Marie José of Belgium

Marie José of Belgium
Queen consort of Italy
Tenure	9 Mey 1946 – 12 June 1946
Born	(1906-08-04)4 August 1906 Ostend, Belgium
Died	27 January 2001(2001-01-27) (aged 94) Thonex, Switzerland
Spouse	Umberto II of Italy (m. 1930–1983; his death)
Issue	Princess Maria Pia Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples Princess Maria Gabriella Princess Maria Beatrice
Full name
Marie José Charlotte Sophie Amèlie Henriette Gabrielle
Father	Albert I of Belgium
Mother	Elisabeth in Bavaria

Marie José of Belgium (Marie José Charlotte Sophie Amélie Henriette Gabrielle; 4 August 1906 – 27 January 2001) was the last Queen consort of Italy. Her 35-day tenure as queen consort earned her the nickname "the May Queen". She had four children with her husband.

Issue

1. Princess Maria Pia of Savoy (born 24 September 1934) married {1) Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia and had issue. Married (2) Prince Michel of Parma and had issue.
2. Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples (born 12 February 1937) married Marina Ricolfi Doria and had issue.
3. Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy (born 24 February 1940) married Robert Zellinger de Balkany and had issue.
4. Princess Maria Beatrice of Savoy (born 2 February 1943) married Luis Rafael Reyna-Corvalán y Dillon and had issue.

Titles and styles

• 4 August 1906 - 8 January 1930 Her Royal Highness Princess Marie José of Belgium, Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Saxony.
• 8 January 1930 - 9 May 1946 Her Royal Highness The Princess of Piedmont.
• 9 May 1946 – 12 June 1946 Her Majesty The Queen of Italy.

Honours

• House of Savoy: Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
• Holy See: Knight of the Order of the Golden Spur
• Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Knight Grand Cross of Justice of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Special Class
• Austrian Imperial and Royal Family: Dame of the Imperial and Royal Order of the Starry Cross, 1st Class
• Greek Royal Family: Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Saints Olga and Sophia, 1st Class