King Leopold III of Belgium was a controversial king, and his marriages reflect his public life. His first marriage, to Princess Astrid of Sweden, was very popular and in his early reign the king and his beautiful queen were beloved by the Belgian people. But Leopold lost popularity due to his surrender to the Germans during World War II, and his second marriage, this time to the commoner Liliane Baels, compounded Belgian animosity towards him. King Leopold III never recovered the respect of his people and was eventually forced to abdicate, but did at least have a happy second marriage.
The Early Life of King Leopold III of Belgium
King Leopold III of Belgium (1901–1983) grew up in the warm household of his parents, King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium. His happy childhood came to an end with World War I, when he was sent to live in England. In 1915, he returned to Belgium to join the army, but during the school term was sent back to England to attend Eton. This early encounter with grim reality made him a very serious man, but he was also extroverted and active. Physically he was fair-haired and handsome, somewhat of a fairy tale prince. As he was the heir to the throne, Belgium wondered whom the young Prince Leopold would marry.
Princess Astrid of Sweden, Queen Astrid of Belgium
Prince Leopold found a perfect bride in Princess Astrid of Sweden (1905–1935). The daughter of Prince Carl, Duke of Vastergotland, and his wife Princess Ingeborg of Denmark, Princess Astrid was the niece of King Gustav V of Sweden, King Christian X of Denmark, and King Haakon VII of Norway. Aside from her royal pedigree, she was the embodiment of the perfect, fairy tale princess. Princess Astrid was beautiful, charming, graceful, and warm, and had a natural manner and lack of self-consciousness.
After a quick engagement, Prince Leopold and Princess Astrid married in a civil ceremony in Stockholm in November of 1926, and soon after had the religious ceremony in Brussels at the Cathedral of Sainte Gudule. The Belgians quickly nicknamed the beautiful Scandinavian the “snow princess” and were charmed by her.
The happy couple lived in the Belle Vue Palace in Brussels and in the Chateau de Stuyvenberg in Laeken. They had three children, all of whom would reign. Their eldest child, Princess Josephine-Charlotte (b. 1927), married Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg. Their eldest son, Prince Baudouin (b. 1930), would succeed his father as King Baudouin I. Their third child, Prince Albert (b. 1934), succeeded his elder brother and is the present King Albert II of Belgium.
The couple, who succeeded the throne as King Leopold III and Queen Astrid of Belgium in 1934, were very well suited and had a very happy marriage. Her cheerfulness alleviated his sometimes too-serious nature, and her ease in public helped him on their official duties and outings. Queen Astrid worked alongside her husband and was particularly interested in social matters. They both preferred a simple private life, and enjoyed sports and travel.
Their happy marriage was unfortunately cut short with her tragic death on August 29, 1935. While driving near Lake Lucerne, they got in a car wreck and she was killed. King Leopold III, his three children, and all of Belgium were devastated by the loss.
Liliane Baels, Princess de Rethy
In 1938, the still-young King Leopold III met the even younger Liliane Baels (1916–2002), the daughter of the Governor of West Flanders. Although not royal, Liliane was an upper class girl who had been educated in London and had even been presented at court to King George V and Queen Mary. In 1940, the couple began to date and in the autumn of 1941 the couple married in a private Chapel at Laeken. As it was a morganatic marriage, Liliane did not become queen but instead was styled Princess de Rethy.
The marriage was personally very successful. King Leopold III’s children loved their new mother and insisted on calling her “maman.” They became a happy family unit that grew with the births of Leopold and Liliane’s three children: Prince Alexander (b. 1942), Princess Marie-Christine (b. 1951), and Princess Marie-Esmerelda (b. 1956).
The Belgian people, however, hated the king’s remarriage and Liliane was never popular with them. Their relationship began during World War II, during which time the Belgians were already criticizing King Leopold III’s surrender to Germany. Belgium disapproved of him indulging in the personal pleasure of love and a remarriage while the country was suffering. Furthermore, Queen Astrid was still very popular and the people thought the king’s remarriage was disrespectful of her memory, and many Belgians disapproved of a commoner marrying the king. Furthermore, the marriage was unconstitutional because the government ministers hadn’t approved it.
The marriage of King Leopold III of Belgium and Liliane Baels, Princess de Rethy, was never popular with the Belgian people. King Leopold III’s popularity dwindled so much that in 1950 he was forced to abdicate, but he was able to live the rest of his life quietly and happily with Liliane. Although not popular, their marriage was a success.
King Leopold III of Belgium had two wives, and they reflected his public life. His first wife, Princess Astrid of Sweden, was popular and so was he during his early reign. Unfortunately, his second wife, Liliane Baels, Princess de Rethy, was affected by and added to the unpopularity that eventually led him to abdicate.
Source:
Aronson, Theo. Coburgs of Belgium, The. London: Cassell & Company Ltd, 1968.
Emily Chauviere - Emily Chauviere earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in history and theology and a concentration in International Studies from the University ...
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