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 Notre-Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg | ||||
Spouse | |||||
Issue | |||||
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House | House of Belgium | ||||
Father | King Leopold III of Belgium | ||||
Mother | Astrid of Sweden |
Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium (Joséphine-Charlotte Stéphanie Ingeborg Elisabeth Marie-José Marguerite Astrid; 11 October 1927 – 10 January 2005), also Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte of Luxembourg was Grand Duchess consort of Luxembourg as the wife of Grand Duke Jean. She was a first cousin of Harald V of Norway. She was the first child of King Leopold III of Belgium, and sister of the late King Baudouin and retired King Albert II, and aunt of King Philippe.
Childhood
Joséphine-Charlotte was born in 1927 at the Royal Palace of Brussels. She was the oldest child and only daughter of the King Leopold III of the Belgians and his first wife, Astrid of Sweden.
Princess Joséphine-Charlotte was christened a month after her birth. Her godfather was her uncle, Prince Charles, Count of Flanders and her godmother was her future mother-in-law, Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg.[2]
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 Stuyvenberg Palace just outside Brussels with her parents.[3] She was the sister of Belgian monarchs Baudouin and Albert II.[4]
Joséphine-Charlotte's popular mother was killed in an automobile accident in 1935 at age 29. Joséphine-Charlotte responded courageously to the situation, trying to take care of her younger brothers, Baudouin and Albert. The Belgian public extended their enormous sympathies onto the grieving family, with great concern given to the effects it had on Joséphine-Charlotte and her brothers. By all accounts, Leopold remained a devoted father to his children and kept close ties with his late wife’s family. Many photographs exist from this time of children with their Swedish grandparents and Norwegian cousins.[5]
Later, in 1941, her father remarried to Mary Lilian Baels (later became Princess of Réthy). This marriage produced three more children: Prince Alexandre, Princess Marie-Christine and Princess Marie-Esméralda. Joséphine-Charlotte had a close relationship with Lilian before her marriage to Jean of Luxembourg.[6] Joséphine-Charlotte became the godmother to her younger half-brother, Alexandre.
Education
Princess Joséphine-Charlotte first attended school at the Royal Palace, where a small class had been organized for her. At the end of 1940, she entered a boarding school and then continued her education with her own private teachers. On 7 June 1944, the day after the Allied Forces landed in Normandy, France, she and her father were sent to Germany and kept there under house-arrest. The Royal Family, which included her brothers Baudouin and Albert and their stepmother, Mary Lilian Baels, Princess of Réthy, was freed on 7 May 1945 and settled in Prégny, Switzerland.[3]
Princess Joséphine-Charlotte continued her studies at the "Ecole Supérieure de Jeunes Filles" in Geneva, Switzerland. Afterwards, she took Jean Piaget's lectures on child psychology at the University of Geneva. When she returned to Belgium the princess took up her official duties. At the same time, she also devoted herself to social problems and developed her interest in the arts.[3]
Marriage
Joséphine Charlotte was joined in marriage on 9 April 1953 in Luxembourg to Prince Jean, who at the time was The Hereditary Grand Duke and heir-apparent to the throne of Luxembourg.[4] During their 52-year marriage, the royal couple had five children:[3]
- 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)
As a princess in the royal house of Belgium, 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. She was also president of the Luxembourg Youth Section of the Red Cross.[4]
Her favorite hobbies included gardening and horticulture. She also enjoyed hunting, fishing, skiing and other watersports.[3]
The Grand Duchess, who suffered from lung cancer for a long time, died at her home, Fischbach Castle, at the age of 77.
Legacy
Joséphine-Charlotte metro station in Brussels is named after her. One of her wedding gifts was a diamond tiara, given by the Société Générale. This is now part of the Luxembourg reigning family's jewel collection.[7]
Titles, styles, and honours
Titles and styles
- 11 October 1927 – 9 April 1953: Her Royal Highness Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium
- 9 April 1953 – 12 November 1964: Her Royal Highness The Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
- 12 November 1964 – 7 October 2000: Her Royal Highness The Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
- 7 October 2000 – 10 January 2005: Her Royal Highness Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte of Luxembourg
Honours
National honours
Belgium: Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold[8][9]
Luxembourg: Grand Cross of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau[10][11]
Luxembourg: Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
Foreign honours and decorations
Denmark: Knight of the Order of the Elephant[12]
Germany: Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Greek Royal Family: Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Saints Olga and Sophia[13]
Iceland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon[14]
Iranian Imperial Family: Recipient of the Commemorative Medal of the 2,500 year Celebration of the Persian Empire[15][16]
Holy See: Recipient of the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice[17]
SMOM: Bailiff Grand Cross in Obedience of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta[18][19]
Japan: Grand Cordon (Paulownia) of the Order of the Precious Crown[20][21]
Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion[22]
Netherlands: Recipient of the Wedding Medal of Beatrix, Princess of Orange and Claus van Amsberg
Norway: Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav[23][24]
Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Christ[25]
Spain: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic[26][27]
Sweden: Member Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Seraphim[28][29]
Sweden: Recipient of the 50th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf[30]
Thailand Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
United Kingdom: Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Badge Medal
Ancestry
References
- ^ "Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, Grand Duchess consort of Luxembourg". Unofficial Royalty. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- ^ "Wedding of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium". Unofficial Royalty. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "Notice biographique de S.A.R. la Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte". Government of Luxembourg. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ^ a b c "Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte of Luxembourg". The Daily Telegraph. 11 January 2005. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
- ^ "Wedding of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium". Unofficial Royalty. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
- ^ "Wedding of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium". Unofficial Royalty. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
- ^ "The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor: Tiara Thursday: The Belgian Scroll Tiara". The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor. 15 September 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- ^ "Visite d'Etat belge au Luxembourg". Royalementblog.blogspot.be. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). S-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Photo of Jean and Joséphine-Charlotte" (JPG). 1.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). Bijouxroyauxenfoliewordpress.files.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). Tiarasandtrianon.files.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Wedding of Juan Carlos of Spain and Sophia of Greece". Realeza.foros.ws. Archived from the original on 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
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suggested) (help) - ^ 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)
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). Aryamehr.org. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). Iranpoliticsclub.net. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Le Prince Jean De Luxembourg Et Sa Femme Joséphine-Charlotte Au Vatican". Gettyimages.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). C7.alamy.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Jean with Pope John Paul I". 1.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). Tiarasandtrianon.files.wordpress.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). S-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). 3.bp.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). 67.media.tumblr.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). Geocities.ws. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "50Th Anniversary Of King Carl Gustav Of Sweden In Stockholm, Sweden On April 30, 1996". Gettyimages.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "Photographic image" (JPG). S-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
- ^ "The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor: Tiara Thursday: Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde's Tiara". Orderofsplendor.blogspot.nl. Retrieved 2016-01-16.
External links
Media related to Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium at Wikimedia Commons
- Grand Ducal Consorts of Luxembourg
- Belgian princesses
- Princesses of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
- House of Belgium
- Deaths from lung cancer
- Deaths from cancer in Luxembourg
- People from Brussels
- 1927 births
- 2005 deaths
- Burials at Notre-Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg
- Recipients of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
- Grand Crosses of the Order of the Golden Lion of Nassau
- Recipients of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
- Grand Crosses of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
- Grand Crosses Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Recipients of the Order of the Falcon
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
- Recipients of the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
- Dames of Malta
- Recipients of the Order of Christ (Portugal)
- Grand Crosses of the Order of Christ (Portugal)
- Recipients of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
- Dames Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
- Dames Grand Cross of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
- Belgian people of Swedish descent