Belgium

YEAR IN REVIEW: Belgium's 2022 gives the country hope for the future

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28th December 2022
Belgium’s royal year was filled with joy, grief, and historic firsts. 2022 was opened with the death of Prince Lorenz’s mother, Princess Margherita of Savoy-Aosta, Archduchess of Austria-Este, aged 91, on 10 January. Princess Astrid’s mother-in-law was laid to rest almost 20 days later, on 29 January, in a ceremony in Switzerland that also saw King Philippe present. In…
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BelgiumBritish RoyalsDenmarkEuropean RoyalsKing Charles IIILuxembourgNorwaySpainSwedenThe Netherlands

When to see royal Christmas speeches around Europe

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7th December 2022
Several monarchs share a holiday message to mark Christmas and the New Year. Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands delivered the first royal Christmas message via radio in 1931, and King George V of Great Britain delivered his first Christmas message in 1932 to launch what would become the BBC World Service. Now, it’s a well established festive tradition. If you are interested, you can now…
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Belgium

The monarch's role in Belgium

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14th November 2022
Like many modern-day monarchic countries, the role of the sovereign in Belgium is largely ceremonial today. The King does not have political powers in that he doesn’t get to decide which laws get discussed in Parliament nor which issues are put at the forefront of the country’s political agenda. However, this does not mean that his activity is completely detached from the…
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BelgiumEuropean Royals

Prince Gabriel of Belgium gives first public speech

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15th October 2022
Prince Gabriel of Belgium made his first public speech during the ceremony for the opening of the new academic year at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels. After the moment in which he received his blue bonnet, indicating that he had concluded the mandatory five-week training camp, the Prince made his appearance alongside his colleagues for the opening ceremony.  It was the first…
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