by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2017
On July 2, 1959, Albert II, King of the Belgians, then the Prince of Liège, married Paola Ruffo di Calabria in Brussels, Belgium. The civil ceremony was held at the Town Hall, followed by the religious ceremony at the Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula.
- Unofficial Royalty: Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula
- YouTube: Wedding of Albert, Prince of Liege and Paola Ruffo di Calabria
Albert’s Early Life
Prince Albert Félix Humbert Théodore Christian Eugène Marie was born on June 6, 1934, at Stuyvenberg Castle, the youngest of three children of King Leopold III and Princess Astrid of Sweden. He was given the title Prince of Liège at birth. During World War II, Albert, his father, stepmother, older siblings, and three younger step-siblings were held under house arrest at the Castle of Laeken, where Albert and his siblings were educated privately. After the Allied landings in 1944, the family was moved to Germany, and then to Austria, before being freed by American forces in May 1945. Due to the uncertain political situation in Belgium, primarily King Leopold III’s actions during the war, the family settled in Switzerland where Albert continued his education in Geneva. Finally, in July 1950, the family returned to Belgium. Within a year of their return, King Leopold III abdicated in favor of Albert’s older brother Baudouin. Albert became the heir presumptive to the throne, as Baudouin was not married.
For more information about Albert see:
Paola’s Early Life
Dona Paola Ruffo di Calabria was born September 11, 1937, at Forte dei Marmi in Italy, the youngest of seven children of Fulco, Prince Ruffo di Calabria and Luisa Gazelli dei Conti di Rossana. Her father was a distinguished flying ace in World War I, and the family was very prominent in the Italian aristocracy. Through her mother’s family, Paola is a direct descendant of the Marquis de Lafayette, the French nobleman and military officer who joined the Continental Army, led by General George Washington, in the American Revolutionary War.
Paola was raised in Rome, where she completed her secondary education in Latin and Greek and became fluent in several languages.
For more information about Paola see:
The Engagement
In November 1958, Albert and Paola were both in Rome to attend the coronation of Pope John XXIII. They first met at a reception held at the Belgian Embassy and were instantly smitten. Just a month later, On December 6, 1958, Albert proposed and Paola accepted. Two months later, he introduced Paola to his family, and finally, the engagement was announced on April 13, 1959. Following the announcement, the couple met with the press at the Palace of Laeken.
“The King, and King Leopold have the joy to share with the nation the engagement of HRH Prince Albert, Prince of Belgium, Prince of Liège, with Dona Paola Ruffo di Calabria, daughter of the late Prince Fulco Ruffo di Calabria, Duke of Guardia Lombarda and Princess Luisa Gazelli.”
Over the next several weeks, the couple visited several of the provinces of Belgium, where Albert introduced his future bride to the Belgian people.
Plans for a Vatican Wedding
Several days after the engagement, it was announced that the couple planned to marry at the Vatican on July 1, 1959 and that Pope John XXIII would officiate. However, this was quickly met with resistance in Belgium, from the government and the Belgian people. Many people felt that a royal wedding should take place in Belgium and be a celebration for all the people. There were also some legalities involved. The Vatican only recognizes religious marriage, while Belgium only recognizes civil marriage, and requires a civil marriage before a religious service. Also the the groom’s aunt and uncle, the former King Umberto and Queen Marie-José of Italy were banned from entering Italy. Due to the Vatican’s position within the city of Rome, it would require some almost clandestine efforts for them to be able to attend.
By the end of May, reports emerged that the wedding plans were changing. The Pope, wanting to avoid any diplomatic or political issues, decided that the wedding should take place in Belgium. The Belgian government announced that the wedding, both civil and religious, would take place in Brussels, Belgium on July 2, 1959:
“Anxious to see all the Belgians united around the throne on the occasion of the marriage of HRH Prince Albert with Donna Ruffo di Calabria, His Holiness, John the XXIII, in a gesture of especial solicitude toward Belgium, deemed it desirable that the wedding of the Prince take place in Brussels. In agreement with the Government, His Majesty The King and the two families have decided in unity that the marriage ceremonies be held in this country.”
On June 9, 1959, Paola arrived in Belgium, accompanied by her mother. A garden party was held at the Castle of Laeken, where Albert and Paola greeted hundreds of guests from around Belgium, as well as members of the government.
Wedding Guests
The wedding was small by royal standards, with just 500 guests. Many guests were members of the government and diplomatic corps, along with Albert’s and Paola’s families, and several members of foreign royal and noble families. The guest list included:
The Groom’s Extended Family
King Baudouin of the Belgian – Albert’s brother
Dowager Queen Elisabeth of Belgium – Albert’s grandmother
King Leopold III of Belgium and Princess Lilian – Albert’s father and stepmother
Prince Alexandre of Belgium – Albert’s half-brother
Princess Marie Christine of Belgium – Albert’s half-sister
Princess Joséphine-Charlotte and Prince Jean of Luxembourg – Albert’s sister and brother-in-law
Queen Marie José and King Umberto II of Italy – Albert’s paternal aunt and uncle
Princess Maria Pia and Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia – Albert’s paternal first cousin and her husband
Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, Prince of Naples – Albert’s paternal first cousin
Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy – Albert’s paternal first cousin
Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy – Albert’s paternal first cousin
The Bride’s Immediate Family
Luisa Gazelli, Dowager Princess Ruffo di Calabria – Paola’s mother
Fabrizio, Prince Ruffo di Calabria and Maria, Princess Ruffo di Calabria – Paola’s brother and sister-in-law
The Marquess and Marchioness of San Germano – Paola’s sister and brother-in-law
Baron and Baroness Ricasoli Firidolfi – Paola’s sister and brother-in-law
Antonello Ruffo di Calabria – Paola’s brother
Royal Guests
Royal guests included members of the Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish royal families, who were all closely related through Albert’s mother, the late Queen Astrid, who was born a Princess of Sweden.
The Witnesses and Wedding Attendants
For their witnesses, Albert chose his brother Alexandre and his brother-in-law Hereditary Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg. Paola chose her two brothers, Fabrizio and Antonello.
The bride’s attendants were two of her nieces, the daughters of her elder sister, the Marchioness of San Germano, and Albert’s sister Princess Marie Christine of Belgium.
The Wedding Attire
The bride wore a dress of heavy white satin with a 5-meter train and a bow at the waist. Her veil of Brussels lace was a family heirloom. It was first worn in 1877 at the wedding of her Belgian paternal grandmother, Laure Mosselman du Chenoy, and then later by her mother. It has since been used by Paola’s daughter and two daughters-in-law at their weddings. Instead of a tiara, Paola wore a cluster of orange blossoms which held the veil in place.
The groom wore his Naval uniform with the sash and star of the Order of Leopold, Belgium’s most senior order of chivalry. He also wore the collar of the Order of Malta.
The Civil Ceremony
The civil ceremony was held on July 2, 1959, in the Empire Salon of the Royal Palace of Brussels. The bride and groom led the procession, which included their immediate families and several guests. The brief service was conducted by the Mayor of Brussels, Lucien Cooremans. The bride was notably nervous, and at one point, Dowager Queen Elisabeth stepped forward to comfort her with a kiss and some brief words. After the marriage register was signed, the couple emerged from the Royal Palace to begin the procession through the streets of Brussels to the Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula for the religious ceremony. Albert and Paola traveled in an open car adorned with pink and white roses and were preceded by several regiments of hussars and other military guards. The bride and groom waved to the thousands who lined the route to cheer them on.
The Religious Ceremony
The couple arrived at the Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula where the guests were already seated. The bride and groom proceeded down the aisle, followed by their families and royal guests. Cardinal Jozef-Ernest van Rooey, Primate of Belgium conducted the traditional Catholic wedding service. At Albert’s sister’s wedding several years earlier, there was reportedly an argument within the family about who would take precedence in the procession. Albert’s stepmother the Princess de Rethy insisted that she should come first. However, it was decided that Albert’s grandmother the Dowager Queen would take her place at the head of the procession, accompanying the reigning King Baudouin. The Princess de Rethy was escorted by King Umberto II of Italy.
The bride was notably nervous and overcome with emotion but she was reassured by her new husband. After exchanging their vows and rings, the Cardinal gave an address that referred to Paola as “a lovely princess”, and told her that “Italy sends you to Belgium as a ray of its beautiful sun and a reflection of its ardent soul.” The couple was read a message from the Pope before the final blessing. The couple then proceeded out of the cathedral and were met with tremendous cheers from the crowd.
Following a large banquet held that evening at the Castle of Laeken, the couple jetted off to Majorca, Spain for their honeymoon. Upon their return, they took up residence at the Château de Bélvèdere, on the grounds at Laeken.
Children
Embed from Getty Images
Albert and Paola with their three children
Albert and Paola had two sons and one daughter:
- Philippe, King of the Belgians (born 1960), married Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz, had four children. Belgian Royal Family descends from this marriage
- Princess Astrid (born 1962), married Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este, had five children
- Prince Laurent (born 1963), married Claire Coombs, had three children
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