BELGIAN CONGO on 29 August 1936 issued three commemorative stamps of the late Queen Astrid of Belgium. Multiple St. Edward's Crown Block CA printed only 500,000 copies using a Photogravure method. These charity surtax stamps were earmarked for the Queen Astrid Children's Fund of Congo. The image on the stamp depicts her with indigenous children during a visit to Congo with husband King Leopold III in 1933.
The stamps were issued in three denominations: 2.50 F + 25c, 1.50 F + 10c and 1.25 F + 5c.
As Queen of the Belgians, to Astrid dedicated her time to raising her children and promoting social causes that brought her into contact with the Belgians. She was concerned by the situations of women, children, and disadvantaged people, not just in Belgium but Congo as well. During an economic crisis in Belgium in 1935 she organized the collection of clothing, money and food for the poor through an open letter, published as the "Queen's Appeal." Queen Astrid also visited poor settlements in Belgium. She was particularly interested in training women formally in childcare and healthcare.
On August 29, 1935, the King and Queen went for a last hike in the Swiss mountains before returning home. Their driver was sitting in the back of the Packard One-Twenty convertible; the King was driving and the Queen looking at a map. At approximately 9:30 am the Queen pointed out something to her husband, who looked away from the road. The car left the road, traveled down a steep slope, and collided with a pear tree. Queen Astrid had opened her door in an attempt to jump off but was thrown out upon impact, dying instantly after striking her head on the trunk of the tree while the car hit a second tree. She was only 29 years old, and the accident was a double tragedy as well, as Astrid was pregnant with her fourth child.
Source: Wikipedia
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