Princess Luisa Maria Anna Martine Pilar of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (born 11 October 1995 at Clinique St Jean in Woluwé-Saint-Lambert, Brussels)
Princess Laetitia Maria Nora Anna Joachim Zita of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (born on 23 April 2003 at Clinique St Jean in Woluwé-Saint-Lambert, Brussels)
Royal roleedit
Astrid was formerly President of the Belgian Red Cross,[2] a position which ended on 31 December 2007. She declined to stand again for election to the role in light of internal struggles in the organisation in reconciling its Flemish-speaking and French branches, each of which seeks greater autonomy. The princess is also a colonel in the Medical Component of the Belgian Armed Forces. Her official residence is the Royal Castle of Laeken on the edge of Brussels.[2]
Princess Astrid has been for many years a fierce advocate for landmine survivors rights, participating actively in the work of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, also known as the Ottawa Treaty, since Belgium joined in 1998.[citation needed]
In 2013, the Princess was named Special Envoy of the convention,[7] and has promoted the acceptance of a global ban on landmines and promoted the rights of survivors in various UN meetings.[7][8][9]
In 2014, she met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdallah, to encourage Oman to join the treaty, which occurred a few months later.[citation needed]
In 2019, she carried out a mission to Lebanon to promote the convention.[10][11] In Beirut she met with President Michel Aoun, and Minister of National Defense Elias Bou Saab.[12]
Titles, styles and honoursedit
Styles of Princess Astrid, Archduchess of Austria-Este
As a Princess of Belgium and a descendant of King Leopold I, the Princess is entitled to use a coat of arms which was stipulated in the Royal Decree of King Philippe in 2019.[16]
14. Augusto Gazelli, Conte di Rossana e di Sebastiano
7. Luisa Gazelli dei Conti di Rossana
15. Maria Cristina dei Conti Rignon
Noteedit
^She has held the title "Princess of Belgium" from birth under Belgian law. By marriage to an archduke of the house of Austria-Este, she gained, in addition to her native title, the style "Imperial and Royal Highness" and the title "Archduchess of Austria-Este". Upon her husband's succeeding to the headship of his house in 1996, as wife of the Archduke of Austria-Este, internationally or depending on the situation, she is also accorded the traditional title "Her Imperial and Royal Highness The Archduchess of Austria-Este" or, more formally, reflecting both her native and marital titles, is addressed as HI&RH Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este. Her children by Archduke Lorenz bear the titles "Prince(ss) of Belgium" by Belgian decree of 2 December 1991, in addition to their Austrian titles borne by tradition, "Archduke/Archduchess of Austria".
Referencesedit
^ abEnache, Nicolas. La Descendance de Marie-Therese de Habsburg. ICC, Paris, 1996. pp. 44-45,50. French
^ abcdefGenealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Furstlicher Hauser Bande XVI, C.A. Starke Verlag, Haus Osterreich, Limburg, 2001, pp. 91–92. German
^William Bortrick. "HM The King of the Belgians and HM The Queen of the Belgians. The Royal Family of Belgium. Houses of Wettin and Belgium". Burke's Peerage. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022.
^"31 JANVIER 2022. - Arrêté royal autorisant Son Altesse Royale la Princesse Maria Laura d'Autriche-Este (Habsbourg-Lorraine), Princesse de Belgique, à contracter mariage" [31 JANUARY 2022. - Royal Decree authorizing Her Royal Highness Princess Maria Laura of Austria-Este (Habsburg-Lorraine), Princess of Belgium, to enter into marriage] (in French). ejustice.just.fgov.be. Archived from the original on 26 May 2023.
^ ab"AP Mine Ban Convention: Special envoy Princess Astrid of Belgium welcomes Oman's decision to join the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention". www.apminebanconvention.org.
^"AP Mine Ban Convention: Princess Astrid of Belgium calls for greater assistance to landmine survivors". www.apminebanconvention.org.
^"Lebanon aims at joining Ottawa Treaty: president - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 5 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
^Liban, Délégation de l'Union Européenne au (3 October 2019). "Envoyé spécial en visite au Liban pour l'encourager à prendre des mesures concrètes pour adhérer au traité historique de désarmement humanitaire". Libnanews, Le Média Citoyen du Liban (in French). Retrieved 26 October 2019.
^"AP Mine Ban Convention: Special Envoy asks the Lebanese Republic to join anti-landmine treaty". www.apminebanconvention.org. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
^"Tildelinger av ordener og medaljer". www.kongehuset.no.
^Guenther, Rocío (7 December 2016). "City Welcomes Princess Astrid of Belgium to San Antonio". San Antonio Report. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
^Philippe, Koning der Belgen (12 July 2019). "Koninklijk besluit houdende vaststelling van het wapen van het Koninklijk Huis en van zijn leden" (PDF). Moniteur Belge/ Belgisch Staatsblad. Retrieved 24 July 2019.