While there are many consorts with long tenures who are able to establish themselves as queen, there are also sadly some who do not have the same time to make their mark. And those women do not tend to receive the same interest and attention, unfortunately. I thought for February we would look at one of these consorts who married for love but did not have long as consort. Let’s look at one of the most tragic consorts of the twentieth century: our February Consort of the Month: Queen Astrid of Belgium!
Consort of the Month: Queen Astrid of Belgium
Birth Date: 17 November 1905
Death Date: 29 August 1935
Tenure: 23 February 1934 – 29 August 1935
Birth Name: Astrid Sofia Lovisa Thyra
Spouse: Bernadotte
Father: Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland
Mother: Princess Ingeborg of Denmark
Why Do We Know Queen Astrid of Belgium?
This is another lesser-known consort, and I suspect that there are a few reasons for that, at least in the English speaking world. Firstly, Astrid’s extremely early passing means that she was only Queen of the Belgians for a year and a half. Secondly, the Belgian monarchy is not the most well-known- very interesting, but they tend not to grab headlines the way some of their fellow monarchies do.
Note: Technically the monarch of Belgium is the “King/Queen of the Belgians”, not “of Belgium”. However, here I am using “of Belgium” as that is the term that is frequently searched for/used for Astrid!
Queen Astrid of Belgium’s Early Life
Born Princess Astrid of Sweden, she was born to Prince Carl of Sweden, son of King Oscar II, and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark, daughter of King Frederik VIII, in November 1905. One of four children, Astrid did not have a particularly luxurious childhood. The family did not have a great deal of money and Astrid’s childhood was quiet and strict. She attended primary and secondary school in Sweden, as well as finishing school. Like many other royal and aristocratic women in the period, she learned French, singing, ballet, and sewing. The Princess also had an interest in childcare and was able to spend time volunteering at an orphanage.
The Princess of Brabant
Prince Carl arranged diplomatic marriages for two of his daughters. Martha married the Crown Prince of Norway, and Astrid was engaged to Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant (the heir to the Belgian throne). While the match was suggested by their families, Astrid and Leopold quickly fell in love.
The new Duchess of Brabant continued to study French, as well as learn Dutch. (Belgium has three official languages: French, Dutch, and German.) Although she was a fairly quiet individual, the Belgian people quickly came to love Astrid. She was warm and friendly, and she won people over at both domestic and international engagements. She also endeared herself by dedicating her time to causes supporting women and children.
Astrid gave birth to the couple’s first child, Princess Josephine-Charlotte, in 1927. Prince Baudouin was born in 1930, and Prince Albert joined the family in 1934.
A Brief Queen of the Belgians
King Albert I of the Belgians died in February 1934 in a mountain climbing accident, meaning that Leopold and Astrid were now King and Queen of the Belgians. Astrid used her new position to continue her support of women and children in Belgian society, given their vulnerable roles. She championed education and training for women to be able to support themselves and supported women’s rights.
In August of 1935, King Leopold and Queen Astrid were on vacation in Switzerland. While Leopold was driving, the couple were in a single-car accident when the car veered off the road. Astrid was thrown out of the vehicle and killed upon impact when she hit a tree. Not only was Astrid dead at only 29, she was also pregnant at the time- the baby did not survive.
Queen Astrid’s funeral was held on 3 September 1935 with thousands of Belgians lining the streets.
The Queen of Folklore
Astrid’s death is one of the most tragic royal deaths of the twentieth century. However, she was immortalised in local folklore in both Switzerland and Belgium. A chapel was built at the site of the crash and newlyweds would visit the spot where Astrid died. She was considered a romantic, marital, and maternal ideal and young women hoped to emulate her.
There are several memorials to Astrid, including the Queen Astrid Memorial in Laeken (a Neoclassical building).
Queen Astrid of Belgium: Interesting Facts
– Princess Astrid of Belgium (sister of King Philippe) was named for Queen Astrid.
– Astrid received the Nine Provinces tiara (the grandest in the Belgian collection) as a wedding gift from the Belgian government.
– All three of her children held notable titles- both of her sons were King of the Belgians, and her daughter was the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg.
– The Swedish dessert, the Princess Cake, is named for Astrid and her sisters.
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Further Readings/Listenings on Queen Astrid of Belgium
Unfortunately, there are no major sources on Queen Astrid in English. If you know of any, please leave me a comment or send me an email!
Looking for my earlier Consort of the Month posts? Read about:
Empress Eugenie of France
Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Queen Marie Antoinette
Catherine de Medici
Queen Adelaide
Catherine de Valois
Marie de Guise
Queen Alexandra of Denmark
Empress Josephine of France
Queen Elizabeth of York
Queen Elisabeth de Valois
Queen Catherine of Braganza
Queen Caroline of Brunswick
Queen Josephine of Leuchtenberg
Elizabeth Stuart
Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians
Saint Margaret of Scotland
Queen Maud of Wales
Empress Sisi of Austria
Queen Marie of Romania
I hope you have enjoyed Consort of the Month: Queen Astrid of Belgium!
Cheers,
The Historian
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