Koningin Astrid: 75 Jaar dood / Queen Astrid: 75 Years Gone

* This time, no video from me but a collection of featurettes about the death of Queen Astrid
Timeline:
00:00-02:20 = Report from "één Journaal"
02:20-05:10 = Report from "VTM Nieuws"
05:10-10:34 = Report from "Royalty"
* English sutitles available.

[@christina-yp6jy]

Thank you for the video.

[@Lellobeetle]

Astrid must have been an incredible woman, because she is absolutely adored by so many people, even to this day.

[@terrywestbrook-lienert2296]

She's the mother of a great monarch, so I would think so. She was a devote Catholic Christian, in fact a better one than Leopold. Astrid was always a positive woman, never a rotten word out of her lips. Now with Liliane, I think she felt overshadowed by a dead wife who was deeply honored and almost deified by the Belgian people. Didn't help that their marriage was not open. It would have been better if His Majesty hadintroduced her to the nation, had one year of engagement and then marry, first civilly then in the Church. However, hindsight is always 20/20. Leopold was depressed and jumped onto this without weighing the consequences of his actions. Liliane did the best she could to raise Astrid's little ones. I also believed that she was a bit taken with glamor and status...not good in a suffering country under siege for the second time in twenty five years. You do such a excellent job in researching material. I like sharing what I've studied about this

[@terrywestbrook-lienert2296]

family with someone who cares as much as I do about Belgium. Sorry I went on so long. Blessings. :-)

[@Lellobeetle]

Terry Westbrook-Lienert No need to apologize. I thoroughly enjoy sharing about it too. I've actually been looking for someone to discuss the Congo situation with.

[@terrywestbrook-lienert2296]

Lellobeetle As an African American, I have always felt that Baudouin was ill equipped to handle the situation in the Congo. His father wisely told him that liberation was the path to take...after all, Leopold had seen the wreckage that his great uncle allowed in the acquisition of rubber and other natural resources. Baudouin, due to the Second World War and his forced internment by the Nazis, didn't have the opportunity. On his second visit to Kinshasa, His Majesty made such a condescending speech, that I wonder if it was done on the fly. Certainly his father wouldn't have approved nor the Prime Minister. Baudouin totally ignored the horrific treatment of the indigenous people, by using the old canard, «But we brought modernization, schools, hospitals and Christianity to this poor benighted land. You should be extremely grateful to us.» Granted, the king did foresee problems, that plague the Congo to this day, but the paternalism in which his message was delivered caused a firestorm. He was so naive about his speech and Lumumba's angry reaction to it, that His Majesty wanted to go home, like a kid who isn't getting his way in a game. Luckily, he was persuaded not to. Looking at this honestly, I firmly believe that Baudouin would have done better, if he was open to it. Remember, his father was forced to abdicate and the young monarch had to deal with the same people who pushed it. My husband, who has Aspergers, wonders if Baudouin was likewise affected, due to his very black or white thinking. We'll never know this side of the Veil. The other faux pas was not going to the funeral of George VI of England. Again, it was a misunderstanding on Baudouin's part...something about Leopold. George liked his cousin, and didn't blame him for not going into exile...he certainly didn't. But Baudouin saw enemies everywhere where his dad was concerned, and refused to attend. It took Fabiola's charm on a Royal Visit to set things straight. Anyway, this is some of what I know from study and piecing things together. The Congo was sad, because it damaged Baudouin's reputation and later he was accused of helping to plot or give assent to Patrice Lumumba's assassination.

[@Lellobeetle]

Terry Westbrook-Lienert I understand everything you have said and I mostly agree, but that 1960 speech has one particular line about Leopold II, which I'm certain you've read, "L'indépendance du Congo constitue l'aboutissement de l'œuvre conçue par le génie du roi Léopold II, entreprise par lui avec un courage tenace et continuée avec persévérance par la Belgique." To me, that is more than being ill-equipped to handle a situation or being sheltered. To call Leopold II's work courageous genius is beyond hideous. It's just flat uneducated and extremely insensitive. On that same trip he INSISTED on laying a wreath at Leopold's statue, which likewise, caused ruffled feathers. The world condemned Leopold by 1908. Baudouin should have been smarter by 1960. I can not understand that one point. I think he was a completely moral person, so why on earth would he say that in the speech? I don't think he was involved with Lumumba. I think Lumumba shot off his mouth and the Americans said we don't want another Castro - we better handle this quick.They paid a LOT of money to Mobutu and got what they wanted - no stronghold for communism in Congo. Part of me knows Baudouin is spotless, but another part of me knows that he was loyal and followed instruction to a T. I'm wondering whether due to NATO and loyalties to US from WWII, etc. he didn't maybe look the other way or provide quiet assistance - not to murder Lumumba, but with other projects. I personally have thought about that 20+ day trip all over USA in 1959. The US knew independence was coming for many African colonies and Baudouin got the full star treatment with red carpet, etc.

[@EsIstNurLiebe]

@Superprincezzz , Well they give accounts of her short life and of the events that were held to remember her tragic passing, if it might help you... There are selectable subtitles on here(click CC and they should pop up)

[@Superprincezzz]

Could anyone please tell me what they are talking about? I'm Swedish you see so there are not many words I can understand of it. I Understand that it's about Queen Astrid's death but not more than that...

[@OSMTHMCO]

Geachte een klein vraag zou het mogelijk zijn om het origele filmpje te kunnen krijgen??? Het zit namelijk zo op de beelden ziet men mensen van actie lienemientje 2010 terug. wij zouden graag voor Mevr Mottart die deze wandeling doet een filmpje met foto's en het nieuws willen maken, echter hebben wij deze nieuws beelden niet. Voor meer informatie over dit gegeven kunt U terecht op; wwwosmth-mcobe/lienemientje . we zouden het ten zeerste op prijs stellen. Vriendelijke groeten, David.

[@OSMTHMCO]

Geachte een klein vraag zou het mogelijk zijn om het origele filmpje te kunnen krijgen??? Het zit namelijk zo op de beelden ziet men mensen van actie lienemientje 2010 terug. wij zouden graag voor Mevr Mottart die deze wandeling doet een filmpje met foto's en het nieuws willen maken, echter hebben wij deze nieuws beelden niet. .

[@OSMTHMCO]

Voor meer informatie over dit gegeven kunt U terecht op; wwwosmth-mcobe/lienemientje we zouden het ten zeerste op prijs stellen. Vriendelijke groeten, David.

[@michelgfeller3049]

Un drame atroce !