Dowager Queen Fabiola of Belgium dies, aged 86

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...es-age-86.html

Belgium's former Queen Fabiola dies at the age of 86

- Belgian foreign minister Didier Reynders said: 'A page in our country's history has turned'
- The former Queen's cause of death has not been announced, but her health had been ailing since a bout of pneumonia in 2009
- Fabiola became queen of Belgium when she married King Baudouin in 1960
- She remained Queen Consort for 33 years - until Baudoin's death in 1993
- The couple had no children, and Fabiola suffered five miscarriages over the course of her marriage

Belgium's former Queen Fabiola has died at the age of 86 at Stuyvenbergh Castle.

A statement from the palace today said: 'Their majesties the King and Queen and the members of the royal family announce with great sadness the death of Her Majesty Queen Fabiola in Brussels this evening.'

Foreign minister Didier Reynders said all Belgians would mourn her passing. 'A page in our country's history has turned,' he told Belgium's RTL television.

King Philippe of Belgium said he was left with 'great sadness' when he heard of the death of his aunt.

Passed away: Belgium's former Queen Fabiola, pictured in 2008, has died at the age of 86 at Stuyvenbergh Castle, the palace has announced

Although her exact cause of death has not been confirmed, Queen Fabiola, the childless widow of King Baudouin, had been suffering from osteoporosis for years, and had never fully recovered from pneumonia in 2009.

The former queen, who used a wheelchair, had looked increasingly frail over the past month as she increasingly limited her public appearances.

Fabiola was born in 1928 as Fabiola de Mora y Aragón into an aristocratic family in Madrid, Spain.

Her godmother was Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain.

She became queen of Belgium when she married King Baudouin in 1960.

Royal family: Queen Fabiola (left), Princess Eleonore, Queen Mathilde, Prince Gabriel, King Philippe, Princess Elisabeth, Prince Emmanuel, King Albert II and Queen Paola greeting the population from the balcony of the Royal Palace in Brussels on July 21 2013

Fabiola remained Queen Consort for 33 years - until Baudouin's death on July 31 1993. He died of heart failure in the Villa Astrida in the south of Spain.

After Baudouin's death, Fabiola moved out of the Royal Palace of Laeken to take up residence at Stuyvenbergh Castle.

As the couple had no children, the crown passed on to Baudoin's younger brother, King Albert II, who abdicated the throne in 2013 citing health reasons.

He was succeeded by his son, now King Phillippe, on 21 July 2013.

RIP.

Interestingly, Belgium until her death had three living Queens: Queen Fabiola (consort of King Baudouin), Queen Paola (consort of King Albert II) and Queen Mathilde (consort of now-ruling King Philippe).... similar although not quite the same as a short period in British history in the 1950s when we had three living Queens: Queen Mary (wife of George V), Queen Elizabeth (wife of George VI, known as Queen Mother) and Queen Elizabeth II herself. It's quite a rare thing to happen, more so in countries where abdications do not take place.

Thoughts?

[FlyingJesus]

Fabiola is the coolest name ever RIP

[GommeInc]

It's pretty disgusting how none of the British Royals were present at the funeral. If European royalty such as (former) King Juan Carlos of Spain, (former Queen) Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Mathilde of Denmark, King Carl of Sweden and even Empress Michiko of Japan (who is 80) who can fly from the other side of the World can attend the funeral, then why can none of our royals make the short less-than-an-hour flight to Belgium? No wonder our Royal family is losing credibility.

It's disgusting and quite honestly makes me think why we are even bothering with such a lazy royal family who can't be bothered to pay respects to someone who tried to help bridge the frosty relationship we had with each other. It's so disrespectful that if none of these countries attended the Queen's funeral I wouldn't be at all surprised and wouldn't blame them.

I can see why Europe hates the UK if we purposely go out of our way to cause tensions. This goes beyond the EU field, but simple diplomacy and friendship. We owe a lot to Belgium and the Belgian people, and vice versa, yet we are always taking yet never giving. Pathetic.

Heck, it's the same for the world. Canada, Australia and New Zealand question what's the point of having the Queen if she can't be bothered or make the energy to go to these countries. She is their Head of State. She doesn't even try to rectify the issue of travel - a simple message to her people which can be delivered by a representative beyond a boring note would do wonders - a video message, perhaps? It worked for her father.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Heck, it's the same for the world. Canada, Australia and New Zealand question what's the point of having the Queen if she can't be bothered or make the energy to go to these countries. She is their Head of State. She doesn't even try to rectify the issue of travel - a simple message to her people which can be delivered by a representative beyond a boring note would do wonders - a video message, perhaps? It worked for her father.

I agree, I know the Queen has opened the Canadian Parliament before in place of the Governor General but this should be made quite a regular thing, as well as in other dominions such as Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and so on. Or alternatively and if constitutionally possible, have other royals do it.

[karter]

RIP. Monarchy should be destroyed, democracy should prevail.

(A general comment by the way.)