Belgium

King Philippe thanks Belgium for its support during his first 10 years as king

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20th July 2023
King Philippe officially marks 10 years on the Belgian throne this week and used his National Day speech to thank his countrymen for their “great sense of solidarity” through the tragedies and triumphs of his first decade as king.The Belgian king succeeded his father, Albert II, on 21 July 2013. King Albert II decided to abdicate owing to poor health, and said in a speech at the time that…
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Belgium

The day Philippe became King of the Belgians

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20th July 2023
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 succeeded to the throne in 1993 when his older brother died without an heir. Philippe was now first in line to the throne, a…
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Spain

The King of Spain starts a bizarre social media trend

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19th July 2023
The royals are no strangers to viral social media moments at Wimbledon, and this year, thanks to his tailoring, it was King Felipe’s turn.Usually it’s the Princess of Wales with the fashion trends at Centre Court, but King Felipe—who attended the final because of…
Belgium

Mathilde, the discreet Queen setting a new template for consorts

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19th July 2023
King Philippe of Belgium is celebrating ten years on the throne after his father’s abdication in 2013. And throughout the first decade of his reign, his wife, Queen Mathilde, has been by his side. The Queen may not be the most outgoing consort in Europe, but she is a crucial asset for the Belgian Royal Family.King Philippe ascended the throne in 2013, as did King Willem-Alexander of the…
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Belgium

Belgium's King Philippe and his unique relationship with the Church

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18th July 2023
King Philippe of Belgium will be marking a decade of kingship in July 2023; he took the throne after his father abdicated in 2013. Philippe’s role as sovereign has a different relationship with the church than many other monarchs.Belgium does not have a state church. As of 2018, over 60% of Belgians identify as Christian, with 57% of the population identifying as Catholic. As monarch…
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