Queen Paola of Belgium turns 70 on Sept. 11, 2007, but she celebrated early with a birthday party attended by 800 guests at Laeken Castle in Brussels on Sept. 2, 2007. Here she is greeting one of the guests, all of whom are involved with aiding disabled children.
Belgium's King Albert II and Queen Paola stroll the gardens of Laeken Castle with their grandchildren, Princess Maria Laura and Princess Laetitia, during the queen's 70th birthday party Sept. 2, 2007, in Brussels. As honorary chairwoman of the charity Child Focus, she invited 800 guests involved with aiding disabled children.
Belgium's Crown Prince Philippe and his wife, Princess Mathilde, attend a party to mark the 70th birthday of the prince's mother, Queen Paola, on Sept. 2, 2007, in Brussels.
Princess Claire sits with her sons, Princes Emmerick and Nicolas, at Queen Paola's 70th birthday at Laeken Castle on Sept. 2, 2007. The British-born princess is married to Prince Laurent, son of King Albert II and Queen Paola.
King Albert II from Belgium attends a 70th birthday party for his wife, Queen Paola, at Laeken Castle in Brussels on Sept. 2, 2007. The monarch married Princess Donna Paola Margherita Maria Antonia Consiglia Ruffo di Calabria in 1959. He and the queen have three children.
Queen Paola of Belgium gets a cake to mark her 70th birthday at a party attended by 800 people at Laeken Castle in Brussels on Sept. 2, 2007. Guests got to meet the royal family and stroll the castle grounds.
Princess Claire, her sons Prince Emmerick and Prince Nicolas, and her husband Prince Laurent attend a party for Queen Paola's 70th birthday at Laeken Castle in Brussels on Sept. 2, 2007. Laurent is the youngest of the king and queen's three children. He and Princess Claire have three children.
King Albert II sits with his oldest son, Crown Prince Philippe at a party for Queen Paola's 70th birthday at Laeken Castle on Sept. 2, 2007, in Brussels.
Prince Laurent wheels a stroller with his sons Prince Emmerick and Prince Nicolas through the grounds of Laeken Castle in Brussels during a birthday party for his mother Queen Paola on Sept. 2, 2007.
Crown Prince Philippe and Crown Princess Mathilde emerge from Laeken Castle in Brussels during Queen Paola's 70th birthday party on Sept. 2, 2007. The heir to the throne and Mathilde, the daughter of a count, have been married since 1999 and have three children.
Belgium's Queen Paola greets her daughter-in-law Crown Princess Mathilde at the queen's 70th birthday party at Laeken Castle in Brussels on Sept. 2, 2007.
Queen Paola from Belgium is photographed at her 70th birthday at Laeken Castle in Brussels on Sept. 2, 2007. The mother of three, the queen was born in Italy on Sept. 11, 1937.
Princess Maria Laura and Princess Laetitia attend a birthday party for their grandmother, Belgium's Queen Paola at Laeken Castle in Brussels on Sept. 2, 2007. They are among the five children of Paola's only daughter, Princess Astrid and her husband, Prince Lorenz.
Princess Claire holds her sons Prince Emmerick and Prince Nicolas at a party for Queen Paola's 70th birthday at Laeken Castle in Brussels on Sept. 2, 2007.