Death of Queen Fabiola: December 5, 2014

[Moonmaiden23]

Queen Fabiola was a great woman and a wonderful queen of the Belgians. She worked tirelessly in the service of her adopted country and it's citizens. She had two great and enduring loves...her God and her husband Baudouin. Other than QEII there is no Royal woman in Europe whom I've admired more.


Despite the heartbreak of infertility Baudouin and Fabiola lived out a marriage that was-for me anyway-an ideal. Not only has she been reunited with him now but also with the five babies they lost.

I feel like crying but I know I should not. Queen Fabiola is now exactly where she has probably wanted to be since July 31, 1993. One of the greatest love stories of modern Royal Europe has come full circle.

[Frelinghighness]

I knew they couldn't have children but didn't know she lost five. Were they miscarriages?

[Siamesess]

R.I.P Queen Fabiola.

[Tiggersk8]

Originally Posted by Frelinghighness

I knew they couldn't have children but didn't know she lost five. Were they miscarriages?

AFAIK, none of the pregnancies reached past or not far into the fourth month. That's going by memory though, so don't take that as entirely true.


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[Moonmaiden23]

Originally Posted by Frelinghighness

I knew they couldn't have children but didn't know she lost five. Were they miscarriages?

According to her official biographer Guy Michelland ("Fabiola: La Reine Blanche") the queen's first miscarriage occurred on June 23 1961 shortly after she and Baudouin announced the pregnancy. They had been married for 6 months and she was about 4 months pregnant. She became pregnant again at the end of that year and suffered a miscarriage in Feb 1962. In April 1963 she was pregnant once again and the announcement was made in TIME magazine that the birth was expected in November. By the end of the summer of 1963 it was over.

Fabiola's longest pregnancy was in 1966. There are actually photos from that time that show her wearing a red coat and visibly pregnant, with a full face. But in July of that year she was rushed to the hospital after a hemorrage and underwent surgery to save her life. The infant-rumored to have been a little girl-was delivered stillborn at five months. Author Michelland and others have said at this point Fabiola made a pilgrimage to Rome and crawled on her knees to the shrine of St. Francis to beg God to give her a living child. She also reportedly offered Baudouin an annulment of their marriage, which he refused to even consider. She was so desperate during this period that she began undergoing secret fertility treatments in Switzerland and by early 1968 she was again pregnant at the age of almost 40. In February of that year she suffered an ectopic pregnancy and again required surgery to save her life.

It was her last pregnancy. One of the doctors who treated the queen has said that she suffered from a malformation of the uterus that made a normal full term pregnancy virtually impossible. In 2008 Fabiola was at an official dinner and confirmed the five lost pregnancies to her dinner companion without realizing her microphone was on.

She and Baudouin became resigned to their childlessness and had a beautiful strong marriage...still it's a heartbreaking story.

[Danishla]

Her Majesty had the most beautiful and kind smile. May her soul rest in Peace.

[Tiggersk8]

Originally Posted by Moonmaiden23

According to her official biographer Guy Michelland (Fabiola: La Reine Blanche) the queen's first miscarriage occurred on June 23 1961 shortly after she and Baudouin announced the pregnancy. She was about 4 months pregnant. She became pregnant again at the end of the year and suffered a miscarriage in Feb 1962. I April 1963 she was pregnant again and the announcement was made in TIME magazine that the birth was expected in November. By the end of the summer of 1963 it was over.

Fabiola's longest pregnancy was in 1966. There are actually photos from that time that show her wearing a red coat and visibly pregnant, with a full face. But in July of that year she was rushed to the hospital after a hemorrage and underwent surgery to save her life. The infant-rumored to be a little girl-was delivered stillborn at five months. Author Michelland and others have said at this point Fabiola made a pilgrimage to Rome and crawled on her knees to the shrine of St. Francis to beg God to give her a living child. She also reportedly offered Baudouin annulment of their marriage, which he refused to even consider. She was so desperate at this point that she began undergoing secret fertility treatments in Switzerland and by early 1968 she was again pregnant at the age of almost 40. In February of that year she suffered an ectopic pregnancy and again underwent surgery to save her life.

It was her last pregnancy. One of the doctors who treated the queen has said that she suffered from a malformation of the uterus that made a normal full term pregnancy virtually impossible. In 2008 Fabiola was at an official dinner and confirmed the five lost pregnancies to her dinner companion without realizing her microphone was on.

She and Baudouin became resigned to their childlessness and had a beautiful strong marriage...still it's a heartbreaking story.

Heartbreaking does not even come close. I can't even begin to imagine what Their Majesties went through during those years. That would have ripped apart so many couples, it truly is proof of just how strong this couple was both in their relationship and commitment to each other and also just how much comfort and strength their faith gave them.

And now they're all together again.

I keep thinking about Queen Mathilde tonight. She and Her Late Majesty were so very close to each other. This is going to hit her so hard. Of course that's true of the entire Family, but it always seemed to me there was a very close bond between them and....:(



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[Moonmaiden23]

Queen Fabiola was also very close to her niece Princess Margretha of Lichtenstein, whom she treated as her own daughter. After Margaretha's first miscarriage Fabiola brought her to Villa Astrid in Motril, Spain where she and Baudouin kept their holiday home. Fabiola nursed Margretha back to health herself.

[Marchesina]

Sad sad news. May Her Majesty rest in peace now.
My thoughts now go to those who deeply loved her. I think Mathilde's bond with the Queen came from Philippe's close relationship with his aunt, who was a motherly figure for him...it must be a tough moment for them...

[lise]

RIP Queen Fabiola

[leidi]

Philippe and Mathilde looked devastated, I think they were able to be with Fabiola in her last moments because Elisabeth was with them and I doubt they would have taken their daughter to see a corpse.

I think it was a really nice gesture from Laurent to be there, he didn't have the best relationship with Fabiola but he was man enough to go and say goodbye, I think the three siblings are far better people than their parents have ever been.

[Marchesina]

Originally Posted by leidi

Philippe and Mathilde looked devastated, I think they were able to be with Fabiola in her last moments because Elisabeth was with them and I doubt they would have taken their daughter to see a corpse.

I think it was a really nice gesture from Laurent to be there, he didn't have the best relationship with Fabiola but he was man enough to go and say goodbye, I think the three siblings are far better people than their parents have ever been.

Well Elisabeth is a little woman now, and her position as heir to the throne would require even this kind of events. I consider this, unfortunately, another step in her learning process as Crown Princess

[cdm]

The end of an era. She was my childhood queen.

Two images that will stuck in my memory: the young woman in her exquisite wedding gown and the older lady dancing at Filip and Mathilde's engagement party.

[QUEENECE29]

goodbye queen fabiola

Goodbye Queen Fabiola | Selda Göktaş

[Muhler]

What happens now?

What are the traditions and ceremonies surrounding the death of a Queen?
Where is she expected to be laid to rest?
Are there proclamations?
Will there be a procession?
Will she lie in state/lit de parade?
What's the reaction on the street?

[cdm]

The ministers are having a meeting today to plan everything for the funeral. I guess we'll hear about it later today.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by tommy100

I realize no details have been confirmed but are there any royals Fabiola was particularly close to and so who are likely to attend the funeral? Maybe members of the Spanish Royal Family?

King Baudouin died unexpectedly in their beloved holiday estate, Villa Astrida in Motril (Andalucía), and immensely touching images were shown of Don Juan Carlos and Doña Sofía escorting Doña Fabiola to the airport, to say farewell to her and the remains of her spouse, going back to Belgium. Doña Fabiola was also guest at the wedding of Don Felipe. She never forgot her homeland Spain. Until the last public appearances the old Queen often wore a pin with the logo of Real Madrid, her favourite club.



We can be sure that an appropriate delegation of the Spanish Royal House will attend the State Funeral of the old Queen, born Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón.

Originally Posted by Marengo

The programme 'Ter Zake' (before the movie) was dedicated to her death. It was the same for Albert's abdication announcement btw.Quite a difference indeed. Still, I am sure that more programmes will follow in the next days.

Edit: The VRT is showing a documentary now. Maybe it took some time to change the programming.

I have seen the documentary, broadcast late indeed. A nice documentary about a remarkable lady. The difference in coverage between the Dutch or the British public channels and the Belgian public channels covering a senior royal passing away was remarkable. The Belgian French-speaking channels (RTBf and RTL) however seemed more prepared and found the right tone. VRT was quite amateuristic or lack royalistic understanding, to use an understatement. VTM (the commercial Dutch speaking channel) was more attentive than the public VRT.

Originally Posted by Muhler

What happens now?

What are the traditions and ceremonies surrounding the death of a Queen?
Where is she expected to be laid to rest?
Are there proclamations?
Will there be a procession?
Will she lie in state/lit de parade?
What's the reaction on the street?

Prince Charles, King Leopold III and King Baudouin were (acting) heads of state and received a funeral with a strong military component (their coffins were transported on a gun-carriage).

Princess Lilian and Prince Alexander more or less had a private funeral. We may assume that Queen Fabiola will receive the same funeral as the three firstnamed gentlemen minus the military component. I think the Queen will be transported by a normal hearse and without military honours. For the rest the scenario will be roughly the same: a lying-in-state, a funeral in the Cathedral of the Saints Michael and Gudula and then the interment in the royal crypt in Laeken.

[Lee-Z]

On belgian tv it is mentioned that this afternoon the funeral arrangements will be made, so i'm sure we'll know more by this evening..

[melina premiere]

I think the funerals will be like the funerals of the last queen Elisabeth of Belgium in november 1965.

[Duc_et_Pair]

According De Standaard the Government will maintain "a passive attitude" now: the ministers are awaiting the wishes of the King and/or the royal family. Today (Saturday) Queen Fabiola will remain at the Château du Stuyvenberg. That is the only thing which is for sure now.

Originally Posted by melina premiere

I think the funerals will be like the funerals of the last queen Elisabeth of Belgium in november 1965.

Many of the attributes used for the funeral of Queen Elisabeth in 1965 are missing. The coffin was placed on a special catafalque, pulled by a detachement of military. I can not imagine that Queen Fabiola, never a lady known for her interest in military, will be pulled by dozens of soldiers. We will see how it works out. I am sure it will all be done with style.