King Philippe of Belgium King Philippe of Belgium Family Tree

Family fortunes: A brief history of royalty in Belgium

From The Bulletin's digital magazine: Belgium officially has a new princess, and the adjacent monarch will exist the offset Queen of the Belgians. As a gradual reckoning finally takes place of the atrocities of Leopold II's reign, we have a brief tour through the loftier points and dark chapters of the country'southward purple family unit.

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For some, kings and queens are relics of a bygone era, yet for Belgium, the majestic family has played a vital role non only in guiding national politics but in pulling the country together. This yr, King Philippe and his predecessors accept been thrust into the spotlight more they would accept liked, forcing Belgians to enquire tough questions about their identity and their history.

King Philippe – or Filip to the Dutch-speakers – is only the 7th king since Kingdom of belgium's independence. Strictly speaking, his title is King of the Belgians rather than King of Belgium, supposedly to reverberate his link to the people rather than to a territory or state.

Philippe, 60, is often seen equally stiff and shy, drawing comparisons with the Prince of Wales, yet he has grown in his position. He has become increasingly assertive in his constitutional role of choosing politicians to scope out possible parliamentary majorities and lead the government. And he has been vocal this yr equally the coronavirus struck, reassuring Belgians in the face of the lockdown and other measures to control the spread of the affliction. The coronavirus crisis is "a unique opportunity to rethink our economy and our society", he said, while praising Belgians for their "courage and inventiveness".

His most striking intervention this yr was about Belgium's almost controversial rex, Leopold II, who reigned from 1865 to 1909. Nicknamed during his time as the Builder King, thanks to the number of public works he commissioned, Leopold 2 is today more remembered for his ruthless colonial exploitation of Congo. Speaking on June xxx, the 60th anniversary of Congo'south independence from Kingdom of belgium, Philippe expressed his "deepest regret" for the "acts of violence and cruelty" committed during the occupation – though he did not mention Leopold II by proper name. Past then, Black Lives Affair protests in Belgium had called for the removal of statues of Leopold II, who seized Congo as his personal territory and allowed millions of people to be slaughtered.

From resistance to surrender

Kingdom of belgium's offset rex was not even Belgian. Leopold I was a German prince from the house of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who had fought confronting Napoleon, was offered the crown of Greece but turned information technology downwards, and settled in England, where he was the uncle of the future Queen Victoria. In 1831, a twelvemonth after the Belgian Revolution, he was called as the new country's male monarch. 21 July, the day he swore allegiance to the Belgian constitution, is Belgium'south National Day.

The third king, Albert I (1909-1934), has a hallowed condition equally the king who resisted the Germans during Globe War I, even if information technology was from Veurne, on a modest patch of unoccupied Belgium. This assorted with his son, Leopold III (1934-1951), who surrendered Belgium to the invading Germans in May 1940, earning him the championship Traitor King. In 1951, when it was clear he had lost pop support, Leopold III abdicated, to be succeeded by his son Baudouin, or Boudewijn.

Baudouin (1951-1993), a pious, respected king, himself stepped down for a day on 4 April 1990, so he would not take to give purple assent to an abortion law. When he died of a sudden in July 1993, he was succeeded past his younger brother Albert II (1993-2013). Albert's oath of allegiance anniversary in the Belgian parliament was interrupted by shouts of "long alive the Republic" by libertarian lawmaker Jean-Pierre Van Rossem – but he was drowned out past MPs shouting "long live the King"

Forging a new part

Albert II abdicated in favour of Philippe in 2013, but fabricated the news this yr when a DNA test confirmed he had fathered the artist Delphine Boël during an extramarital relationship, something he had long denied. A court afterwards ruled his daughter had the right to exist addressed as Princess and take the purple family name. In Oct, a photograph of Philippe and Delphine was released by the Palace post-obit the half-brother and sister'due south first meeting; this was shortly followed by news of her meeting with Albert and his married woman, Paola, described as "a new chapter".

Today, Philippe is forging a new part for the monarchy. He has tried to go closer to his subjects and is often seen cycling with his family unit, taking his children to school, and supporting the Belgian men's football game team at international tournaments. His wife, Queen Mathilde, has helped soften his image.

Until 1991, only men were allowed to sit on the throne – queens were only consorts. But Philippe's eldest daughter, Princess Elisabeth, built-in in 2001, is in line to become the first Queen of the Belgians. If and when she takes the crown, it will mark a new phase for Kingdom of belgium'south evolving monarchy.

This commodity is part of The Bulletin's digital mag

Nearly the author

Leo Cendrowicz was born in London just has spent virtually of the by decade working in Brussels as a journalist. He is the i correspondent for Brussels and writes for a number of publications, notably Time ,The Contained, The Guardian, Political leader, The Daily Creature, The Hollywood Reporter, Huffington Post and The Bulletin. Leo has also contributed every bit editor to The Economist Guide to the European Matrimony too as the Time Out Guide to Brussels.

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