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Prince Laurent of Belgium facts for kids

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Prince Laurent
Laurent of Belgium (2021).jpg
Prince Laurent in 2021
Born (1963-10-19) 19 October 1963 (age 61)
Belvédère Château, Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
Spouse
Claire Coombs
(m. 2003)
Issue
  • Princess Louise
  • Prince Nicolas
  • Prince Aymeric
Full name
Laurent Benoît Baudouin Marie de Saxe-Cobourg
House Belgium
Father Albert II of Belgium
Mother Paola Ruffo di Calabria


Prince Laurent of Belgium (Laurent Benoît Baudouin Marie de Saxe-Cobourg; born 19 October 1963) is the second son and youngest child of King Albert II and Queen Paola, and younger brother of King Philippe. Currently, he is 14th in the Belgian line of succession. He had been as high as third in line, but the constitution was amended in 1991 to extend an equal right of succession to women, putting him behind his sister, Princess Astrid, and her descendants.

Laurent's involvement with animal welfare and the environment, together with a relative lack of interest in protocol, has caused him to be dubbed by elements of the popular Belgian press as écolo-gaffeur (the eco-blunderer).

Early life and education

Prince Laurent was born on 19 October 1963 at the Belvédère Château in Laeken, northern Brussels. He was educated at the Royal Cadet High School and at the Royal Military Academy.

Marriage and children

Prince Laurent and Claire Louise Coombs were married in Brussels on 12 April 2003. Coombs was also given the title of Princess of Belgium upon her marriage. The couple have three children:

  • Princess Louise (born 6 February 2004)
  • Prince Nicolas (born 13 December 2005, twin with Aymeric)
  • Prince Aymeric (born 13 December 2005, twin with Nicolas)

The brothers are fifteenth and sixteenth line of succession to the throne. The family live in Villa Clementine, in Tervuren.

Prince Laurent is also a godfather to Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, the daughter of Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, a current pretender to the former throne of Two Sicilies and his wife, Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro.

Health

In March 2014, Prince Laurent was hospitalised with pneumonia and depression. He was voluntarily placed in a medically-induced coma on March 25, and was awakened on 27 March. On 4 April, Queen Paola stated in a letter that Laurent's condition was improving, and that she felt he was 'the most vulnerable' of her three children.

Titles, styles and honours

Styles of
Prince Laurent of Belgium
Coat of arms of a Prince of Belgium.svg
Reference style His Royal Highness
  • His Royal Highness Prince Laurent of Belgium

Prince Laurent does not hold a personal title as younger princes were previously accustomed to receive in the past (such as Count of Flanders or Prince of Liège).

Honours

National

Foreign

Dynastic orders

  • Kingdom of the Two Sicilies Two Sicilian Royal Family:
    • ESP Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George Justicia BAR.svg Knight Grand Cross of Justice of the Two Sicilian Royal Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George

Military ranks

  • Erm ecusson.jpg Omega - Ecole Royale Militaire (Belgique) - Promotion toutes armes.svg 1983–1986 : Royal Military Academy, 123rd promotion TAW ("All Weapons" Faculty)
  • Belgium September 1985  – September 1989 : Belgian Navy, ensign 2nd class
    (Enseigne de vaisseau de 2ème classe/ Vaandrig-ter-zee 2de klasse)
    • Officer oath on 30 October 1985
    • Specialization: combat diver and helicopter pilot
    • Combat diver badge: 20 July 1989 in Bruges handed by his father, divisional admiral
  • Belgium September 1989  – 15 November 1994  : Belgian Navy, ship-of-the-line lieutenant (Lieutenant de vaisseau)
    • helicopter pilot badge handed in 1990 by his uncle King Baudouin
  • Belgium 15 November 1994 – 26 June 2004 : Belgian Navy, frigate captain (Capitaine de frégate)
  • Belgium 26 June 2004 –  : Belgian Navy, ship-of-the-line captain (Capitaine de vaisseau)
Generic-Navy-O1.svg Generic-Navy-O3.svg Generic-Navy-O6.svg Generic-Navy-O7.svg
1985 1989 1994 2004

Source : www.monarchie.be, Prince Laurent

Arms

Coat of arms of Prince Laurent of Belgium
Coat of arms of a Prince of Belgium.svg
Notes
As a Prince of Belgium and a descendant of King Leopold I, the Prince is entitled to use a coat of arms which was stipulated in the Royal Decree of King Philippe in 2019.
Adopted
12 July 2019
Coronet
Princely crown of Belgium
Escutcheon
Sable, a lion rampant or, armed and langued gules (Belgium), on the shoulder an escutcheon barry of ten sable and or, a crancelin vert (Wettin), overall a bordure or.
Supporters
Two lions guardant proper
Motto
French: L'union fait la force
Dutch: Eendracht maakt macht
German: Einigkeit macht stark
Other elements
The whole is placed on a mantle purpure with ermine lining, fringes and tassels or and ensigned with the Royal crown of Belgium.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Lorenzo de Bélgica para niños

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