Belgian Queen Paola has reported 'health problem'
September 26, 2018
Queen Paola, the mother of Belgian King Philippe, is to be flown from Italy to Belgium on Wednesday amid reports of a sudden illness.
The Belgian broadcaster RTBF previously reported the 81-year-old queen had fallen ill and suffered a stroke during a visit to Venice, with some Italian news outlets also featuring the story.
The Royal Palace said Queen Paola had suffered a "health problem" and would undergo medical checks upon her return. However, royal officials did not confirm news of the stroke.
Separately, Italy's ANSA news agency reported that the queen had been admitted to Venice's St Giovanni and Paolo hospital, adding that doctors had concluded her life was not in danger.
Royalty from Italy
Queen Paola was born into an aristocratic Italian family in 1937 and married the then-prince Albert in 1959. She became queen in 1993, when her husband was crowned Albert II of Belgium due to the sudden death of his older brother, King Baudouin.
Albert II abdicated in 2013, handing over the throne to the current king, Philippe. The 58-year-old king is the oldest of King Albert's and Queen Paola's three children.
The Queen Mother has faced several health scares in recent years, including heart trouble in 2015 and a cracked vertebrae followed by a broken hip last year.
dj/jm (dpa, AFP, AP)