Albert I of the Belgians

Albert I Léopold Clément Marie Meinrad, King of the Belgians; succeeded to the throne in 1909 after the death of his uncle Léopold.

Son of Philippe Prince of Belgium, Comte de Flandre (1837-1905) and Marie Princess of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1845-1912)

Born: Brussels 8. Apr 1875

Married: Munich 2. Oct 1900 Elisabeth Duchess in Bavaria (1876-1965), daughter of Karl Theodor Duke in Bavaria (1839-1909) by his second wife Maria Josepha Infanta of Portugal (1857-1943).

Issue:

• Léopold III King of the Belgians 1934-1951 (1901-1983) m. 1926 Astrid Princess of Sweden (1905-1935); m. 1941 Lilian Baels (1916-2002)

• Charles Prince of Belgium, Comte de Flandre (1903-1983)

• Marie-José Princess of Belgium (1906-2001) m. 1930 Umberto II King of Italy (1904-1983)

Died: Marche-les-Dames near Namur 17. Feb 1934 in a mountaineering accident

Buried: Église Notre-Dame de Laeken, Brussels

Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürsten I, Vol XVII, Starke Verlag 2004; Georges Dufoux ”Les Saxe-Cobourg-Gotha. Une dynastie mythique”, Fontainbleau 2000