Princess Marie Esmeralda of Belgium,Lady Moncada and Family

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

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[Cathérine Bergeyck]

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[Cathérine Bergeyck]

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[Cathérine Bergeyck]

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[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Princess Esmeralda at the wedding of Laurent and Claire, April 2003.

She's standing next to her brother Alexander and his wife, Lea Wolman.

Esmeralda was wearing a dress and a hat that used to belong to her mother, the late Lilian Baels.

 

[Hannelore]

Esmeralda with one of her mother's dresses

http://meta2.fotomarktplatz.de/image/layout/04/12/FMP-12-04-1796.jpg

 

[Hannelore]

Showing one of her mother's necklaces she put up for auction

http://meta2.fotomarktplatz.de/image/layout/04/12/FMP-12-04-1802.jpg

 

[Hannelore]

At the official presentation of Fabiola.

She's the little girl holding Fabiola's hand

http://meta2.fotomarktplatz.de/image/layout/04/12/FMP-12-04-1805.jpg

 

[Hannelore]

With her mother's jewelry, sold at Sotheby's.

http://meta2.fotomarktplatz.de/image/layout/04/12/FMP-12-04-1808.jpg

 

[Hannelore]

At her mother's funeral

http://meta2.fotomarktplatz.de/image/layout/04/12/FMP-12-04-1811.jpg

 

[Hannelore]

As a teenager, with her sister Marie Christine.


http://meta2.fotomarktplatz.de/image/layout/04/12/FMP-12-04-1813.jpg

 

[Hannelore]

1.As a little girl, with her mother and sister.
2.With her father, brother and sister

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

A few years ago, at a screening of nature documentaries her father, Leopold III had made.

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

waypress.com

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

at the presentation of her book "Leopold III, my father".

 

[lilydale]

Thanks for all the pics!

Esmeralda is a very striking beauty. I love her dark looks.

 

[irishchic5]

In this picture, Marie-Christine looks just like Astrid's eldest daughter Maria-Laura, doesn't she?

With her mother and her sister, Marie Christine.

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Esmeralda at the wedding of Laurent and Claire, May 2003.

She wore an outfit that belonged to her mother, Lilian Baels.

 

[Hannelore]

Princess Esmaeralda has written a new book on her father, "Carnets de Voyage, 1919-1983", it's about his many travels abroad. When he was prince, but certainly also after his abdication, Leopold III travelled all over the world, mostly in the jungle, and kept diaries. This publication has exerpts of those diaries.

Esmeralda presented the book a few days ago in Brussels.

 

[Elspeth]

Well, it may have something to do with having watched a bunch of Star Trek Voyager episodes recently, but you could just see this lady in charge of a starship. She'd give the Romulan Empire a run for their money!

 

[Martine]

I think Esmeralda has definetely inherited her mother's elegance and beauty...

 

[Martine]

In this picture, Marie-Christine looks just like Astrid's eldest daughter Maria-Laura, doesn't she?

yeh Marie-Christine (or Daphne?) really looks like Maria Laura in this picture!

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

old photos of Esmeralda

 

[elenaris]

yes!!

In this picture, Marie-Christine looks just like Astrid's eldest daughter Maria-Laura, doesn't she?

it s quite amazing!!!

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

princess Esmeralda and her daughter Alexandra Moncada on the cover of Belgian magazine L'éventail.

 

[princess olga]

thanks for this great thread, what a fascinating woman Esmeralda is, I had never even heard of her! (but then again, the whole Begian 'Leopold' chapter is somewhat of a mistery still to me, except for what I've learned reading this great forum!
She seems very down to earth and genuine, with a real life with work, children and a nice husband, but there's also something sad or melancholy about her, I can't quite put my finger on it..

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

You're not the only one who'd never heard of her, a lot of people in belgium have never heard of her either

 

[Marengo]

She is quite private isnt she? Is she still living in London? She seems to have a nice character, so in that she doesn't take after her mother. I think it was very wise of King Albert II to reconsile with this side of the family, he seems much closer to his half-siblings then the late King Baudouin.
Do you know if she and her brother Alexandre are in touch with their strange sister Marie-Christine?

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

She is quite private isnt she? Is she still living in London? She seems to have a nice character, so in that she doesn't take after her mother. I think it was very wise of King Albert II to reconsile with this side of the family, he seems much closer to his half-siblings then the late King Baudouin.
Do you know if she and her brother Alexandre are in touch with their strange sister Marie-Christine?

Yes, she's very private. She attends important events in the RF (weddings etc.) but that's about it. She got some media attention when her books got published or when she baptized a rose named after her, but most people in Belgium have never heard of her.

While the contact was broken between Astrid's children and Leopold & Lilian, they never had a problematic relationship with their half-sister (Esmeralda) and -brother (Alexandre). Even when Marie Christine had "escaped" to Canada, king Baudouin was the only one who still helped her.

Marie Christine doesn't want any contact anymore with anyone from the family.

 

[Marengo]

but she (MC) wants their money, I am sure?