Queen Astrid Park, located at the junction at the end of Drève St Anne, is dedicated to the memory of Queen Astrid of Belgium, who died in a motoring accident in Switzerland in 1935. She was born Princess Astrid of Sweden, in 1905 and married Prince Leopold of Belgium in 1926. They acceded to the throne in February 1934, following the sudden death of King Albert I in a rock-climbing accident in the Ardennes.
She and Leopold III had three children:
- Josephine-Charlotte was born in 1927. She became the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. She died in 2005.
- Baudouin was born in 1930. He became king in 1953 following the abdication of his father. He died in 1993.
- Albert was born in 1934. He became king in 1993 following Baudouin’s death. Albert II abdicated in 2013 in favour of his son Prince Philippe, who is the present king.
Astrid was tremendously popular, loved for her kindness, gentleness and simplicity of manner. Her untimely death, at the age of just 29 leaving three very young children, led to a huge outpouring of national grief. Throughout Belgium, hospitals, streets and schools are named after her. They include École Reine Astrid in Rue du Wand, Laeken. The Scandinavian School of Brussels is officially named “École Reine Astrid” in her honour.
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