Queen Paola of Belgium was born Donna Paola Margherita Maria-Antonia Consiglia Ruffo di Calabria on 11 September 1937 at Villa Claudia in Forte dei Marmi, Tuscany, Italy.
She is a member of the historic Italian noble House of Ruffo di Calabria and the youngest of seven children of Fulco, Prince Ruffo di Calabria, a First World War flying ace, and Countess Luisa Gazelli.
She spent her youth in Rome, where she received a classical education in Latin and Greek.
On 2 July 1959 she married Prince Albert of Belgium (later King Albert II); the couple have three children—King Philippe, Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent.
She served as Queen of the Belgians from 1993 until her husband’s abdication in 2013 and is now styled Her Majesty Queen Paola.
Siblings
Queen Paola is the youngest of seven children. Her siblings are Maria Cristina, Laura, Fabrizio (who later headed the family), Augusto, Giovanella and Antonello.
The family belongs to one of the oldest branches of the Italian nobility, with connections to other prominent European aristocratic houses.
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Career
As Princess of Liège and later as Queen consort, Paola supported her husband in official duties while developing her own focus on social and cultural causes.
In 1992 she established the Queen Paola Foundation, which concentrates on the social integration and education of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, supporting teachers, schools and community projects.
She has taken a particular interest in the preservation of Belgian heritage, traditional and contemporary crafts, and the arts, regularly visiting cultural sites and encouraging artistic initiatives.
She serves as honorary chairman of the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel and of Missing Children Europe.
After the abdication of King Albert II in 2013 she continued selected public and charitable activities while enjoying a more private life centred on family.
Accolades
As Queen of the Belgians, Paola received high national and foreign honours, including the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic and the Grand Cross, First Class, of the Order of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria, among other distinctions.
Her long-standing work through the Queen Paola Foundation and her patronage of cultural and social organisations remain the principal recognition of her public contribution.
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