HM Queen Paola of the Belgians

Former Queen consort of Belgium


Date & place of birth September 11, 1937 Lucca, Tuscany, Italy
Born as Paola Margherita Maria Antonia Ruffo di Calabria

Father Fulco VIII, Prince Ruffo di Calabria, 6th Duke of Guardia Lombarda
Mother Luisa Gazelli dei Conti di Rossana e di Sebastiano





Royal house Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (marriage)
Queen consort August 9, 1993-July 21, 2013
Tenure 18 years 336 days
Predecessor Fabiola de Mora y Aragon
Successor Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz





Siblings (6)
Youngest of seven children (4 brothers, 2 sisters)
Maria Cristina Ruffo di Calabria
Laura Ruffo di Calabria
Fabrizio Ruffo di Calabria
Augusto Ruffo di Calabria
Giovannella Ruffo di Calabria
Antonello Ruffo di Calabria





Married July 2, 1959 Michiel & St. Goedele Church, Brussels
Spouse King Albert II of the Belgians (then Prince Albert, Prince of Leige





Issue (3)
(2 sons, 1 daughter)
Prince Philippe of the Belgians (King Philippe I of the Belgians)
Princess Astrid of Belgium (Archduchess Lorenz of Austria)
Prince Laurent of Belgium





Grandchildren (12)
(6 grandsons, 6 granddaughters) Prince Amedeo of Belgium, Archduke of Austria
Princess Maria Laura of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria
Prince Joachim of Belgium, Archduke of Austria
Princess Luisa Maria of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria
Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant
Princess Laetitia Maria of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria
Prince Gabriel of Belgium
Princess Louise of Belgium
Prince Emmanuel of Belgium
Prince Nicolas of Belgium*
Prince Aymeric of Belgium*
Princess Eleonore of Belgium

Twins*





Titles
HRH Princess Albert of Belgium, Princess of Leige
HRH Queen of the Belgians
HM Queen Paola of Belgium





Paternal grandparents
Fulco VII, Prince Ruffo of Calabria
Laura Mosselmann of Chenoy

Paternal great-grandparents
Fulco VI, Prince Ruffo di Calabria
Eleonora Galletti of the Marquis of Cataldo
Theodore Mosselman of Chenoy
Isabelle Coghen





Maternal grandparents
Augusto Gazelli of the Earls of Ross
Maria dei Conti Rignon

Maternal great-grandparents
Calisto Gazelli, Count of Ross and San Sebastian
Francesca Cotti of Ceres
Count Enrico Vittore Felice Rignon
Luisa Perrone deo Marchesi di San Martino