Astrid of Sweden

Astrid with her mother and sisters

Princess Astrid was born on 17 November 1905, at the Arvfurstens Palats in Stockholm as the third child and youngest daughter of Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland, and his wife, Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. Her father was the third son of Oscar II, King of Sweden and Norway, by his wife, Sophia of Nassau. Her mother was a daughter of King Frederick VIII of Denmark by his wife, Louise of Sweden. Astrid's father was a younger brother of King Gustav V of Sweden, and her mother was the younger sister of kings Christian X of Denmark and Haakon VII of Norway.

Astrid had two elder sisters Margaretha, Princess Axel of Denmark, and Märtha, Crown Princess of Norway, and a younger brother Prince Carl Bernadotte (prev. Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Östergötland).

Astrid spent most of her childhood at Arvfurstens Palace in central Stockholm and at the family's summer residence in Fridhem. Astrid was raised in the strict education and without much luxury. Astrid attended the Sint Botvid boarding school, where lessons were taught in French. She then went to Akerstrom-Soderstrom finishing school.[2] She studied sewing, piano, ballet and childcare.

As did many princesses of the time, Astrid was encouraged to undertake works of public service in preparation for a life devoted to charitable causes. She worked for a time at a Stockholm orphanage, caring for infants. She also completed a home economics course at a Swedish school dedicated to preparing women for domestic lives.

Astrid enjoyed the outdoors and sports such as swimming, skiing, climbing, horseback riding, and golf. She and her sisters were occasionally seen shopping unaccompanied on the streets of Stockholm.

Astrid and Leopold's engagement photograph

As an eligible princess, Astrid was mentioned as a potential bride for a number of princes including the future Edward VIII of the United Kingdom and the future Olav V of Norway. Astrid's successful suitor was Prince Leopold of Belgium, Duke of Brabant.

In September 1926, their engagement was announced. King Albert I and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium invited the press to the royal palace in Brussels. "The Queen and I," declared Albert, "would like to announce to you the impending marriage between Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant and the Princess Astrid of Sweden. We are convinced that the princess will bring joy and happiness to our son. Leopold and Astrid have decided to join their lives without any pressures or reasons of state. Theirs is a true union among people with the same inclinations." Queen Elisabeth said: "It is a marriage of love... tell it to our people. Nothing was arranged. Not a single political consideration prevailed in our son's decision."

Astrid and Leopold on their wedding day

In Stockholm on 4 November 1926 civilly and in Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, Brussels on 10 November religiously, Princess Astrid married Prince Leopold. The couple travelled separately to Antwerp after their civil marriage, to be reunited in Belgium. For the religious marriage, the couple were attended by a large wedding party of young friends and relatives: Princess Feodora of Denmark, Princess Marie-José of Belgium, Princess Märtha of Sweden, Princess Ingrid of Sweden, Alfhild Ekelund, Prince Carl of Sweden, Prince Gustav Adolf of Sweden, Crown Prince Olav of Norway, Margareta Stähl, Count Claes Sparre, Anna Adelswärd, Prince Charles of Belgium, Count Folke Bernadotte, Baron Sigvard Beck-Friis, Anne Marie von Essen, and Baron Carl Strömfelt.

Princess Astrid was given a tiara as a wedding gift from the Belgian government, created by Belgian jeweler Van Bever, the original version of the diadem is a flexible diamond bandeau in a stylized Greek key motif topped with 11 large diamonds on spikes. These large stones, totaling around 100 carats on their own, symbolize the nine provinces of Belgium and the (now former) Belgian colony of the Congo. She later added a set of diamond arches to enclose each of the 11 independent stones. After Astrid's death the tiara was in the possession of King Leopold, and his second wife Lilian, Princess of Réthy wore parts of the tiara but not the full gem (Lilian never held the title of Queen). Leopold abdicated the throne in favor of his son Baudouin; when Baudouin married, Leopold gave the tiara to the new queen. Fabiola, Belgium's first queen since Astrid, wore it on her wedding day. She handed the jewel over after Baudouin's death to be worn by Queen Paola who, after the abdication of her husband Albert, gave it to Mathilde new Queen of the Belgians.

Astrid as Duchess of Brabant in 1926.

Astrid and her husband spent their honeymoon in south of France before moving into a wing of the Royal Palace of Brussels. After the honeymoon period, Astrid began learning French and Dutch.[2]

Astrid was enthusiastically adopted by the Belgians. She was widely loved for her beauty, charm and simplicity. Her public and official engagements radiated enthusiasm. As Duchess of Brabant, she worked tirelessly to alleviate various forms of adversity.[3] Leopold was her most fervent admirer. The love shared by the young couple was evident to all. On more than one occasion people could see them holding hands, even during official engagements.

Astrid and Leopold visiting Alfa Romeo in Italy

In October 1927, Leopold and Astrid had a daughter, Princess Joséphine-Charlotte (later Grand Duchess of Luxembourg). The birth of her only daughter had been a tough period for Astrid.[2] One year later, she and her husband visited the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia).[4] Upon their return from Dutch East Indies, they moved into Stuyvenberg Castle.[2] In September 1930, Astrid gave birth to Prince Baudouin, who eventually became King of the Belgians. She and her family lived at Stuyvenberg, not far away from the Royal Castle of Laeken.

Raised as a Lutheran, Astrid converted to Catholicism after marrying Leopold. She had initially considered converting to Catholicism, simply because it was the religion of Belgium, but the priest she consulted, Father William Hemmick, told her not to do so until she genuinely believed it was the true religion.[5] Astrid learned more about Catholicism and, several years later, in 1930, converted from genuine conviction. Her decision made her happy, and she confided to a close childhood friend: "My soul has found peace."[6] Her father-in-law, King Albert I, who was very devout himself, repeated, on the day of Astrid's conversion: "I am glad, very glad. Now all the family is united in the same religion."[7]

In 1932, Astrid and her husband traveled Asia and Congo. Their children stayed with Astrid’s parents in Sweden.[2]

On 17 February 1934, King Albert I died in a mountain-climbing accident in Marche-les-Dames, Belgium. Leopold and Astrid became the new King and Queen of the Belgians with the style of Majesty. Later that year, the third child of Leopold and Astrid was born. He was named Albert after his grandfather, and would eventually succeed his brother Baudouin as King of the Belgians.

As a queen of the Belgians, Astrid dedicated her time to raising her children and promoting social causes which brought her into contact with the Belgians. She was very concerned with the situation of women, children, and disadvantaged people. During an economic crisis in Belgium in 1935, she organized a collection of clothing, money and food for the poor. She did this through an open letter, which was published as the "Queen’s Appeal". Queen Astrid also visited many poor settlements in Belgium.[8]

Queen Astrid was particularly interested in training women formally in childcare and healthcare.[9] She also supported the training of young girls as dressmakers so they would have better career opportunities.[9] She supports Catholic charitable institutions, such as the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul and liberal organizations, such as the Fédération des Foyers Belges.[9] She also gave audiences to advocates of women's rights such as Baroness Marthe Boël, president of the National Council of Belgian Women.[9]

In May 1935, Queen Astrid patronized Milk Week, an effort to encourage Belgians to drink healthy beverages. She took this opportunity to charge Gatien du Parc, one of her courtiers, with the task of preparing a detailed report on milk regulations in foreign countries.[9]

Funeral of Astrid

Astrid chapel in Küssnacht am Rigi

In August 1935, the King and Queen went incognito to their holiday home, Villa Haslihorn in Horw, on the shores of Lake Lucerne, Switzerland. Joséphine-Charlotte and Baudouin travelled with their parents, while the one-year-old Prince Albert was considered too young for the journey and remained in Brussels. The children returned to Belgium with their nannies on 28 August.

On 29 August 1935, the King and Queen went for a last hike in the mountains before returning home. Their chauffeur was sitting in the back of the Packard One-Twenty convertible, the King was driving and the Queen looking at a map. At approximately 9:30 am the Queen pointed out something to her husband, who looked away from the road for an instant. The car left the road, travelled down a steep slope, and collided with a pear tree. Queen Astrid had opened her door and was thrown out upon impact. Her body collided with the trunk of the tree while the car hit a second tree. King Leopold was thrown out of the car and only lightly injured. The car continued and stopped in a lake. The Queen died from her injuries at the scene of the accident at Küssnacht am Rigi, near Lake Lucerne, Schwyz, Switzerland. Witnesses recalled a single scream, "Astrid", as Leopold held her bloodied body to his chest.

Queen Astrid is interred in the royal vault at the Church of Our Lady of Laeken, Brussels, beside her husband, King Leopold III, and his second wife, Lilian, Princess of Réthy.

The queen was deeply mourned by her husband, King Leopold, by the Belgians, and by the Swedes. In 1935, the Belgian postal authorities issued a postage stamp showing her portrait outlined in black, known as the Astrid Mourning issue. Later that same year, it released a series of anti-tuberculosis fund stamps with the same design.[10]

A commemorative chapel was built in Switzerland at the site of the crash. The chapel has become a destination for Swedish and Belgian tourists. A museum nearby holds images and memorabilia of the event, including a shard from the windscreen and the log of the pear tree. The tree itself was felled by a storm in 1992. The car was sunk at a deep part of the Vierwaldstättersee at the request of the king.[11]

A memorial was built by the architect Paul Bonduelle in Laeken, Belgium, and inaugurated on 21 July 1938. The building, which is in the late neo-classical style, faces the Church of Our Lady of Laeken and backs onto the Palace of Laeken. The same year, on the initiative of the local Veterans' Front, a bronze bust of the Queen was erected in Wisterzée Park in Court-Saint-Étienne, Belgium, by sculptor Victor Rousseau.

• 
  Statue of Astrid in a park at Kortrijk named for her
• 
  Queen Astrid Memorial in Laeken
  (architect Paul Bonduelle, 1938).
• 
  Statue of the Queen in the Queen Astrid Memorial in Laeken.
• 
  Bronze bust of the Queen in Court-Saint-Étienne
  (Victor Rousseau, 1938).

As of May 2020, two of her grandchildren are reigning monarchs; King Philippe of Belgium and Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. She was also a maternal aunt of King Harald V of Norway. Four of her female descendants have been named Astrid to honour her, her granddaughters Archduchess Marie-Astrid of Austria, Princess Astrid of Belgium, her great-granddaughter Princess Marie-Astrid of Liechtenstein, and her great-great-granddaughter Archduchess Anna Astrid of Austria-Este. Her niece Princess Astrid of Norway (later Mrs. Ferner) was named to honour her.[12]

Astrid Avenue in Bogor Botanical Garden in Indonesia (formerly Dutch East Indies) was named after her when she was honeymooning there with her spouse in 1928, the avenue is decorated with spectacular display of canna lilies of various colors.[13][4]

The popular Swedish layer cake Princess cake was named after Astrid and her two sisters when they were children.

• Catherine Barjansky. "Portraits with Backgrounds."
• Art Beeche. "The Snow Princess."
• Robert Capelle. "Dix-huit ans auprès du Roi Léopold."
• Charles d'Ydewalle. "Albert and the Belgians: Portrait of a King."
• Evelyn Graham. "Albert King of the Belgians."
• Luciano Regolo. "La Regina Incompresa."
• Lars Rooth. "More Joy Than Pain."
• Anna Sparre. "Astrid mon amie."

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Astrid of Sweden.

• Royal Love Match (1926), newsreel on the British Pathé YouTube Channel
• Tragic Death of the Queen of the Belgians (1935), newsreel on the British Pathé YouTube Channel
• Portraits of the Nation: Postage Stamps and National Identity
• The making of a Belgicist reference to Villa Haslihorn
• Packard Club images from the Packard car after the accident
• BELGIUM: Death of Astrid Time article
• Newspaper clippings about Astrid of Sweden in the 20th Century Press Archives of the ZBW