15 years ago, King Albert II suddenly lost his half-brother, Prince Alexander of Belgium at the age of 67. This week, his widow, Princess Léa, shared a cry from the heart, calling on the population to remember this discreet prince who left too soon.
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In memory of Prince Alexander, who died 15 years ago
In 1986, MP Georges Mundeleer organized a meal on the Belgian Coast. Around him, in his stronghold of Knokke, he had gathered friends and sympathizers. Among his guests was Prince Alexander of Belgium, half-brother of King Baudouin. That evening, Prince Alexandra met the gaze of Léa Wolman, of Polish-Bavarian origins. This dinner followed other invitations to the restaurant, Prince Alexander being a gourmet.
Five years after their first meeting, on March 14, 1991, Léa and Alexandre married in a small group in Woodbridge, in Kent. Léa and her husband shared the same passions for walks in nature, whatever the weather. The couple, who had settled in the countryside, in Rhodes-Saint-Genèse, liked to recharge their batteries in the mountains, in Crans-Montana. Alexandre will also become an ideal father-in-law for Renaud, Léa's son. Léa is also the mother of a first daughter, Laëtitia.
Prince Alexander often had his head in books, when he was not out walking with Waldi, his wire-haired dachshund. Prince Alexander avoided worldly affairs. Uncomfortable with the splendor of galas, he only participated in those which were impossible for him to avoid. Prince Alexander was so discreet that his marriage was only revealed to the public in 1998. A reception was then organized in Belgium, in the magnificent setting of Corroy Castle. From this date, Princess Léa also became publicly involved and through her actions, she allowed the Belgians to get to know their prince, even though he was the brother of the Head of State.
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Princess Léa, always at the service of the Belgians to perpetuate the wishes of her husband
Prince Alexander also deeply loved his country and its people. The prince has always admired the work of his father, King Leopold III. During the reign of his half-brother, King Baldwin, Prince Alexander proved to be a discreet prince. In 1991, King Baudouin died without children and his brother, King Albert II, succeeded him. Prince Alexander is therefore the half-brother of two sovereigns.
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A few years before his death, Prince Alexander decided to create a foundation with his wife. The Prince and Princess Alexandre of Belgium Mutual Aid Fund was then created to help people weakened by life and illness. On a gray autumn day, November 29, 2009, Prince Alexander died suddenly of a pulmonary embolism at the age of 67.
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He leaves behind his widow, Princess Léa. “The mission he left me kept me alive”the princess will one day explain to the German press. Princess Léa understood from her marriage that she would henceforth put her life at the service of Belgium and its population. She never failed in her mission, using the foundation set up with her husband as a solid basis to continue her work.
This week, the absence of Prince Alexander is felt by Princess Léa, who has continued to work discreetly for the Belgians for 15 years. Its Mutual Aid Fund continues to work for the disabled, the homeless, the sick and even drug addicts. Since 2012, the Fund has added an additional activity by organizing a literary prize, in memory of Prince Alexander's all-consuming passion for reading. This literary prize is awarded every two years, on the date of the prince's death.
This week, Princess Léa shared her heartfelt cry: “Let’s not forget”begs his widow who also shared a beautiful souvenir photo, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of his death. Prince Alexander was born in 1942, during the war, a year after the controversial remarriage of his father, King Leopold III, to Lilian Baels. King Leopold III was the widower of his wife, Queen Astrid, who died in 1935 in a car accident. Leopold III had three children with Astrid, whose two sons became kings of the Belgians and their daughter became Grand Duchess of Luxembourg through her marriage. From his marriage to Lilian, Leopold III also had three children: Alexandre, Marie-Christine and Marie-Esmeralda. Lilian received the title of Princess of Réthy and their three children, although princes and princesses do not enter into the order of succession to the throne. King Leopold III abdicated in 1951 and his son Baudouin succeeded him, the day before his brother Alexandre's 10th birthday.
Nicolas Fontaine
Editor-in-chief
Nicolas Fontaine has been a designer-editor and author for numerous Belgian and French brands and media. A specialist in royal family news, Nicolas founded the site Histoires royales of which he is the editor-in-chief. [email protected]
