Leopold III of Belgium

Description: (King of Belgium from 1934 to 1951)

Leopold III was the King of Belgium from 1934 until his abdication in 1951. His controversial actions during World War II resulted in the political crisis, Royal Question. The son of Albert I and his queen consort Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria, he studied at Eton College. Leopold served as a soldier during the final campaign of First World War. He married his first wife Princess Astrid of Sweden in 1926 and had three children. After he became the king upon his father’s death in 1934, he withdrew Belgium from the Pact of Locarno, a peace agreement among a few countries, including Germany and France. Leopold was forced to surrender his forces after World War II and was held captive by the Germans until 1944. In 1941, he secretly married for the second time. Leopold then remained in Switzerland from 1945 to 1950, awaiting the resolution of the “Royal Question” regarding his pending return to the royal throne. Although he won 58% of the votes in his favor, the opposition led him to renounce his sovereignty and eventually abdicate in 1951. He was succeeded by his son Baudouin.

Overview

Birthday November 3, 1901 (Scorpio)
Born In Belgium
Alternative names Leopold Filips Karel Albert Meinrad Hubertus Maria Miguel
City Brussels, Belgium
Died on September 25, 1983
Spouse/Ex- Mary Lilian Baels (m. 1941), Princess Astrid of Sweden (m. 1926)
Parents Albert I of Belgium
Elisabeth of Bavaria - Queen of Belgium
Children Albert II of Belgium, Baudouin of Belgium, Ingeborg Verdun, Prince Alexandre of Belgium, Princess Joséphine Charlotte of Belgium, Princess Marie-Christine of Belgium, Princess Marie-Esméralda of Belgium
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