Queen Paola of Belgium

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

Princess Paola Ruffo di Calabria married HRH Prince Albert, Prince of Liège, in Brussels, Belgium, on July 2, 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 French, Italian, English and German. Some people criticize her inability to speak Dutch which is closely related to Flemish, the mother tongue of nearly 60% of all Belgians.

Titles

• Donna Paola, Princess Ruffo di Calabria (1937 - 1959)
• Her Royal Highness The Princess of Liège (1959 - 1993)
• Her Majesty The Queen of The Belgians (Since 1993)

Gallery

See also

• Queen Paola Foundation
• The Queen's Charities

References and notes

External links

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

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Last updated on Friday January 25, 2008 at 19:58:29 PST (GMT -0800)
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