54th Wedding Anniversary of Albert & Paola

July 2nd, 2013

King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium celebrated their fifty-fourth wedding anniversary on July 2nd.

The then Prince Albert of Belgium met his Italian noble-born wife, Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria, at a reception in the Belgian Embassy at the Vatican in 1958. Less than a year later, the couple were married, initially they had wanted to marry at the Vatican but were persuaded to hold the ceremony in Brussels, which took place on July 2nd, 1959.

The royal couple have three children: Philippe, Duke of Brabant, Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent. Prior to becoming King and Queen in 1993, Albert and Paola were styled the Prince and Princess of Liège.

On July 3rd, 2013 King Albert II announced in a recorded radio and television speech that on July 21st, he would abdicate in favour of his eldest son.

Filed under Belgium
Tagged Albert II of Belgium, Queen Paola of Belgium, Wedding Anniversary.

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