children and was still young, very normal and healthy of him to fall in love with a beautiful smashing woman like Lilian.
I'm 35, for me second marriages are part of life.
I often wonder how people would react to such a second marriage now.

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

The problem wasn't that Leopold remarried (well of course it was very insensible of him to marry during the war when his people were suffering so much).

The problem was that he married the daughter of a highly controversial man (he was governor of a province and fled as soon as the war broke out, while his duty was to stay in his province an put people into safety - he was never punished for this-guess why...)

Lilian was a real golddigger and influenced Leopold to make certain political decisions wich led to his abdication.

I do agree she was a very beautiful and elegant woman. Just not fit to be royal :(

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

1. Lilian with Princess Maria Pia of Savoye and her husband Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia. 2. Leopold III and Lilian with Eddy Merckx

[Valentine]

Why is she supposed to be a golddigger?
And isn't it normal that a wife always is a bit influencing her husband, whether he's King or not? Léopold seemed quite capable of taking his own decisions.

[Hannelore]

She really was a golddigger. Before Leopold, she was engaged to a Hungarian aristocrat. His family didn't want him to marry Lilian, they moved heaven and earth to get what they wanted. His family ended by agreeing, if he was to give up his title. Lilian wasn't intrested anymore and immediately broke of the engagement.


With Leopold III, Lilian behaved in a similar way, she never really was happy with her title of princess, she wanted to be a queen.At the 60th birthday of queen Elisabeth, she wanted to be the center of attention and parade herself around. The governement had to stop her.

She hated Fabiola because she was the queen she never was.

Lilian didn't just influence her husband a bit (I agree with you that all couples influence each other). When they were in exile in Swiss, important members of the Belgian government had come to debate with Leopold about a solution in the royal question. Each time there was a break through at night, but when he returned from lilian in the morning, he said the whole idea of the night before was impossible. This led to his abdication. Leopold III was a weak person and Lilian very dominating.

She also made Leopold write a 'political testament' that gave exorbitant freedom the Flemish political power Lilian's father was part of. Luckily this was discovered in time and prevented, else Belgium woudn't exist anymore today...


If you want to know more about, there's a very good (reliable, with excellent sources and starting from objectf points of view) book, written by Evrard Raskin.

[Josefine]

are there more photos of her

[Hannelore]

here:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ghlight=Lilian

[altagrace]

Leopold and Lilian did have a civil marriage ; a few months after the religious one. So eventually they were "legit"

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Photos from ANP

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Leopold and Lilian

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

paris match

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

le soir illustré

[Hans]

Originally Posted by Cathérine Bergeyck

Very glamourous, wearing queen Astrid's jewelry.

What brooch is Lilian wearing ??

[Valentine]

Originally Posted by Hannelore

If you want to know more about, there's a very good (reliable, with excellent sources and starting from objectf points of view) book, written by Evrard Raskin.

I have this book in my collection but totally disagree that it is objectif.
Don't forget that Lilian was really a good mother for Leopold's children with Astrid, they were very fond of her.....