Princess Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium

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Princess Joséphine Charlotte
File:Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte.jpg
Joséphine Charlotte with her elder sons in 1963
Grand Duchess consort of Luxembourg
Tenure 12 November 1964 – 7 October 2000
Born (1927-10-11)11 October 1927
Royal Palace of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Fischbach Castle, Fischbach, Luxembourg
Burial Notre-Dame Cathedral, Luxembourg
Spouse Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg (m. 1953)
Issue Archduchess Marie Astrid of Austria
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Prince Jean
Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein
Prince Guillaume
Full name
Joséphine Charlotte Ingeborg Elisabeth Maria Josepha Marguerite Astrid
House Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Father Leopold III of Belgium
Mother Astrid of Sweden

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 King Albert II of Belgium, the former king of Belgium, and aunt of the current king.

Childhood

She was born at the Royal Palace of Brussels as the oldest child and only daughter of King Leopold III of Belgium and Princess 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 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

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

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]

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

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, styles, and honours

Titles and styles

  • 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

National Honours
Foreign Honours

Ancestry

Family of Princess Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
16. Leopold I of Belgium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8. Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
17. Princess Louise-Marie of France
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. Albert I of Belgium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
18. Charles Anthony, Prince of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9. Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
19. Princess Josephine of Baden
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. Leopold III of Belgium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20. Duke Maximilian Joseph in Bavaria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10. Duke Karl-Theodor in Bavaria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
21. Princess Ludovika of Bavaria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
22. Miguel of Portugal
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11. Infanta Maria Josepha of Portugal
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
23. Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
24. Oscar I of Sweden
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
12. Oscar II of Sweden
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
25. Duchess Josephine of Leuchtenberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6. Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
26. Wilhelm, Duke of Nassau
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13. Princess Sofia of Nassau
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
27. Princess Pauline of Württemberg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Princess Astrid of Sweden
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
28. Christian IX of Denmark
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14. Frederick VIII of Denmark
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
29. Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7. Princess Ingeborg of Denmark
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
30. Charles XV of Sweden
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
15. Princess Louise of Sweden
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
31. Princess Louise of the Netherlands
 
 
 
 
 
 


References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. http://orderofsplendor.blogspot.com/2011/09/tiara-thursday-belgian-scroll-tiara.html
  4. Royalement Blog, State visit of Belgium in Luxembourg (1994), Group Photo
  5. Photo of Jean and Joséphine-Charlotte
  6. Icelandese Presidency Website , Josephine Charlotte ; stórhertogafrú ; Lúxemborg ; 1986-06-09 ; Stórkross (=Josephine Charlotte, Grand Duchess, Luxembourg, 9 June 1986, Grand Cross)
  7. Gettyimages
  8. http://orderofsplendor.blogspot.nl/2015/07/tiara-thursday-grand-duchess-marie.html?m=1
  9. Wedding of Juan Carlos of Spain and Sophia of Greece
  10. Boletín Oficial del Estado
  11. Boletín Oficial del Estado
  12. Badraie
  13. Badraie
  14. Jean with Pope John Paul I

External links

Princess Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium
Cadet branch of the House of Wettin
Born: 11 October 1927 Died: 10 January 2005
Luxembourgish royalty
Preceded by as prince consort Grand Duchess consort of Luxembourg
1964–2000
Succeeded by
María Teresa Mestre y Batista