Queen Paola of Belgium

(Redirected from Paola of Belgium)

Her Majesty Queen Paola (Paola Wettin, née Ruffo di Calabria, born September 11, 1937) is the queen consort of Albert II of Belgium. She is youngest daughter of Don Fulco Ruffo di Calabria, 6th Duke of Guardia Lombarda (1884-1946), and his wife, the former Countess Luisa Gazelli di Rossana e di Sebastiano (1896-1989). She is of Italian and Belgian ancestry.

Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria married HRH Prince Albert, Prince of Liège, in Brussels, Belgium, on July 2, 1959. The couple has three children: Philippe, Duke of Brabant who married Jonkvrouw Mathilde Marie Christine Ghislaine d'Udekem d'Acoz, a Belgian noblewoman who was created Princess of Belgium prior to her marriage; Astrid who married Lorenz, Archduke of Austria-Este, created Prince of Belgium; and Laurent, who married Claire Louise Coombs, an Anglo-Belgian former real estate agent, who was created Princess of Belgium prior to her marriage.

Queen Paola speaks French, Italian, English, German, but little Dutch, for which she is often criticised.

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