Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium
Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium | |||||
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Grand Duchess consort of Luxembourg | |||||
Tenure | 12 November 1964 – 7 October 2000 | ||||
Born | Royal Palace of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium | 11 October 1927||||
Died | 10 January 2005 Fischbach Castle, Fischbach, Luxembourg | (aged 77)||||
Burial | 15 January 2005 , Luxembourg | ||||
Spouse | |||||
Issue | |||||
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King Leopold III of Belgium | |||||
Mother | Astrid of Sweden |
Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium (11 October 1927 – 10 January 2005) was the
Childhood
Joséphine-Charlotte was born in 1927 at the
While expecting her daughter, Astrid had read a biography of her ancestress, the French empress Joséphine de Beauharnais. Josephine was also the name of one of the child's great-aunts, Princess Joséphine-Caroline of Belgium, the dearest sister of King Albert I. Astrid was a devoted mother to her "little Jo". The young princess spent her childhood at the Château of Stuyvenberg in Laeken, northern Brussels, with her parents.[1] She was the sister of Belgian monarchs Baudouin and Albert II.[2]
Joséphine-Charlotte's mother was killed in an automobile accident in 1935 when Joséphine-Charlotte was nearly eight.
Education
Joséphine-Charlotte first attended school at the Royal Palace, where a small class had been organized for her.
Joséphine-Charlotte continued her studies at École Supérieure de Jeunes Filles in
Adulthood
On 11 April 1949, Joséphine-Charlotte returned to Belgium for the first time since the war from Luxembourg.
On 13 April 1949, Joséphine-Charlotte visited
Marriage
Joséphine-Charlotte met Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg for the first time during one of her short stays with her godmother and future mother-in-law, Grand Duchess Charlotte, in Fischbach in 1948.[3] On 26 December 1952, the couple announced their engagement to the public even though they were already engaged the previous month.[citation needed] Joséphine-Charlotte and Jean were joined in marriage on 9 April 1953 in Luxembourg.[2] During their 52-year marriage, the couple had five children:[1]
- Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg (b. 17 February 1954)
- Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg (b. 16 April 1955)
- Prince Jean of Luxembourg (b. 15 May 1957)
- Princess Margaretha of Luxembourg (b. 15 May 1957)
- Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg (b. 1 May 1963)
Grand Duchess
As a Belgian princess, Joséphine-Charlotte brought a wealth of elegance, taste and refinement to her new homeland. She carried out many social, cultural and humanitarian duties. She focused on several initiatives that she would ardently support, particularly matters pertaining to children and families.[3] After the accession of Grand Duke Jean in 1964, the Grand Ducal family, who initially lived at Betzdorf Castle, moved to the Berg Castle. Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte was actively involved in the renovation of the castle.[3]
As Grand Duchess, she often accompanied her husband on foreign visits, as well as many events within Luxembourg itself.
Joséphine-Charlotte became president of the Luxembourg Red Cross in 1964. She was president of Luxembourg Youth Section of the
Beside secular organizations, Joséphine-Charlotte supported religious institutions such as Action Catholique des Femmes du Luxembourg (ACFL) of which she became a patron.[citation needed]
Hobbies
Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte's favorite hobbies included
Death
The Grand Duchess, who suffered from lung cancer for a long time, died at her home, Fischbach Castle in 2005, at the age of 77.[3]
Legacy
On 5 December 2016, a remembrance concert in honour of Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte was held in Luxembourg. The concert was performed by
Honours
National
- Belgium:
- Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold
- Luxembourg:
- Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
- Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
Foreign
- Denmark: Knight of the Order of the Elephant
- Germany: Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Greek Royal Family: Dame 1st Class of the Royal Order of Saints Olga and Sophia
- Iceland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon[7]
- Iranian Imperial Family: Recipient of the Commemorative Medal of the 2,500 year Celebration of the Persian Empire[citation needed]
- Holy See: Recipient of the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
- Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Bailiff Dame Grand Cross in Obedience of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
- Japan: Grand Cordon (Paulownia) of the Order of the Precious Crown
- Netherlands:
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
- Recipient of the Wedding Medal of Beatrix, Princess of Orange and Claus van Amsberg
- Norway: Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav
- Order of Christ[8]
- Spain: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic[9][10]
- Sweden:
- Member of the Royal Order of the Seraphim(12 September 1983)
- Recipient of the 50th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf (30 April 1996)
- Member of the
- Thailand: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
- United Kingdom: Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
Ancestry
Ancestors of Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Notice biographique de S.A.R. la Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte". Government of Luxembourg. Archived from the original on 22 May 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ^ a b c "Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg". The Daily Telegraph. 11 January 2005. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "S.A.R. la Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte" [HRH The Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte]. Luxembourg Grand Ducal Family Official Website (in French). Retrieved 15 April 2021.
- ^ Cleeremans, Jean. Léopold III, sa famille, son peuple sous l'occupation; Keyes, Roger. Echec au Roi, Léopold III, 1940–1951
- ^ White, Sam (July 3, 1953). "Europe's Most Slandered Princess". Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
- ^ a b "S.A.R. le Grand-Duc Jean" [HRH The Grand Duke Jean]. Luxembourg Grand Ducal Official Website (in French). Retrieved 16 July 2021.
- ^ Icelandese Presidency Website Archived 2015-07-17 at the Wayback Machine, Josephine Charlotte; stórhertogafrú; Lúxemborg ; 1986-06-09; Stórkross (=Josephine Charlotte, Grand Duchess, Luxembourg, 9 June 1986, Grand Cross)
- ^ "CIDADÃOS ESTRANGEIROS AGRACIADOS COM ORDENS PORTUGUESAS - Página Oficial das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas". Ordens.presidencia.pt. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Boletín Oficial del Estado" (PDF). Boe.est. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Boletín Oficial del Estado" (PDF). Boe.est. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
External links
Media related to Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium at Wikimedia Commons