King Albert Turns 80

King Albert II of Belgium celebrated his 80th birthday yesterday, June 6th.

The former Belgian Monarch was born at Chateau Stuyvenberg in 1934, the second son of King Leopold III of the Belgians and Princess Astrid of Sweden. The infant Prince of Liège was christened Albert Félix Humbert Théodore Christian Eugène Marie with his godparents being Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium. Tragedy struck on the August 29th, 1935, when his mother was killed in a road accident in Switzerland.

In 1958, Albert married the Italian noble Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria and the couple had three children: King Philippe, Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent. Following the sudden death of his older brother, King Baudouin, in July 1993, Albert succeeded him as King.

King Albert announced he would abdicate the throne in favour of his elder son last summer. Following the July 30th abdication, Albert retained his title of King and recently attended the papal beatifications of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II with Queen Paola in the Vatican.

Filed under Belgium
Tagged Albert II of Belgium, Birthday.

One Response to King Albert Turns 80