Princess Luisa Maria Anna Martine Pilar of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (born 11 October 1995 at Clinique St Jean in
Woluwé-Saint-Lambert,
Brussels)
Princess Laetitia Maria Nora Anna Joachim Zita of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (born on 23 April 2003 at Clinique St Jean in
Woluwé-Saint-Lambert,
Brussels)
Royal role
Astrid was formerly President of the
Belgian Red Cross,[2] a position which ended on 31 December 2007. She declined to stand again for election to the role in light of internal struggles in the organisation in reconciling its Flemish-speaking and French branches, each of which seeks greater autonomy. The princess is also a colonel in the
Medical Component of the
Belgian Armed Forces. Her official residence is the
Royal Castle of Laeken on the edge of Brussels.[2]
Princess Astrid has been for many years a fierce advocate for landmine survivors rights, participating actively in the work of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, also known as the
Ottawa Treaty, since Belgium joined in 1998.[citation needed]
In 2013, the Princess was named Special Envoy of the convention,[7] and has promoted the acceptance of a global ban on landmines and promoted the rights of survivors in various UN meetings.[7][8][9]
In 2019, she carried out a mission to
Lebanon to promote the convention.[10][11] In Beirut she met with President
Michel Aoun, and Minister of National Defense
Elias Bou Saab.[12]
Titles, styles and honours
Styles of Princess Astrid, Archduchess of Austria-Este
As a Princess of Belgium and a descendant of King
Leopold I, the Princess is entitled to use a
coat of arms which was stipulated in the Royal Decree of King
Philippe in 2019.[16]
^She has held the title "Princess of Belgium" from birth under Belgian law. By marriage to an archduke of the house of Austria-Este, she gained, in addition to her native title, the style "
Imperial and Royal Highness" and the title "Archduchess of Austria-Este". Upon her husband's succeeding to the headship of his house in 1996, as wife of the Archduke of Austria-Este, internationally or depending on the situation, she is also accorded the traditional title "
Her Imperial and Royal Highness The Archduchess of Austria-Este" or, more formally, reflecting both her native and marital titles, is addressed as HI&RH Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este. Her children by Archduke Lorenz bear the titles "Prince(ss) of Belgium" by Belgian decree of 2 December 1991, in addition to their Austrian titles borne by tradition, "Archduke/Archduchess of Austria".
References
^
abEnache, Nicolas. La Descendance de Marie-Therese de Habsburg. ICC, Paris, 1996. pp. 44-45,50. French
^
abcdefGenealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Furstlicher Hauser Bande XVI, C.A. Starke Verlag, Haus Osterreich, Limburg, 2001, pp. 91–92. German