| Princess Astrid | |
| Archduchess of Austria-Este | |
| Full Name: | Astrid Joséphine-Charlotte Fabrizia Elisabeth Paola Marie |
| Issue: | Prince Amedeo Princess Maria Laura Prince Joachim Princess Luisa Maria Princess Laetitia Maria |
| Father: | Albert II of Belgium |
| Mother: | Paola Ruffo di Calabria |
| Birth Date: | 1962 6, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Belvédère Château, Laeken, Brussels, Belgium |
Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (born 5 June 1962), is the second child and first daughter of King Albert II and Queen Paola, and the younger sister to the current Belgian monarch, King Philippe. She is married to Prince Lorenz of Belgium, head of the Austria-Este branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and is fifth in line of succession to the Belgian throne.
Princess Astrid was born one day before her father's 28th birthday at the Belvédère Château in Laeken, northern Brussels, and was named after her late paternal grandmother, Astrid of Sweden, King Leopold III's popular first wife, who had died in 1935 in a car accident aged 29. Princess Astrid godparents were her uncle Fabrizio, Prince Ruffo di Calabria-Santapau, 7th Duke di Guardia Lombarda, and her aunt Hereditary Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg.
Princess Astrid married Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este, subsequently head of the Archducal House of Austria-Este, on 22 September 1984 at Church of Our Blessed Lady of the Sablon in Brussels.[1] [2] Lorenz is the eldest son of Robert, Archduke of Austria-Este (1915–1996), and his wife Princess Margherita of Savoy-Aosta (1930–2022).[2] Her husband was also created Prince of Belgium by Royal Decree on 27 November 1995.[2]
Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz have five children:[1] [2] [3]
Astrid was formerly President of the Belgian Red Cross,[2] a position which ended on 31 December 2007. She declined to stand again for election to the role in light of internal struggles in the organisation in reconciling its Flemish-speaking and French branches, each of which seeks greater autonomy. The princess is also a colonel in the Medical Component of the Belgian Armed Forces. Her official residence is the Royal Castle of Laeken on the edge of Brussels.[2]
She is a member of the Honorary Board of the International Paralympic Committee.[5]
In April 2015 the Princess took over the reins of the Prince Albert Fund from her father King Albert.[6]
Princess Astrid has been for many years a fierce advocate for landmine survivors rights, participating actively in the work of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, also known as the Ottawa Treaty, since Belgium joined in 1998.
In 2013, the Princess was named Special Envoy of the convention,[7] and has promoted the acceptance of a global ban on landmines and promoted the rights of survivors in various UN meetings.[8] [9]
In 2014, she met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, to encourage Oman to join the treaty, which occurred a few months later.
In 2019, she carried out a mission to Lebanon to promote the convention.[10] [11] In Beirut she met with President Michel Aoun, and Minister of National Defense Elias Bou Saab.[12]
| Royal Name: | Princess Astrid, Archduchess of Austria-Este |
| Dipstyle: | Her Imperial and Royal Highness |
| Offstyle: | Your Imperial and Royal Highness |
See also: List of honours of the Belgian royal family by country.
Germany: Grand Cross 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Hungary: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary
Luxembourg: Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
Netherlands: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown
Norway: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit[14]
Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry
Spain: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit[15]
Sweden: Member Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star2016 : Honorary mayor and The Hidalgo Award of San Antonio, Texas.[16]
| Notes: | As a Princess of Belgium and a descendant of King Leopold I, the Princess is entitled to use a coat of arms which was stipulated in the Royal Decree of King Philippe in 2019.[17] |
| Year Adopted: | 12 July 2019 |
| Coronet: | Princely crown of Belgium |
| Escutcheon: | On a lozenge, sable, a lion rampant or, armed and langued gules (Belgium), on the shoulder an escutcheon barry of ten sable and or, a crancelin vert (Wettin), overall a bordure or. |
| Supporters: | Two lions guardant proper |
| Motto: | French: L'union fait la force Dutch; Flemish: Eendracht maakt macht German: Einigkeit macht stark |
| Other Elements: | The whole is placed on a mantle purpure with ermine lining, fringes and tassels or and ensigned with the Royal crown of Belgium. |
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