Belgium

King Philippe pays moving tributes to his two predecessors, King Albert and King Baudouin, as jubilee approaches

King Philippe has paid a moving tribute to his father and predecessor in a National Day speech ahead of his 10th anniversary on the Belgian throne. The Belgian monarch succeeded his father, Albert II, on 21 July 2013, after the aging king decided to abdicate due to poor health. After 10 years on the throne, King Philippe began his speech by paying homage to his father. “You gave the Queen…
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Belgium

The childhood photo album of King Philippe of the Belgians

King Philippe of the Belgians is marking ten years of rule this July. However, when he was born, in 1960, there was little expectation that he would ever become monarch. The first child of Albert and Paola, then Prince and Princess of Liege, he was third in line to a throne…
Belgium

How the Jubilee celebrations in Belgium began: a summer garden party in a regal setting

King Philippe of the Belgians is about to mark the tenth anniversary of his reign. He took the country’s throne on July 21st 2013 and as Belgium’s national day dawns this year, he will celebrate a decade of rule. Plenty of his fellow citizens want to celebrate with him and the party began several weeks ago when King Philippe and Queen Mathilde hosted a special garden party to mark…
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Belgium

The day Philippe became King of the Belgians

As King Philippe celebrates ten years on the throne, we look back at the day he became King of the Belgians, July 21st 2013. Prince Philippe was born 15 April 1960, the eldest son of Prince Albert and Princess Paola in the reign of his uncle, King Baudouin. Albert…
Belgium

How the line of succession to the throne of Belgium's King Philippe made history

King Philippe of the Belgians is marking ten years on the throne and his country is marking a decade of history. For the accession of Philippe also meant that, for the first time, the country had a female heir to the throne. Philippe’s daughter, Elisabeth, is in line to become the first queen regnant of the country one day. The rules around who can ascend the throne have only recently…
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Belgium

The next Queen Elisabeth: how is she preparing and who's following in her footsteps?

Princess Elisabeth of Belgium has paved the way for a new generation of heirs in Europe to embrace their roles in a continuously changing landscape.  Elisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène was born at 9:58 pm on 25 October 2001, the first of four children born to the then-Duke and Duchess of Brabant.  As it happens for many firstborns, she shaped the education path for the rest of her…
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