Albert II of the Belgians

Born Albert Félix Humbert Théodore Christian Eugène Marie, Prince of Belgium, Prince de Liège; succeeded his brother as King of the Belgians in 1993.

Named, among others, for his paternal grandfather, King Albert I of the Belgians; his godfather, Félix, Prince of Bourbon-Parma; and his maternal uncle by marriage, King Umberto II of Italy.

Son of Léopold III King of the Belgians (1901-1983) by his first wife Astrid Princess of Sweden (1905-1935).

Born: Château du Stuyvenberg, Laeken, Belgium 6. Jun 1934

Godparents: Félix, Prince of Bourbon-Parma, Prince of Luxembourg and Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians (paternal grandmother)

Married: Brussels 2. Jul 1959 Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria (1937), daughter of Don Fulco Principe Ruffo di Calabria, Duca di Guardia Lombarda (1884-1946) and Luisa Gazelli dei Conti di Rossana e di San Sebastiano (1896-1986).

Issue:

• Philippe Prince of Belgium, Duc de Brabant (1960) m. 1999 Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz (1973)

• Astrid Princess of Belgium (1962) m. 1984 Lorenz Archduke of Austria (1955)

• Laurent Prince of Belgium (1963) m. 2003 Claire Coombs (1974)

Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürsten I, Vol XVII, Starke Verlag 2004; Georges Dufoux ”Les Saxe-Cobourg-Gotha. Une dynastie mythique”, Fontainbleau 2000