Decidedly Queen Paola is quite unlucky in this winter 2016-2017. While she had left the Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc in Brussels on last January 3rd after a week of hospitalization following a vertebral fracture and had to continue her convalescence at her Castle Belvedere for several months, She is urgently admitted again to this hospital. The Palace announced this sad news last Thursday, February 16th 2017, stating that she had a fall and had fractured the neck of the femur. "It will be operated at the Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc in Brussels" has it just been clarified.

Sixth queen of the Belgians, the 79 year old born princess Ruffo di Calabria in Italy. Her husband, former King Albert II, ruled Belgium from 1993 to 2013, when he abdicated in favor of his eldest son, was 82 years old.

The wife of the former Belgian sovereign - who has retained in Belgium the title of queen - has had to face several health problems in recent years. In the summer of 2015, suffering from cardiac arrhythmia, Paola was forced to a total rest period . On December 28th 2016, the mother of King Philippe, Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent was hospitalized at the Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc in Brussels for a vertebral fracture following a fall. No details had been revealed as to the exact circumstances of the injury, but it had been pointed out that it had not resulted in neurological complications and that the life of the septuagenarian was not in danger.

Ce dimanche de Pâques 27 Mars, ancien couple souverain et les parents des Belges actuels monarque roi Philippe assistait à la messe par Sa Sainteté le Pape Francis à la place Saint-Pierre à Rome. Et ils étaient bien placés pour capturer l'événement. Avant le service Ancien Roi Albert, amant de la photographie n'a pas manqué d'effectuer quelques coups de feu avec sa caméra, tandis que l'ancien Reine Paola a fait de même son smartphone.

Après ce service religieux en plein air, Sa Sainteté a approché le couple royal pour le saluer. Ce qu'il avait fait deux jours avant la fin de la procession aux flambeaux de la Croix du Vendredi saint qui avait conduit le Vatican au Colisée.

Albert II et Paola étaient également présents à Rome le 20 Mars dimanche précédent pour le dimanche des Rameaux messe, célébrée à la place du même Saint-Pierre par le pape Francis. L'ancienne reine d'origine italienne portait une mantille de dentelle noire sur ses cheveux blancs. Quant à l'ancien roi, il avait déjà son appareil photo à la main.
Photo Credit: Paris Match

This Easter Sunday March 27th, Former Sovereign couple and parents of the current Belgians monarch King Philippe attended mass by His Holiness Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square in Rome. And they were well placed to capture the event. Before the service Former King Albert, lover of photography has not failed to perform a few shots with his camera, while Former Queen Paola did the same her smartphone .

After this outdoor religious service, His Holiness approached the royal couple to greet him. What he had done two days before the end of the torchlight procession of the Cross Good Friday which had led the Vatican to the Coliseum.

Albert II and Paola were also present in Rome on the previous Sunday March 20th for Palm Sunday Mass, celebrated at the same St Peter's Square by Pope Francis. The former queen of Italian origin wore a black lace mantilla over her white hair. As for the former king, he already had his camera in hand.
Photo Credit: Paris Match

King Albert and Queen Paola, Princess Astrid, Archduchess of Austria-Este and Prince Lorenz, Archduke of Austria-Este attended the Te Deum Mass on King’s Day at the Saints Michel Cathedral in Brussels, Belgium on November 15, 2015. (Since 1866, for over 148 years King’s Day has been celebrated in honour of the Belgian monarch. 15 November marks the first day of the Feast of Saint Leopold in the German liturgical calendar, while it is the Feast of Saint Albert in the Roman Catholic Calendar) (The Te Deum (also known as Ambrosian Hymn or A Song of the Church) is an early Christian hymn of praise. The title is taken from its opening Latin words, Te Deum laudamus, rendered as 'Thee, O God, we praise')-wikipedia
This year's mass was held under tight very security following Friday events
Photo Credits: rtl.be