Princess Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium (Joséphine Charlotte Ingeborg Elisabeth Maria Josepha/Marie-José Margarethe/Marguerite Astrid; 11 October 1927 – 10 January 2005), also Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte of Luxembourg was the Grand Duchess consort of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. She was the first cousin of King Harald V of Norway, Princess Astrid of Norway, and Princess Ragnhild of Norway. She was the first child of Leopold III of Belgium, and sister of the late king Baudouin of Belgium and current king Albert II of Belgium
| Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium | |
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| Joséphine Charlotte with her elder sons in 1963 | |
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| Tenure | 12 November 1964 – 7 October 2000 |
| Spouse | Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg |
| Issue | |
| Archduchess Marie Astrid of Austria Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg Prince Jean Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein Prince Guillaume |
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| Full name | |
| Joséphine Charlotte Ingeborg Elisabeth Maria Josepha Marguerite Astrid | |
| House | House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha |
| Father | Leopold III of Belgium |
| Mother | Astrid of Sweden |
| Born | 11 October 1927 Royal Palace of Brussels, Belgium |
| Died | 10 January 2005 (aged 77) Fischbach Castle, Luxembourg |
Princess Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium (Joséphine Charlotte Ingeborg Elisabeth Maria Josepha/Marie-José Margarethe/Marguerite Astrid; 11 October 1927 – 10 January 2005), also Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte of Luxembourg was the Grand Duchess consort of Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. She was the first cousin of King Harald V of Norway, Princess Astrid of Norway, and Princess Ragnhild of Norway. She was the first child of Leopold III of Belgium, and sister of the late king Baudouin of Belgium and current king Albert II of Belgium
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Childhood[edit]
She was born at the Royal Palace of Brussels as the oldest child and only daughter of Leopold III of Belgium and Astrid of Sweden. While expecting her daughter, Astrid had been reading a biography of the Empress Josephine, the consort of Napoleon Bonaparte. She must have found Josephine very appealing, as she decided to name the little Princess, born October 11, 1927, after her. Josephine was also the name of one of the child's great-aunts, the dearest sister of King Albert I. Astrid was a devoted mother to her "little Jo." The young Princess spent her childhood at the Stuyvenberg Palace just outside of Brussels with her parents, Prince Léopold and Princess Astrid.[1] Her mother, who was born a Princess of Sweden and a direct descendant of Napoleon Bonaparte's first wife Joséphine, was killed in an automobile accident in 1935 at age 29. Her father was a direct descendant of Stéphanie de Beauharnais, cousin of Joséphine's first husband and adopted daughter of Joséphine's second husband. She was the sister of Belgian monarchs Baudouin and Albert II.[2]
Education[edit]
Princess Joséphine Charlotte first attended school at the Royal Palace, where a small class had been organized for her. At the end of 1940, she entered a boarding school and then continued her education with her own private teachers. On 7 June 1944, the day after the Allied Forces landed in Normandy, France, she and her father were sent to Germany and kept there under house-arrest. The Royal Family, which included her brothers Baudouin and Albert and their stepmother, Mary Lilian Baels, Princess of Réthy, was freed on 7 May 1945 and settled in Prégny, Switzerland.[1]
Princess Joséphine Charlotte continued her studies at the "Ecole Supérieure de Jeunes Filles" in Geneva, Switzerland. Afterwards, she took Jean Piaget's lectures on child psychology at the University of Geneva. When she returned to Belgium the princess took up her official duties. At the same time, she also devoted herself to social problems and developed her interest in the arts.[1]
Marriage[edit]
Despite her own personal misgivings, Joséphine Charlotte was joined in marriage on 9 April 1953 in Luxembourg to Prince Jean, who at the time was The Hereditary Grand Duke and heir-apparent to the throne of Luxembourg.[2] Although politically motivated, it was a happy match. During their 52-year marriage, the royal couple had five children:[1]
- Princess Marie Astrid, who was born on 17 February 1954;
- Grand Duke Henri, who was born on 16 April 1955;
- Prince Jean, who was born on 15 May 1957;
- Princess Margaretha, who was born on 15 May 1957;
- Prince Guillaume, who was born on 1 May 1963.
As a princess in the royal house of Belgium, Joséphine Charlotte brought a wealth of elegance, taste and refinement to her new homeland. She carried out many social, cultural and humanitarian duties. She focused on several initiatives that she would ardently support, particularly matters pertaining to children and families. She was also president of the Luxembourg Youth Section of the Red Cross.[2]
Her favorite hobbies included gardening and horticulture. She also enjoyed hunting, fishing, skiing and other watersports.[1]
The Grand Duchess, who suffered from lung cancer for a long time, died at her home, Fischbach Castle, at the age of 77, in the presence of her family.
Legacy[edit]
Joséphine-Charlotte metro station in Brussels is named after her.
One of her wedding gifts was a diamond tiara, given by the Sociéte Générale. This is now part of the Luxembourg reigning family's jewel collection. [3]
Titles[edit]
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- 11 October 1927 – 9 April 1953: Her Royal Highness Princess Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium
- 9 April 1953 – 12 November 1964: Her Royal Highness The Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
- 12 November 1964 – 7 October 2000: Her Royal Highness The Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
- 7 October 2000 – 10 January 2005: Her Royal Highness Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg
Honours[edit]
Luxembourgish Honours[edit]
Luxembourg: Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau[4]
Belgian Honours[edit]
Belgium: Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold [5]
Foreign Honours[edit]
Iceland: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon (9 June 1986) [6]
Norway: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav
Ancestry[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e "Notice biographique de S.A.R. la Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte". Government of Luxembourg. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
- ^ a b c "Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte of Luxembourg". The Telegraph. 2005-01-11. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
- ^ http://orderofsplendor.blogspot.com/2011/09/tiara-thursday-belgian-scroll-tiara.html
- ^ Photo of Jean and Joséphine-Charlotte
- ^ Royalement Blog, State visit of Belgium in Luxembourg (1994), Group Photo
- ^ Icelandese Presidency Website , Josephine Charlotte ; stórhertogafrú ; Lúxemborg ; 1986-06-09 ; Stórkross (=Josephine Charlotte, Grand Duchess, Luxembourg, 9 June 1986, Grand Cross)
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium |
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Princess Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium
Cadet branch of the House of Wettin
Born: 11 October 1927 Died: 10 January 2005 |
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| Luxembourgish royalty | ||
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| Preceded by Felix of Bourbon-Parma |
Grand Duchess consort of Luxembourg 1964–2000 |
Succeeded by Maria Teresa Mestre y Batista-Falla |
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- Grand Ducal Consorts of Luxembourg
- Belgian princesses
- Princesses of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
- House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Belgium)
- Deaths from lung cancer
- Cancer deaths in Luxembourg
- People from Brussels
- 1927 births
- 2005 deaths
- Burials at Notre-Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg
- Knights of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
- Grand Cordons of the Order of Leopold (Belgium)
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
