His reign is the unexpected success story of the 21st century and as he turns 65, King Philippe of the Belgians has plenty to celebrate.
The man who was written off by some when he was still a potential heir has become one of the most popular monarchs on the continent of Europe.
Now, as he marks his milestone birthday, a new portrait of the Belgian monarch has been revealed and it shows him deep in thought.
(Belgian Royal Palace)
Philippe has certainly had plenty to contend with since he was propelled to the throne following the shock abdication of his father, King Albert II, in 2013. Albert later admitted he had had a daughter during an extramarital relationship long before his own reign. Under Philippe’s guidance, his half sister, now Princess Delphine, has become part of the wider Belgian royal family and often takes part in national events.
King Philippe has also had to contend with several political situations but has managed to maintain a calm and respected presence for the monarchy.
(© Koninklijk Paleis, Brussel, Photographer: Bas Bogaerts)
His own heir, Princess Elisabeth, has successfully completed military training and is now studying at Harvard, following graduation from Oxford.
Meanwhile, the ever popular Queen Mathilde continues to win fans across Belgium and is widely credited with helping her husband transform the country’s monarchy into a much more modern and accessible institution.
Philippe Leopold Louis Marie was born on April 15 1960 at the Belvedere Chateau in Laeken, the first child of Albert and his wife, Paola, who were then Prince and Princess of Liege. However, as their own marriage ran into trouble, they became increasingly absent from the lives of Philippe and his younger siblings, Astrid and Laurent.
(Bas Bogaerts)
King Philippe would later reference that when he spoke of his unhappiness at school as a youngster. He went on to attend the Belgian Military Academy as well as Oxford and Stanford universities. However, there were criticisms of his awkwardness in public.
His father became King Albert II in 1993, on the death of King Baudouin, and Philippe was heir to the throne. He took on responsibilities for business after being named honorary chair of the Belgian Foreign Trade Board but he retained a reputation for being dull. All that changed in 1999 when he married Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz who was instantly popular and immediately softened the image of the king in waiting. They had four children together and were soon seen as Belgium’s royal family. On Philippe’s accession in 2013, there were as many cheers for his consort as for the new king.
(Belgian Royal Palace Instagram still/ fair use)
In the twelve years since, their popularity has grown and King Philippe now has a reputation as a hard working, kind man with a sensitivity for others than has helped build bridges in a sometimes divided community. He has also shown real steel in his speeches as king, speaking out on a lack of action for victims of sexual abuse in the Catholic church during a visit from Pope Francis and expressing deep regret for the exploitation and racism that happened in the reigns of his forebears when they controlled the Democratic Republic of Congo.
As he looks to the future, he can be sure that his monarchy is more stable than at any time this century. He also enjoys strong popular support while his heir, Elisabeth, is also hugely popular. His birthday portrait might be contemplative but King Philippe has plenty to smile about as he marks this milestone.
