Crown Prince Leopold Belgium and Princess Astrid of Sweden - 1926

[paola]

Prince Leopold married Princess Astrid in the Cathedral of Sainte-Gudule. How many other members of the Belgian Royal Family got married in the Cathedral of Sainte-Gudule?

A quick answer known by heart that pops up by reading this question:
Most of them I think. At least of the generations that came after Leopold III and Astrid.
Only the marriage of Princess Astrid with Prince Lorenz was not closed there because the cathedral was closed. The cathedral was in to bad shape then (I did read somewhere that the bricks fell out of the wall).
I don´t know by heart if the Kings Leopold I and II and Albert I are married in the cathedral.


But one have to do some effort to make a list of all people who you name as member of the royal family
and find out where they are married to say for sure how many did marry there.

 

[Stefan]

But one have to do some effort to make a list of all people who you name as member of the royal family
and find out where they are married to say for sure how many did marry there.

King Léopold I. married in Compiegne, France and King Albert I. in Munich so no they did not marry in the Cathedral St. Michele et Gudule in Brussels. But the Princesses Charlotte, Louise, Henriette and Josephine married in Brussels but i don't know where the religious Services took place.

 

[MAfan]

Leopold I married to his first wife, Princess Charlotte of Wales, in London at Carlton House (the residence of her father, the Prince of Wales). Then he married his second wife, Princess Louise of Orléans, at the Castle of Compiegne, in France.
Albert I married to Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria in Munich, Bavaria.

Of the other Belgian Kings, Leopold III, Baudouin, Albert II and Philippe all married at the Cathedral of St. Michel and St. Gudula.
Leopold III married to his second wife, Mary Liliane Baels, in Laeken.

Of the other members of the Royal Family (past and present):
Princess Stephanie (daughter of Leopold II) married to Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria in Vienna and secondly to Count Elemer de Lonyay at the Castle of Miramare, in Italy;
her sister Princess Clémentine married to Prince Victor Napoleon at the Castle of Moncalieri, in Italy;
Prince Philippe, Count of Flandres, married to Princess Marie of Hohenzollern in Berlin;
Princess Josephine (daughter of the Count and Countess of Flandres) married to Prince Karl Anton of Hohenzollern at the Royal Palace in Bruxelles;
Princess Josephine Charlotte (daughter of King Leopold III) married to the then Hereditary Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Luxembourg;
Princess Astrid (daughter of King Albert II) married to Archduke Lorenz of Austria at the Church of Notre Dame du Sablon in Bruxelles;
Prince Laurent married to Claire Coombs at the Cathedral of St. Michel and St. Gudula in Bruxelles;
Prince Alexandre (son of Leopold III and of the Princess of Rethy) married to Lea Wolman in Deben, Suffolk;
his sister Princess Marie Christine married both her husbands in the USA;
their sister Princess Esmeralda married to Sir Salvator Moncada in London;
Princess Maria José (daughter of Albert I) married to Crown Prince Umberto of Italy at the Paoline Chapel at the Quirinal Palace in Rome.

Princess Charlotte (daughter of Leopold I), Princess Louise (daughter of Leopold II) and Princess Henriette (sister of Albert I) married in Bruxelles, though I don't know where exactly.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Princess Astrid's dress and veil in color
https://www.deviantart.com/art/Princess-Astrid-as-bride-158274181

 

[CyrilVladisla]

In this wedding photo is Prince Leopold saluting?
http://www.gettyimages.com/license/613481850

 

[maria-olivia]

This is the picture taken outside the Collégiale St Michel et Gudule in Brussels. Princess Astrid wore no tiara. But in the Group picture you can see she wears a collar with an emerald pendant , gift from her parents. They did the same for Princess Märtha.

 

[princeofitaly]

Queen Astrid was truly a great beauty. She was so beautiful, classy, romantic and elegant. A very good wedding.
Queen Astrid looks like a fairytale princess, she looks like she came out of a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale.
Have you more photos about this wonderful wedding?

 

[maria-olivia]

Because of complete Renovation the Cathedral was closed.

The Funerals of Charles Count of Flandres and King Leopold III took place in the St Jacques de Coudenberg Church
The Wedding of Princess Astrid took place in the Notre Dame du Sablon Church
The Funerals of King Baudouin took place in 2/3 of the Cathedral. The Choir was still closed for Renovation.
The Weddings of Princes Philippe and Laurant took place in the completely renovated Cathedral St Michel et Ste Gudule.

 

[Stefan]

Because of complete Renovation the Cathedral was closed.

The Funerals of Charles Count of Flandres and King Leopold III took place in the St Jacques de Coudenberg Church
The Wedding of Princess Astrid took place in the Notre Dame du Sablon Church
The Funerals of King Baudouin took place in 2/3 of the Cathedral. The Choir was still closed for Renovation.
The Weddings of Princes Philippe and Laurant took place in the completely renovated Cathedral St Michel et Ste Gudule.

They needed very long for the Renovation of the Cathedral as the funerals of King Leopold and Prince Charles where in 1983 and the Wedding of Philippe in 1999.

But i have to say i preffer the Altarroom and Altarpiece they had at the Wedding of Philippe to the new one who is now in place there.

 

[maria-olivia]

Yes indeed its Renovation took time .
I was told that the Cathedral was not closed for the Holy Mass on Sonday. A big flllet was hanging to protect people. It was known by King Baudouin. On Monday morning He telephoned himself asking to accelerate its restauration.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Newly engaged Prince Leopold and Princess Astrid

 

[An Ard Ri]

The engagement was announced in September 1926 and Prince Leopold of Belgium, Duke of Brabant & Princess Astrid of Sweden married in November 1926.

A very short engagement!

 

[Prinsara]

There's a story somewhere that Astrid ran into someone she knew at her training school and said she didn't know what to do about this handsome guy who was in love with her...

The friend said "Do you love him?"
She said "Madly."
The friend said "So marry him."

(One of my favorite royal couples.)

 

[Skippy]

Was it, for royal custom, an unusual love match?

 

[JR76]

Was it, for royal custom, an unusual love match?

Not necessarily. Many royals of the time were free marry for love as long as they did so with a suitable spouse.
A few well-known love matches are:
Axel and Margaretha
Olav and Märtha
Frederik and Ingrid (well Frederik was heads over heels in love and Ingrid wanted to become queen),
Bertie and Elizabeth.
Gustaf Adolf and Sibylla.

 

[Prinsara]

Was it, for royal custom, an unusual love match?

I don't know about the entirety of royalty, but her oldest sister had already married a guy she was in love with (although he was a prince) and Märtha would do the same. Maybe being relatively obscure princesses who were already raised to have vocational skills and mingle with people helped, but Carl and Ingeborg don't seem to have been exceptionally strict or ambitious, despite having reduced circumstances. If one of the girls had wanted to marry a wealthy commoner....? No idea.

Now, Leo was a crown prince, but young, pretty stubborn, and with parents who themselves married for love and a mother who thought he hung the Moon, so he wasn't getting forced into anything, either. He and Elisabeth went traveling around Europe so she could introduce him suitably, including to Astrid (legendarily, incognito and Astrid didn't know who he was...), but that was it — and then when they did end up getting engaged the very romantic Queen went around exclaiming that it was a love match and no one should get any other idea.

Consider this. She was a Protestant princess marrying into a conservative Catholic monarchy with barely a ripple.

Unusual as a royal love match? Probably not. "Unusual love match" as in 'little too much like Disney or another romcom with a very, very sad ending'? It feels that way to me, at least.

 

[Skippy]

Thank you both, JR76 and Prinsara, for your response.

Seems there was more "allowed" when it came to love rather than being married off to someone the parents deemed suitable.
That is, luckily they did fall in love in their own circles.

Queen Astrid's unfortunate death leads me to wonder what would have happened... No successor for her anyway, and perhaps some events in the life of her children would not have taken place either. Alas, we'll never know.

I do remember seeing photos of Princess Astrid running into Leopold's arms upon her arrival in Belgium. She was so happy that she forgot about protocol, the story says.
Is there any video material of this?

 

[Prinsara]

Thank you both, JR76 and Prinsara, for your response.

I do remember seeing photos of Princess Astrid running into Leopold's arms upon her arrival in Belgium. She was so happy that she forgot about protocol, the story says.
Is there any video material of this?

Yup. Right here, right at the beginning. https://youtube.com/?v=aDIcuowZl0Y
Not my video, but my hat is off to the maker. (And why aren't you on this board, person?)

It's funny, because from the reports and the reaction you'd think it was something scandalous, or at least a really big kiss (like the Prince of Wales greeting Alexandra of Denmark), but it's just a standard, enthusiastic greeting.
....Unfortunately if you believe in foreshadowing, it was so unexpected, it sparked a bit of a stampede and at least one person died. Not a great omen.

 

[Skippy]

Yup. Right here, right at the beginning.
Not my video, but my hat is off to the maker. (And why aren't you on this board, person?)

It's funny, because from the reports and the reaction you'd think it was something scandalous, or at least a really big kiss (like the Prince of Wales greeting Alexandra of Denmark), but it's just a standard, enthusiastic greeting.
....Unfortunately if you believe in foreshadowing, it was so unexpected, it sparked a bit of a stampede and at least one person died. Not a great omen.

Yes, that's the image I meant. Thanks.

In those days, it was scandalous to display such public affection before marriage. Today we indeed say "what's the fuss, they are just happy to see each other"

With foreshadowing, do you compare the unexpected hug to her unexpected death?

Generally, seeing from this video, there really was something there between Leopold and Astrid. And the Belgian monarchy today still lives on what initially started with their relationship.

 

[Prinsara]

Yes, that's the image I meant. Thanks.

In those days, it was scandalous to display such public affection before marriage. Today we indeed say "what's the fuss, they are just happy to see each other"

With foreshadowing, do you compare the unexpected hug to her unexpected death?

Generally, seeing from this video, there really was something there between Leopold and Astrid. And the Belgian monarchy today still lives on what initially started with their relationship.

Well, they were actually already married... they'd gotten civilly married back in Stockholm. She made him a birthday cake the day before! And then they were only allowed to spend a few (chaperoned) hours together because they still weren't married enough!

And my point was, no one at the time acted or reported on the embrace like it was scandalous, because it was clearly quite innocent, and everyone understood they were happy to be together again. Like you can see in the video, they used to go around holding hands, even in public (helps when you are both shy), and while that wasn't considered "proper" or expected royal behavior, either, I don't think anybody was shocked or demanded they stop. There are limits to propriety.

Foreshadowing – somebody died because of that hug and kiss, at the start of their marriage. (Somebody obviously died at the end of it.) Instead of simple happiness you get joy mixed with sorrow, as soon as she came to Belgium. If you're writing a drama, that's how you foreshadow. But causing a riot because you love someone is unfortunate — it's a bad, sad omen for what eventually happened.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Prior to Astrid I wonder was Prince Leopold , Duke of Brabant linked with any Catholic Princesses of whom I'm sure there were no shortages of.

 

[JR76]

Princess Astrid being a Lutheran was apparently a non-issue in the Belgian Royal family. She offered to convert to Catholicism but was told that it was better to remain a sincere Lutheran than becoming a Catholic just for the sake of it. When she years later converted out of genuine conviction her father-in-law, King Albert touchingly declared that he was very, very happy to have his entire family united in the same faith.

 

[Skippy]

Well, they were actually already married... they'd gotten civilly married back in Stockholm. She made him a birthday cake the day before! And then they were only allowed to spend a few (chaperoned) hours together because they still weren't married enough!

And my point was, no one at the time acted or reported on the embrace like it was scandalous, because it was clearly quite innocent, and everyone understood they were happy to be together again. As you can see in the video, they used to go around holding hands, even in public (helps when you are both shy), and while that wasn't considered "proper" or expected royal behavior, either, I don't think anybody was shocked or demanded they stop. There are limits to propriety.

Foreshadowing – somebody died because of that hug and kiss, at the start of their marriage. (Somebody obviously died at the end of it.) Instead of simple happiness you get joy mixed with sorrow, as soon as she came to Belgium. If you're writing a drama, that's how you foreshadow. But causing a riot because you love someone is unfortunate — it's a bad, sad omen for what eventually happened.

Sh*te, I forgot that they were indeed already married civilly before, that's true. That makes the display acceptable

I didn't know that somebody died because of that hug and kiss, that is tragic indeed. And double tragedy considering Queen Astrid's untimely end

But that video is lovely!

 

[An Ard Ri]

Princess Astrid being a Lutheran was apparently a non-issue in the Belgian Royal family. She offered to convert to Catholicism but was told that it was better to remain a sincere Lutheran than becoming a Catholic just for the sake of it. When she years later converted out of genuine conviction her father-in-law, King Albert touchingly declared that he was very, very happy to have his entire family united in the same faith.

That was in 1930 when Astrid converted and I'm glad that the duchess was not pressured into converting.

 

[JR76]

That was in 1930 when Astrid converted and I'm glad that the duchess was not pressured into converting.

It was by all accounts a genuine conversion. Astrid wrote her best friend Countess Anna Sparre that her soul had found peace.

 

[maria-olivia]

She converted when the Heir Baudouin was born.
IN 1935 in Switserland they had absolutely not a montain car and the King wanted to drive it himself and....
Since then the Relationship of Leopold and the Scandinanian Royals was over. The 3 Orphans went on holiday to Sweden until 1940.
The first time Leopold III met Princess Ingeborg was at Josephine Charlotte Weddng!

 

[Prinsara]

I wonder if this is all getting a bit off-topic from their engagement and wedding...

The problem is they have separate threads, but not a joint one.

 

[JR76]

She converted when the Heir Baudouin was born.
IN 1935 in Switserland they had absolutely not a montain car and the King wanted to drive it himself and....
Since then the Relationship of Leopold and the Scandinanian Royals was over. The 3 Orphans went on holiday to Sweden until 1940.
The first time Leopold III met Princess Ingeborg was at Josephine Charlotte Weddng!

Ingeborg and Carl were both supportive of Leopold's marriage to Lilian. Ingeborg told Belgian media that you can't expect a healthy young man to remain single for the rest of his life and that she was happy both for the sake of Leopold and for the sake of her grandchildren.

 

[maria-olivia]

You are right but the vidoe shows her Funerals.

 

[Prinsara]

I don't know what the context of this picture is.

Or where I found it, or when it was taken, or anything else, just that it seems to fit here and is one of my favorites of them. Despite never having seen it in any kind of real size or resolution!

Does anyone know anything about this one?