Royal Guests and Relatives gathered to celebrate the Wedding of King Baudouin of Belgium and Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón on this day in 1960, 65 years ago, following a Ball at the Royal Palace of Brussels and a Gala at the Musée du Cinquantenaire.
King Baudouin of Belgium married Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón in a civil ceremony held in the Throne Room of the Royal Palace of Brussels, which was presided over by the Minister of Justice, the Mayor of Brussels, and a member of the Municipal Council, in the presence of Royal Guests and Relatives from around Europe. The witnesses were the groom’s father, King Leopold III of Belgium, his brother-in-law, Hereditary Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, the bride’s brother, The Marqués of Casa Riera, and the pretender to the Spanish throne, the Count of Barcelona.
Afterwards, the bridal party and Royal Guests travelled to the catholic ceremony held at the Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula, where the service was conducted by Cardinal van Roey, the Primate of Belgium, who was assisted by a representative of the Holy See who read a personal message from The Pope.
After the ceremony, King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola walked out of the Cathedral to the strains of Handel’s Hallelujah chorus from Messiah, before they rode through the streets of Brussels, and then waved to the assembled crowds from the balcony of the Royal Palace, ahead of a Banquet for 2,000 guests.
Queen Fabiola wore a Cristóbal Balenciaga gown of white silk and tulle, trimmed with ermine, with a tulle veil holding in place the Nine Provinces Tiara. King Baudoin wore the Uniform of Lieutenant-General of the Armies with the Sash and Star of the Order of Leopold and the Collar of the Spanish Order of Isabella the Catholic.
Six Kings and Five Queens led the Royal Guests and Relatives at the Wedding of King Baudouin of Belgium and Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón.
Queen Elisabeth (grandmother of the groom) with King Leopold III of Belgium (father) and the Princess de Rethy (stepmother) and Prince Albert (brother) and Princess Paola (sister-in-law)
Queen Marie-Jose of Italy (aunt) and Prince Gholamreza of Iran with Princess Margaretha of Denmark (aunt)
Princess Beatrix of The Netherlands, Hereditary Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte (sister) and King Umberto II of Italy (uncle)
Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and King Olav V of Norway (uncle)
Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg and Prince Axel of Denmark (uncle)
Princess Margaret and Prince Bertil of Sweden
Prince Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Napoléon
King Michael and Queen Anne of Romania with Tsar Simeon of Bulgaria, Infanta María Cristina of Spain and Archduke Otto von Habsburg
Princess Maria Pia of Yugoslavia (cousin) with Princess Maria Gabriella (cousin) and Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy (cousin)
Princess Irene of The Netherlands with Prince Iskander Desta of Ethiopia
The Marquis of Villaverde and the Duchess of Franco.
King Baudouin of Belgium and Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón held a magnificent Ball at the Royal Palace of Brussels, ahead of a Banquet hosted by the Belgian Government and the Wedding at the Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula.
King Baudouin of Belgium and Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón (wearing the Spanish Wedding Gift Tiara, Wolfers Necklace, and the Ruby Bracelet)
Queen Elisabeth of Belgium (grandmother of the groom, wearing her Cartier Bandeau Tiara) and King Olav V of Norway (uncle)
Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg (wearing the Luxembourg Empire Tiara) and King Leopold III of Belgium (father)
Hereditary Grand Duke Jean (brother-in-law), Hereditary Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte (sister, wearing the Belgian Scroll Tiara), and Prince Alexander of Belgium (brother)
Prince Albert of Belgium (brother) and Queen Marie-Jose of Italy (aunt, wearing Queen Margherita’s Musy Tiara)
King Umberto II of Italy (uncle) and Queen Juliana of the Netherlands (in the Stuart Diamond Tiara)
The Princess de Rethy (stepmother, in her Diamond Tiara), Queen Anne of Romania (wearing the Romanian Greek Key Tiara) with King Michael of Romania and Tsar Simeon of Bulgaria,
Princess Paola (sister-in-law, wearing Queen Elisabeth’s Diamond Bandeau)
Princess Margaret (in her Poltimore Tiara) and the Earl of Snowdon.
Princess Beatrix of The Netherlands (wearing the Antique Pearl Tiara) and Prince Felix of Luxembourg
Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands and the Countess of Mora and Marchioness of Casa Riera (mother of the bride)
Prince Axel (uncle) and Princess Margaretha of Denmark (aunt, wearing the Khedive of Egypt Tiara) with Princess Irene of the Netherlands (wearing the Aquamarine Tiara)
Princess Astrid of Norway (cousin, wearing the Vasa Tiara), Count Flemming and Countess Ruth of Rosenborg (wearing Princess Ingeborg’s Turquoise Star Tiara)
Prince George Valdemar (cousin) and Princess Anne of Denmark (in her Diamond Tiara)
Princess Maria Pia of Yugoslavia (cousin, wearing the Princess Olga’s Diamond Kokoshnik Tiara), Prince Juan Carlos of Spain, and Infanta María Cristina of Spain (in Infanta Isabel’s Mellerio Emerald Tiara)
The Count of Barcelona with Princess Maria Gabriella (cousin, in the Cartier Flower Tiara) and Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy (cousin, wearing the Ivy Wreath Tiara) with Prince Moritz of Hesse and Princess Maria Cristina of Savoy-Aosta (in the Austria-Este Tiara)
Archduke Otto von Habsburg and Princess Napoléon
The Duchess of Braganza (in the Diamond Bandeau Tiara and Aquamarine Suite) and the Duchess of Bavaria (wearing the Eglantine Diamond and Pearl Tiara)
The Marquis of Villaverde and the Duchess of Franco.
Crown Prince Constantine of Greece along with Princess Sofia (in the Prussian Diamond Tiara) and Princess Irene attended a Reception at the Belgian Embassy in Athens.
The Belgian Government held a Banquet to celebrate the Wedding of King Baudouin of Belgium and Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón in the Hall of Tapestries of the Musée du Cinquantenaire in Brussels.
King Baudouin of Belgium and Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón (wearing the Spanish Wedding Gift Tiara, Wolfers Necklace, and the Ruby Bracelet)
King Olav V (uncle) and Princess Astrid of Norway (cousin, wearing the Gold Bandeau Tiara)
Queen Juliana (in the Mellerio Ruby Tiara) and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands
King Umberto II (uncle) and Queen Marie-Jose of Italy (aunt, wearing her Sapphire Necklace)
Princess Margaret (in the Queen Mother’s Turquoise Tiara) and the Earl of Snowdon.
The Princess de Rethy (stepmother, in her Diamond Tiara) a Princess Maria Pia of Yugoslavia (cousin, wearing her Ivy Wreath Tiara)
Princess Maria Gabriella (cousin, in the Cartier Flower Tiara) and Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy (cousin, wearing the Savoy Ears of Wheat and Flower Tiara)
Archduke Otto von Habsburg and Princess Napoléon
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