by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2013

photo credit: Wikipedia

King Leopold II of Belgium is known for many things, from his numerous romantic liaisons to his exploits involving the Congo Free State. What he’s not so well-known for was his severe hypochondria. Leopold had a dreadful fear of becoming sick – going to great lengths to avoid anyone, or anything, which could bring about even a slight cold. His staff used this to their advantage – often feigning a cold in his presence so that he would send them away for a few days to recover. His longtime mistress, Caroline Lacroix, also used the King’s fear to her advantage. When the King, known for his wandering eye, would show interest in a particular lady at court, Caroline would subtly suggest to the King that the lady was suffering from a cold or some sort of illness. This kept him firmly in her clutches.

Leopold went as far as having a waterproof cover made for his massive beard. His thinking was that if he were to get caught in the rain, keeping his beard dry would minimize any chance of catching a cold. From all accounts, it looked ridiculous but seemed to do the trick.

Who Knew?!

Unofficial Royalty: Leopold II of Belgium

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