Queen Paola of Belgium

Paola Queen consort of the Belgians Tenure 9 August 1993 - present Spouse Albert II of Belgium Issue Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant Princess Astrid, Archduchess of Austria-Este Prince Laurent Full name Paola Margherita Maria Antonia Consiglia House House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Father Fulco, Prince Ruffo di Calabria Mother Luisa Gazelli dei conti di Rossana Born 11 September 1937 (1937-09-11) (age 72) Villa Claudia, Forte dei Marmi, Italy Religion Roman Catholic

Belgian Royal Family HM The King HM The Queen HRH The Duke of Brabant HRH The Duchess of Brabant HRH Princess Elisabeth HRH Prince Gabriel HRH Prince Emmanuel HRH Princess Eléonore HI&RH The Archduchess of Austria-Este HI&RH The Archduke of Austria-Este HI&RH Prince Amedeo HI&RH Princess Maria Laura HI&RH Prince Joachim HI&RH Princess Luisa Maria HI&RH Princess Laetitia Maria HRH Prince Laurent HRH Princess Claire HRH Princess Louise HRH Prince Nicolas HRH Prince Aymeric HM Queen Fabiola HRH Princess Léa HRH Princess Marie-Christine HRH Princess Marie-Esméralda This box: view • talk • edit

Monarchical styles of Queen Paola of the Belgians Reference style Her Majesty Spoken style Your Majesty Alternative style Ma'am

Paola, Queen of the Belgians (née Donna Paola Margherita Maria Antonia Consiglia, Princess Ruffo di Calabria; born 11 September 1937, Forte dei Marmi, Italy), is the queen consort of Albert II of Belgium. She is the seventh and youngest child of Fulco, Prince Ruffo di Calabria, 6th Duke of Guardia Lombarda (1884-1946).^[1] Her mother was Countess Luisa Gazelli di Rossana e di Sebastiano (1896-1989), a matrilineal descendant of Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette. She is of Italian and Belgian ancestry and was hailed as one of the leading beauties of Europe in her youth.

The family of the Queen , the princes Ruffo di Calabria are one of the most ancient lineages of Italy. The first proven ancestor of this House is Giordano, who was grand marshal of the Kingdom of Sicily at the beginning of the year 1200. The Ruffos were divided into two branches after the 14th century: the Ruffo princes of the Scaletta and the Ruffo di Calabria, to which branch Queen Paola belongs. Her brother, the prince Fabrizio Ruffo di Calabria, the current head of the family, bears the titles of Prince of Scilla, Prince of Palazzolo, Patrician of Naples, Duke of Guardia Lombarda, Count of Sinopoli, Marquis of Licodia, Count of Nicotera and Baron of Calanna and of Crispano. Queen Paola is related to the main Roman-Italian aristocratic and noble families, such as Alliata, Colonna, Rospigliosi, Orsini, Pallavicini, including Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette the hero of American Independence, and Jean-Louis-Paul-François, 5th duc de Noailles.

Princess Paola Ruffo di Calabria married HRH Prince Albert, Prince of Liège, in Brussels, Belgium, on 2 July 1959. The couple have three children:

• Philippe, Duke of Brabant who married Countess Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz
• Astrid who married Lorenz, Archduke of Austria-Este;
• Laurent, who married Claire Louise Coombs.

Queen Paola speaks fluent Italian, French, English and German. Many people criticize her inability to speak Dutch, the mother tongue of nearly 60% of Belgians.^{[citation needed]}

Queen Paola of Belgium has just returned from a very enjoyable recent trip to Bhutan, where amongst other things she enjoyed treking. She states as a particular highlight being assisted on a steep section of hill by a very friendly English gentleman, who himself went on to briefly meet the King of Bhutan.

Titles

• Donna Paola, Princess Ruffo di Calabria (1937-1959) ^[2]
• Her Royal Highness The Princess of Liège (1959-1993)
• Her Majesty The Queen of the Belgians (1993-present)

Ancestry

See also

• Queen Paola Foundation
• The Queen's Charities

References and notes

External links

• Princely House of Ruffo
• Royal House of Belgium
• Her Majesty's official homepage (In English).
• Her Majesty's paternal ancestry: Ruffo di Scilla (in Italian).