Queen Fabiola of Belgium Dies at 86
Belgian’s former Queen Fabiola passed away at age 86 on Friday, December 5, 2014. She was the wife of King Badouin who was Belgium’s king from 1951 until his death in 1993. Fabiola married Badouin on December 15, 1960.
The royal couple lost five children through miscarriage and remained childless. After Baudouin’s death, the crown passed to his brother, Albert, who was already married to Italian Princess Paola Ruffo di Calabria. Queen Fabiola moved out of the Royal Palace of Laeken to Stuyvenberg Castle, where her late husband was born and where she passed away.
Her nephew, Philippe, is the current King of Belgium since his father abdicated in his favor last year. King Philippe has ordered a week of national mourning for Queen Fabiola from December 6th through the 12th. The funeral will be held on Friday, December 12th in the Saint Michael and Saint Goedele Cathedral in Brussels.
More on Queen Fabiola’s life at the UK Telegraph
What a phenomenal woman she was. Belgium was very lucky to have her as its Queen.