Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
is a
constitutional
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When these princip ...
,
hereditary
Heredity, also called inheritance or biological inheritance, is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring; either through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic inform ...
, and
popular monarchy
Popular monarchy is a term used by Kingsley Martin (1936) for monarchical titles referring to a people rather than a territory.
This was the norm in classical antiquity and throughout much of the Middle Ages, and such titles were retained in some ...
. The monarch is titled king or queen of the Belgians ( nl, Koning(in) der Belgen, french: Roi / Reine des Belges}, german: König(in) der Belgier) and serves as the country's
head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
. There have been seven
kings
Kings or King's may refer to:
*Monarchs: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations, with the male being kings
*One of several works known as the "Book of Kings":
**The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts
**The ''Shahnameh'' ...
since independence in 1830.
The incumbent,
Philippe, ascended the throne on 21 July 2013, following the abdication of his father
Albert II.
Origins
When the Belgians became independent in 1830 the
National Congress chose a
constitutional monarchy
A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...
as the
form of government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
. The Congress voted on the question on 22 November 1830, supporting monarchy by 174 votes to 13. In February 1831, the Congress nominated
Louis, Duke of Nemours, the son of the
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
king
Louis-Philippe
Louis Philippe (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, and the penultimate List of French monarchs#House of Orléans, July Monarchy (1830–1848), monarch of France.
As Louis Philippe, Duke of Chartres, h ...
, but international considerations deterred Louis-Philippe from accepting the honor for his son.
Following this refusal, the National Congress appointed
Erasme-Louis, Baron Surlet de Chokier to be the
Regent
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
of Belgium on 25 February 1831.
Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was designated as King of the Belgians by the National Congress and swore allegiance to the
Belgian constitution
The Constitution of Belgium ( nl, Belgische Grondwet, french: Constitution belge, german: Verfassung Belgiens) dates back to 1831. Since then Belgium has been a parliamentary monarchy that applies the principles of ministerial responsibility f ...
in front of
Saint James's Church at
Coudenberg
The Palace of Coudenberg (french: Palais du Coudenberg, nl, Coudenbergpaleis) was a royal residence situated on the Coudenberg or Koudenberg (; Dutch for "Cold Hill"), a small hill in what is today the Royal Quarter of Brussels, Belgium.
F ...
Palace in
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
on 21 July.
This day has since become a
national holiday National holiday may refer to:
* National day, a day when a nation celebrates a very important event in its history, such as its establishment
*Public holiday, a holiday established by law, usually a day off for at least a portion of the workforce, ...
for Belgium and its citizens.
Hereditary and constitutional
As a
hereditary
Heredity, also called inheritance or biological inheritance, is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring; either through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic inform ...
constitutional monarchy system, the role and operation of Belgium's monarchy are governed by the
Constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When ...
. The royal office of King is designated solely for a descendant of the first King of the Belgians, Leopold I.
Since he is bound by the Constitution (above all other ideological and religious considerations, political opinions and debates and economic interests) the King is intended to act as an arbiter and guardian of Belgian national unity and independence. Belgium's monarchs are inaugurated in a purely civil swearing-in ceremony.
The Kingdom of Belgium was never an
absolute monarchy
Absolute monarchy (or Absolutism as a doctrine) is a form of monarchy in which the monarch rules in their own right or power. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen is by no means limited and has absolute power, though a limited constitut ...
. Nevertheless, in 1961, the historian Ramon Arango, wrote that the Belgian monarchy is not "truly constitutional".
Leopold I, Leopold II and Albert I
King Leopold I
* nl, Leopold Joris Christiaan Frederik
* en, Leopold George Christian Frederick
, image = NICAISE Leopold ANV.jpg
, caption = Portrait by Nicaise de Keyser, 1856
, reign = 21 July 1831 –
, predecessor = Erasme Loui ...
was head of Foreign Affairs "as an ''
ancien régime
''Ancien'' may refer to
* the French word for "ancient, old"
** Société des anciens textes français
* the French for "former, senior"
** Virelai ancien
** Ancien Régime
** Ancien Régime in France
{{disambig ...
'' monarch", the foreign ministers having the authority to act only as ministers of the king.
Leopold I quickly became one of the most important shareholders of the ''
Société Générale de Belgique
The ' ( nl, Generale Maatschappij van België; literally "General Company of Belgium") was a large Belgian bank and later holdings company which existed between 1822 and 2003.
The ''Société générale'' was originally founded as an investme ...
''.
Leopold's son,
King Leopold II
* german: link=no, Leopold Ludwig Philipp Maria Viktor
, house = Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
, father = Leopold I of Belgium
, mother = Louise of Orléans
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Brussels, Belgium
, death_date = ...
, is chiefly remembered for the founding and capitalization of the
Congo Free State
''(Work and Progress)
, national_anthem = Vers l'avenir
, capital = Vivi Boma
, currency = Congo Free State franc
, religion = Catholicism (''de facto'')
, leader1 = Leopo ...
as a personal fiefdom. There was scandal when the
atrocities in the Congo Free State
In the period from 1885 to 1908, many well-documented atrocities were perpetrated in the Congo Free State (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo) which, at the time, was a State (polity), state under the absolute rule of Leopold II of Belg ...
were made public, causing the Free State to be taken over by the Belgian Government. Many Congolese were killed as a result of Leopold's policies in the Congo before the reforms of direct Belgian rule.
The Free State scandal is discussed at the Museum of the Congo at
Tervuren
Tervuren () is a municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, Belgium. The municipality comprises the villages of Duisburg, Tervuren, Vossem and Moorsel. On January 1, 2006, Tervuren had a total population of 20,636. The total a ...
in Belgium.
On several occasions Leopold II publicly expressed disagreement with the ruling government (e.g. on 15 August 1887 and in 1905 against Prime Minister
Auguste Beernaert
Auguste Marie François Beernaert (26 July 1829 – 6 October 1912) was the prime minister of Belgium from October 1884 to March 1894, and the 1909 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
Life
Born in Ostend in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands 1829, h ...
) and was accused by
Yvon Gouet
Yvon may refer to:
* Yvon (given name), a masculine given name
* Yvon (surname), a surname
See also
* Chapelle-Yvon
* Evon
* Ivon
* Jaille-Yvon
* Pierre-Yvon
* Yvan
* Yvonne (disambiguation) Yvonne is a female given name.
Yvonne may also refer ...
of noncompliance with the country's parliamentary system.
Leopold II died without surviving legitimate sons. The line now descends from his nephew and successor,
Albert I of Belgium
Albert I (8 April 1875 – 17 February 1934) was King of the Belgians from 23 December 1909 until his death in 1934.
Born in Brussels as the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders and Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-S ...
, who ruled while 90% of Belgium was overrun by the forces of
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Wilhelm II (Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert; 27 January 18594 June 1941) was the last German Emperor (german: Kaiser) and List of monarchs of Prussia, King of Prussia, reigning from 15 June 1888 until Abdication of Wilhelm II, his abdication on 9 ...
and is notable for his forays into
colonial rule
Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their relig ...
of the
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo (french: Congo belge, ; nl, Belgisch-Congo) was a Belgian colony in Central Africa from 1908 until independence in 1960. The former colony adopted its present name, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in 1964.
Colo ...
and later,
abeyant Wilhelm, the
League of Nations
The League of Nations (french: link=no, Société des Nations ) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference that ...
mandate in
Ruanda-Urundi
Ruanda-Urundi (), later Rwanda-Burundi, was a colonial territory, once part of German East Africa, which was occupied by troops from the Belgian Congo during the East African campaign in World War I and was administered by Belgium under militar ...
. In 1934,
Albert died under mysterious circumstances as he
climbed solo on the Roche du Vieux Bon Dieu at
Marche-les-Dames
Marche-les-Dames (; wa, Måtche-les-Dames) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the city of Namur, located in the province of Namur, Belgium.
It is located on the bank of the Meuse river. Because of the high cliffs this place is popular w ...
.
Leopold III and Baudouin
Louis Wodon (the of Leopold III from 1934 to 1940), thought the King's oath to the Constitution implied a royal position "over and above the Constitution". He compared the King to a father, the head of a family, "Regarding the moral mission of the king, it is permissible to point to a certain analogy between his role and that of a father, or more generally, of parents in a family. The family is, of course, a legal institution as is the state. But what would a family be where everything was limited among those who compose it to simply legal relationships? In a family when one considers only legal relationships one comes very close to a breakdown in the moral ties founded on reciprocal affection without which a family would be like any other fragile association" According to Arango,
Leopold III of Belgium
Leopold III (3 November 1901 – 25 September 1983) was King of the Belgians from 23 February 1934 until his abdication on 16 July 1951. At the outbreak of World War II, Leopold tried to maintain Belgian neutrality, but after the German invasi ...
shared these views about the Belgian monarchy.
In 1991, towards the end of the reign of
Baudouin, Senator Yves de Wasseige, a former member of the
Belgian Constitutional Court
The Constitutional Court (Dutch: , french: Cour constitutionelle, german: Verfassungsgerichtshof) plays a central role within the federal Belgian state. This is a judicial court founded in 1980. Its jurisdiction was augmented in 1988 and 2003.
Hi ...
, cited four points of democracy which the Belgian Constitution lacks:
# the King chooses the ministers,
# the King is able to influence the ministers when he speaks with them about bills, projects and nominations,
# the King promulgates bills, and,
# the King must agree to any change of the Constitution
Constitutional, political, and historical consequences
The Belgian monarchy was from the beginning a constitutional monarchy, patterned after that of the United Kingdom.
[ Raymond Fusilier wrote the Belgian regime of 1830 was also inspired by the French Constitution of the ]Kingdom of France (1791–1792)
Kingdom commonly refers to:
* A monarchy ruled by a king or queen
* Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy
Kingdom may also refer to:
Arts and media Television
* ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...
, the United States Declaration of Independence
The United States Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen States of America, is the pronouncement and founding document adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at Pennsylvania State House ...
of 1776 and the old political traditions of both Walloon and Flemish provinces. "It should be observed that all monarchies have suffered periods of change as a result of which the power of the sovereign was reduced, but for the most part those periods occurred before the development of the system of constitutional monarchy and were steps leading to its establishment."[ The characteristic evidence of this is in Great Britain where there was an evolution from the time when kings ruled through the agency of ministers to that time when ministers began to govern through the instrumentality of the ]Crown
A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...
.
Unlike the British constitutional system, in Belgium "the monarchy underwent a belated evolution" which came "after the establishment of the constitutional monarchical system" because, in 1830–1831, an independent state, parliamentary system and monarchy were established simultaneously. Hans Daalder, professor of political science at the Rijksuniversiteit Leiden wrote: "Did such simultaneous developments not result in a possible failure to lay down the limits of the royal prerogatives with some precision—which implied that the view of the King as the Keeper of the Nation, with rights and duties of its own, retained legitimacy?"
For Raymond Fusilier, the Belgian monarchy had to be placed—at least in the beginning—between the regimes where the king rules and those in which the king does not rule but only reign
A reign is the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation (e.g., Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Andorra), of a people (e.g., the Franks, the Zulus) or of a spiritual community (e.g., Catholicism, Tibetan Buddhism, N ...
s. The Belgian monarchy is closer to the principle "the King does not rule", but the Belgian kings were not only "at the head of the dignified part of the Constitution". The Belgian monarchy is not merely symbolic, because it participates in directing affairs of state insofar as the King's will coincides with that of the ministers, who alone bear responsibility for the policy of government. For Francis Delpérée
Francis, Baron Delpérée () is a Belgian politician and a member of the cdH born on 14 January 1942 in Liege. He was elected as a member of the Belgian Senate in 2007. During his studies at the Université catholique de Louvain he was a memb ...
, to reign does not only mean to preside over ceremonies but also to take a part in the running of the State. The Belgian historian Jean Stengers
Jean Stengers (; 13 June 1922 – 15 August 2002, Ixelles) was a Belgian historian.
Biography
A precocious and brilliant student, Stengers entered the Free University of Brussels in 1939, at the age of 17. He published his first scholarly article ...
wrote that "some foreigners believe the monarchy is indispensable to national unity. That is very naive. He is only a piece on the chessboard, but a piece which matters".
List of kings of the Belgians
The monarchs of Belgium originally belonged to the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (; german: Haus Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha) is a European royal house. It takes its name from its oldest domain, the Ernestine duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, its members later sat on the thrones of Belgium, Bu ...
. The family name was changed by Albert I Albert I may refer to:
People Born before 1300
* Albert I, Count of Vermandois (917–987)
*Albert I, Count of Namur ()
*Albert I of Moha
*Albert I of Brandenburg (), first margrave of Brandenburg
*Albert I, Margrave of Meissen (1158–1195)
*Alber ...
in 1920 to the House of Belgium as a result of anti-German sentiment in the aftermath of World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
For completeness, the family tree should include Princess Delphine of Belgium
Princess Delphine of Belgium (''Delphine Michèle Anne Marie Ghislaine de Saxe-Cobourg''; born 22 February 1968), known previously as ''Jonkvrouw'' Delphine Boël, is a Belgian artist and member of the Belgian royal family. She is the daughter ...
(born 1968). Princess Delphine is the legally acknowledged half-sibling of King Philippe of Belgium
french: Philippe Léopold Louis Mariegerman: Philipp Leopold Ludwig Maria
, house = Belgium
, father = Albert II of Belgium
, mother = Paola Ruffo di Calabria
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Belvédère Castle, Laeken, B ...
, and her children are also recognised as members of the royal family.
Title
The proper title of the Belgian monarch is King of the Belgians rather than King of Belgium. The title indicates a popular monarchy
Popular monarchy is a term used by Kingsley Martin (1936) for monarchical titles referring to a people rather than a territory.
This was the norm in classical antiquity and throughout much of the Middle Ages, and such titles were retained in some ...
linked to the people of Belgium (i.e., a hereditary head of state; yet ratified by popular will) rather than to territory or state. The Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
translation of ''King of Belgium'' would have been ''Rex Belgii'', which, from 1815, was the name for the king of the Netherlands
King of The Netherlands (Dutch language, Dutch: ''Koning der Nederlanden'') is the title of the Dutch head of state. The king serves as the Head of state, head of state of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which includes the constituent nations of ...
. Therefore, the separatists who founded Belgium chose ''Rex Belgarum''.
Belgium is the only extant European monarchy in which the heir to the throne does not ascend immediately upon the death or abdication of his or her predecessor. According to Article 91 of the Belgian constitution
The Constitution of Belgium ( nl, Belgische Grondwet, french: Constitution belge, german: Verfassung Belgiens) dates back to 1831. Since then Belgium has been a parliamentary monarchy that applies the principles of ministerial responsibility f ...
, the heir accedes to the throne only upon taking a constitutional oath before a joint session of the two Houses of Parliament. The joint session has to be held within ten days of the death or abdication of the previous monarch. The new Belgian monarch is required to take the Belgian constitutional oath, "I swear to observe the Constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When ...
and the laws of the Belgian people, to maintain the national independence and the integrity of the territory," which is uttered in the three official languages: French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
, Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
, and German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
.
Members of the Belgian royal family are often known by two names: a Dutch and a French one. For example, the current monarch is called 'Philippe' in French and 'Filip' in Dutch; the fifth King of the Belgians was 'Baudouin' in French and 'Boudewijn' in Dutch.
In contrast to King Philippe's title of "King of the Belgians", Princess Elisabeth is called "Princess ''of Belgium''" as the title "Prince of the Belgians" does not exist. She is also Duchess of Brabant
The Duke of Brabant (, ) was the ruler of the Duchy of Brabant since 1183/1184. The title was created by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I of the House of Reginar, son of Godfrey III of Leuven (who was duke of Low ...
, the traditional title of the heir apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
to the Belgian throne. This title precedes the title "Princess of Belgium".
In the other official language of German, monarchs are usually referred to by their French names. The same is true for English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
with the exception of Leopold, where the accent is removed for the purpose of simplicity.
Because of the First World War and the resultant strong anti-German sentiment, the family name was changed in 1920 from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to ''van België, de Belgique'', or ''von Belgien'' ("of Belgium"), depending upon which of the country's three official languages (Dutch, French, and German) is in use. It is this family name which is used on the identity cards and in all official documents by Belgium's royalty (e.g. marriage licenses). In addition to this change of name, the armorial bearings of Saxony were removed from the Belgian royal coat of arms ( see above). Other Coburgers from the multi-branched Saxe-Coburg family have also changed their name, such as George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936.
Born duri ...
, who adopted the family name of Windsor
Windsor may refer to:
Places Australia
* Windsor, New South Wales
** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area
* Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland
**Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...
after the British royal family’s place of residence.
Nevertheless, the Royal Decree published on 19 July and signed on 12 July 2019 by King Philip
Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...
, reinstated the Saxonian
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
escutcheon in the all royal versions of the family's coat of arms. The reinstatement of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha main royal arms occurred shortly after the visit of King Philip and Queen Mathilde to the ancestral Friedenstein Castle
Friedenstein Palace (german: Schloss Friedenstein) is an early Baroque palace built in the mid-17th century by Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha at Gotha, Thuringia, Germany. In Germany, ''Friedenstein'' was one of the largest palaces of its time and o ...
.
ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20
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Period = from:1830 till:2020
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Colors =
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id:regent value:rgb(0.5,0.71,0.84) legend: Regent
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from: start till: 1831 color:regent text:"Erasme Louis Surlet de Chokier
Érasme-Louis, Baron Surlet de Chokier (27 November 1769 – 7 August 1839), born in Liège, was a Belgian politician and, before the accession of Leopold I to the Belgian throne, was the first Regent of Belgium.
During the Liège Revolution ...
" fontsize:10
from: 1831 till: 1865 color:king text:" Leopold I" fontsize:10
from: 1865 till: 1909 color:king text:" Leopold II" fontsize:10
from: 1909 till: 1934 color:king text:"Albert I Albert I may refer to:
People Born before 1300
* Albert I, Count of Vermandois (917–987)
*Albert I, Count of Namur ()
*Albert I of Moha
*Albert I of Brandenburg (), first margrave of Brandenburg
*Albert I, Margrave of Meissen (1158–1195)
*Alber ...
" fontsize:10
from: 1934 till: 1951 color:king text:" Leopold III" fontsize:10
from: 1944 till: 1951 color:regent shift:(25,-4) text:"Charles
Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...
" fontsize:10
from: 1951 till: 1993 color:king text:" Baudouin" fontsize:10
from: 1993 till: 2013 color:king text:" Albert II" fontsize:10
from: 2013 till: end color:king text:" Philippe" fontsize:10
Constitutional role
The Belgian monarchy symbolises and maintains a feeling of national unity by representing the country in public functions and international meetings.
In addition, the monarch has a number of responsibilities in the process of the formation of the Government. The procedure usually begins with the nomination of the "Informateur
A formateur (French for "someone who forms, who constitutes") is a politician who is appointed to lead the formation of a coalition government, after either a general election or the collapse of a previous government. The role of the formateur i ...
" by the monarch. After the general election the Informateur officially informs the monarch of the main political formations which may be available for governance. After this phase, the monarch can appoint another "informateur" or appoint a "Formateur
A formateur (French for "someone who forms, who constitutes") is a politician who is appointed to lead the formation of a coalition government, after either a general election or the collapse of a previous government. The role of the formateur is ...
", who will have the charge of forming a new government, of which he or she generally becomes the Prime Minister.
Article 37 of the Constitution of Belgium
The Constitution of Belgium ( nl, Belgische Grondwet, french: Constitution belge, german: Verfassung Belgiens) dates back to 1831. Since then Belgium has been a parliamentary monarchy that applies the principles of ministerial responsibility f ...
vests the "federal executive power" in the monarch. Under Section III, this power includes the appointment and dismissal of ministers, the implementation of the laws passed by the Federal Parliament
The Parliament of Australia (officially the Federal Parliament, also called the Commonwealth Parliament) is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It consists of three elements: the monarch (represented by the governor-gen ...
, the submission of bills to the Federal Parliament and the management of international relations. The monarch sanctions and promulgates all laws passed by Parliament. In accordance with Article 106 of the Belgian Constitution, the monarch is required to exercise his powers through the ministers. His acts are not valid without the countersignature of the responsible minister, who in doing so assumes political responsibility for the act in question. This means that federal executive power is exercised in practice by the Federal Government
A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...
, which is accountable to the Chamber of Representatives in accordance with Article 101 of the Constitution.
The monarch receives the prime minister at the Palace of Brussels at least once a week, and also regularly calls other members of the government to the palace in order to discuss political matters. During these meetings, the monarch has the right to be informed of proposed governmental policies, the right to advise, and the right to warn on any matter as the monarch sees fit. The monarch also holds meetings with the leaders of all the major political parties and regular members of parliament. All of these meetings are organised by the monarch's personal political cabinet which is part of the Royal Household.
The monarch is the Commander-in-Chief of the Belgian Armed Forces
The Belgian Defense Forces ( nl, Defensie; french: La Défense) is the national military of Belgium. The King of the Belgians is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The Belgian Armed Forces was established after Belgium became indepen ...
and makes appointments to the higher positions. The names of the nominees are sent to the monarch by the Ministry of Defence. The monarch's military duties are carried out with the help of the Military Household which is headed by a General office. Belgians may write to the monarch when they meet difficulties with administrative powers.
The monarch is also one of the three components of the federal legislative power, in accordance with the Belgian Constitution, together with the two chambers of the Federal Parliament
The Parliament of Australia (officially the Federal Parliament, also called the Commonwealth Parliament) is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It consists of three elements: the monarch (represented by the governor-gen ...
: the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
. All laws passed by the Federal Parliament must be signed and promulgated by the monarch.
Previously, children of the King were entitled to a seat in the senate (Senator by right
Senators by right ( nl, senator van rechtswege, french: sénateur de droit, german: Senator von Rechts wegen) were non-elected members of the Belgian Senate.
If the ruling monarch of Belgium had any children, all of them who were older than eig ...
) when they were 18. This right was abolished in 2014 as part of the Sixth Belgian state reform
The sixth state reform in the federal kingdom of Belgium is the result after the 2010–2011 Belgian government formation, with 541 days of negotiations, the longest ever in Belgium and possibly the world. The agreement was made among the Christi ...
.
Inviolability
Article 88 of the Belgian Constitution
The Constitution of Belgium ( nl, Belgische Grondwet, french: Constitution belge, german: Verfassung Belgiens) dates back to 1831. Since then Belgium has been a parliamentary monarchy that applies the principles of ministerial responsibility f ...
provides that "the King's person is inviolable, his ministers are responsible". This means that the King cannot be prosecuted, arrested, or convicted of crimes, cannot be summoned to appear before a civil court, and is not accountable to the Federal Parliament
The Parliament of Australia (officially the Federal Parliament, also called the Commonwealth Parliament) is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It consists of three elements: the monarch (represented by the governor-gen ...
. This inviolability was deemed incompatible, however, with Article 27 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC). It was adopted at a diplomatic conference in Rome, Italy on 17 July 1998Michael P. Scharf (August 1998)''Results of the R ...
which states that official capacity shall not exempt a person from criminal responsibility under the statute.
Traditions
The Court still keeps some old traditions, most famous is the tradition that the Reigning King of the Belgians becomes the godfather of a seventh son and the Queen the godmother of a seventh daughter. The child is then given the name of the Sovereign and receives a gift from the palace and Burgomaster
Burgomaster (alternatively spelled burgermeister, literally "master of the town, master of the borough, master of the fortress, master of the citizens") is the English form of various terms in or derived from Germanic languages for the chief m ...
of the city.
Similar traditions are attached to the Russian Tsar
Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East and South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" in the European medieval sense of the ter ...
and the President of Argentina
The president of Argentina ( es, Presidente de Argentina), officially known as the president of the Argentine Nation ( es, Presidente de la Nación Argentina), is both head of state and head of government of Argentina. Under Constitution of Ar ...
.
Another tradition is the centuries-old ceremonial welcome the new king receives in the country during the Joyous Entry
A Joyous Entry ( nl, Blijde Intrede, Blijde Inkomst, or ; ) is the official name used for the ceremonial royal entry, the first official peaceable visit of a reigning monarch, prince, duke or governor into a city, mainly in the Duchy of Braban ...
; this tradition apparently dates back to the Dukes of Brabant
The Duke of Brabant (, ) was the ruler of the Duchy of Brabant since 1183/1184. The title was created by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I of the House of Reginar, son of Godfrey III of Leuven (who was duke of Low ...
.
Popular support
Popular support for the monarchy had historically been higher in Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
and lower in Wallonia
Wallonia (; french: Wallonie ), or ; nl, Wallonië ; wa, Waloneye or officially the Walloon Region (french: link=no, Région wallonne),; nl, link=no, Waals gewest; wa, link=no, Redjon walone is one of the three regions of Belgium—alo ...
. The generally pro-monarchy Catholic Party and later Christian Social Party dominated in Flanders, while the more industrialised Wallonia had more support for the Belgian Labour Party
The Belgian Labour Party ( nl, Belgische Werkliedenpartij, BWP; french: Parti ouvrier belge, POB) was the first major socialist party in Belgium. Founded in 1885, the party was officially disbanded in 1940 and superseded by the Belgian Socialist P ...
and later Socialist Party
Socialist Party is the name of many different political parties around the world. All of these parties claim to uphold some form of socialism, though they may have very different interpretations of what "socialism" means. Statistically, most of th ...
. For example, the 1950 referendum saw Flanders voting strongly in favour of King Leopold III returning, whereas Wallonia was largely against. However, in recent decades these roles have reversed, as religiosity in Flanders has decreased and the King is seen as protecting the country against (Flemish) separatism and the country's partition.
Royal Household
The King's Household ( nl, Het Huis van de Koning, french: La Maison du Roi, german: Das Haus des Königs) was reorganised in 2006, and consists of seven autonomous departments and the Court's Steering Committee. Each Head of Department is responsible for his department and is accountable to the King.
The following departments currently make up the King's Household:
*the Department for Economic, Social and Cultural Affairs
*the King's Cabinet
*the King's Military Household
*the King's Civil List
*the Department for Foreign Relations
*the Department of the Protocol of the Court
*the Department of Petitions
The King's Chief of Cabinet is responsible for dealing with political and administrative matters and for maintaining the relations with the government, trade unions and industrial circles. In relation to the King, the Chief assists in keeping track of current events; informs regarding all aspects of Belgian life; proposes and prepares audiences; assists in preparing speeches and informs the King about developments in international affairs. The Chief of Cabinet is assisted by the Deputy and Legal Adviser, the Press Adviser and the Archivist. The incumbent Chief of Cabinet is Baron Frans Van Daele, former Chief of Cabinet of President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy.
The Head of the King's Military Household assists the King in fulfilling his duties in the field of defence. He informs the King about all matters of security, defence policy, the views of Belgium's main partner countries and all aspects of the Belgian Armed Forces
The Belgian Defense Forces ( nl, Defensie; french: La Défense) is the national military of Belgium. The King of the Belgians is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The Belgian Armed Forces was established after Belgium became indepen ...
. He organises the King's contacts with the Armed Forces, advises in the fields of scientific research and police and coordinates matters with patriotic associations and former service personnel. The Military Household is also responsible for managing the Palace's computer system. The Head of the Military Household is a General Officer
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...
, currently General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
Jef Van den put
Jef is a Dutch-language masculine given name primarily used in Belgium. It is a short form of Jozef/ Josef, used also in Breton. People with the name include:
*Jef Billings (born 1945), American figure skating costume designer
*Jef Boeke (born 19 ...
and assisted by an adviser, currently Lieutenant-Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Aviator
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...
Serge Vassart. The King's Aides-de-Camp and the King's Equerries are also attached to the Military Household.
The King's ''aides-de-camp'' are senior officers chosen by the monarch and charged with carrying out certain tasks on his behalf, such as representing him at events. The King's Equerries are young officers who take turns preparing the King's activities, informing him about all the aspects that may be important to him and providing any other useful services such as announcing visitors. The equerry accompanies the King on his trips except for those of a strictly private nature.
The Intendant of the King's Civil List is responsible for managing the material, financial and human resources of the King's Household. He is assisted by the Commandant of the Royal Palaces, the Treasurer of the King's Civil List and the Civil List Adviser. The Intendant of the Civil List also advises the King in the field of energy, sciences and culture and administers the King's hunting rights. The Commandant of the Royal Palaces is mainly in charge, in close cooperation with the Chief of Protocol, of the logistic support of activities and the maintenance and cleaning of the Palaces, Castles and Residences. He is also Director of the Royal Hunts.
The Chief of Protocol is charged with organising the public engagements of the King and the Queen, such as audiences, receptions and official banquets at the Palace, as well as formal activities outside of the Palace. He is assisted by the Queen's Secretary, who is mainly responsible for proposing and preparing the Queen's audiences and visits.
The Head of the Department for Economic, Social and Cultural Affairs advises the King in the economic, social and cultural fields. He is also responsible for providing coordination between the various Households and Services and for organising and minuting the meetings of the Steering Committee. The Head of the Department for Foreign Relations informs the King of developments in international policy, assists the King from a diplomatic viewpoint on royal visits abroad and prepares the King's audiences in the international field. He is also responsible for maintaining contacts with foreign diplomatic missions. The Head of the Department of Petitions is charged with processing petitions and requests for social aid addressed the King, the Queen or other members of the royal family. He is also responsible for the analysis and coordination of royal favours and activities relating to jubilees, and advises the King in the fields for which he is responsible.
For the personal protection of the King and the royal family, as well as for the surveillance of the royal estates, the Belgian Federal Police
The Belgian Federal Police ( nl, Federale Politie; french: Police Fédérale; german: Föderale Polizei) is the national police force of the Kingdom of Belgium. It carries out specialized and supra-local administrative and judicial police oper ...
at all times provides a security detail to the Royal Palace, commanded by a chief police commissioner. The other members of the royal family have a service at their disposal.
Royal family
Members of the Belgian royal family, other than the monarch, hold the title of Prince or Princess of Belgium, with the style of Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style used to address or refer to some members of royal families, usually princes or princesses. Monarchs and their consorts are usually styled ''Majesty''.
When used as a direct form of address, spoken or written, it takes ...
. Prior to the First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, they used the additional titles of Prince or Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Duke or Duchess of Saxony, as members of the House of Wettin
The House of Wettin () is a dynasty of German kings, prince-electors, dukes, and counts that once ruled territories in the present-day German states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The dynasty is one of the oldest in Europe, and its ori ...
.
The title Prince or Princess of Belgium is a specific noble title within the Belgian nobility
The Belgian nobility comprises Belgian individuals or families recognized as noble with or without a title of nobility in the Kingdom of Belgium. The Belgian constitution states that no specific privileges are attached to the nobility.
History
...
reserved for members of the Belgian royal family. Originally the Royal Decree of 14 March 1891 reserved this title for all persons descending in the direct male line from king Leopold I. The royal decree also automatically granted the title to the princesses who joined the Belgian royal family by their marriage to a Prince of Belgium. This royal decree was amended by the Royal Decree of 2 December 1991, which reserved the title for the direct male and female descendants of Albert II and abolished the Salic Law with regards to its granting. The Royal Decree of 12 November 2015, published in the Belgian official journal on 24 November 2015 abolished the aforementioned Royal Decree of 1991 and restricts new grants of this title to the children and grandchildren of the reigning monarch, and to the children and grandchildren of the crownprince(ss). The spouse of a Prince or Princess of Belgium is no longer automatically granted the title but he or she can still be granted the title by royal decree on an individual basis. Prior to this, all descendants of Albert II were entitled to the title of prince or princess.
King Philippe (born 15 April 1960) is King of the Belgians. He married, on 4 December 1999, ''Jonkvrouwe'' Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz
Mathilde (born ''Jonkvrouw'' Mathilde Marie Christine Ghislaine d'Udekem d'Acoz ; 20 January 1973) is Queen of the Belgians as the wife of King Philippe. She is the first native-born Belgian queen. She has founded and assisted charities to ...
, who was created Princess Mathilde of Belgium a day before their wedding, after which she also took the title Duchess of Brabant as the wife of the Duke of Brabant
The Duke of Brabant (, ) was the ruler of the Duchy of Brabant since 1183/1184. The title was created by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I of the House of Reginar, son of Godfrey III of Leuven (who was duke of Low ...
, and became, from 21 July 2013, Queen Mathilde of the Belgians. She is a daughter of Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz (made a count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
prior to the wedding) and his wife, Countess Anna Maria Komorowska
Mathilde (born ''Jonkvrouw'' Mathilde Marie Christine Ghislaine d'Udekem d'Acoz ; 20 January 1973) is Queen of the Belgians as the wife of King Philippe. She is the first native-born Belgian queen. She has founded and assisted charities to ...
. They have four children:
*Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant
Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant ( nl, Elisabeth Theresia Maria Helena; french: Élisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène; born 25 October 2001) is the heir apparent to the Belgian throne. The eldest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathild ...
, who will inherit the throne after her father due to a 1991 act of succession which established absolute (gender-neutral) primogeniture
Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...
, altering the order of succession from "eldest son" to "eldest child".
*Prince Gabriel of Belgium
nl, Gabriël Boudewijn Karel Maria
, image = Gabriël van België.png
, caption = Picture released by the Belgian Royal Household on the Prince's birthday in 2022
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Erasmus Hospital, Anderlecht, B ...
*Prince Emmanuel of Belgium
Prince Emmanuel of Belgium (''Emmanuel Léopold Guillaume François Marie''; born 4 October 2005) is the younger son and third child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium. He is currently third in line to the throne of Belgium afte ...
*Princess Eléonore of Belgium
Princess Eléonore of Belgium (''Eléonore Fabiola Victoria Anne Marie''; born 16 April 2008) is the younger daughter and the youngest of four children of Philippe of Belgium, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium. She is currently fourth i ...
Other members of the royal family
* King Albert II (born 6 June 1934). He was the king between 1993 (following the death of his brother King Baudouin
Baudouin (;, ; nl, Boudewijn Albert Karel Leopold Axel Maria Gustaaf, ; german: Balduin Albrecht Karl Leopold Axel Maria Gustav. 7 September 1930 – 31 July 1993), Dutch name Boudewijn, was King of the Belgians from 17 July 1951 until his dea ...
) and 21 July 2013, the Belgian National Day, when he abdicated in favour of his son Philippe, Duke of Brabant, because of ill health. On 2 July 1959, he married ''Donna'' Paola Ruffo di Calabria
Paola (born Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria;AlthougThe Belgian Monarchy websiteattributes the title of "Princess" to Queen Paola prior to marriage, Burke's Peerage 1973, The Descendants of Louis XIII 1999, ''Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels'' 200 ...
(born 11 September 1937) in Brussels, who became HRH Princess Paola of Belgium, Princess of Liège, and after 1993, became Queen Paola of the Belgians. She is the daughter of Fulco VIII, Prince Ruffo di Calabria, 6th Duke of Guardia Lombarda (1884–1946) and his wife, Luisa Gazelli dei Conti di Rossana e di Sebastiano (1896–1989). Together they have three children, the current king (see above), a daughter and another son:
**Princess Astrid, Archduchess of Austria-Este
Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (born 5 June 1962), is the second child and first daughter of King Albert II and Queen Paola, and the younger sister to the current Belgian monarch, King Philippe. She is married to Pri ...
(born 5 June 1962). She is the wife of Prince Lorenz of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este
Prince Lorenz of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este (born 16 December 1955) is a member of the Belgian royal family as the husband of Princess Astrid of Belgium. He is the head of the House of Austria-Este, a cadet branch of the House of Habsburg- ...
, Prince Royal of Hungary and Bohemia, whom she married on 22 September 1984 and who was created a prince of Belgium in 1995. Princess Astrid, with her own descendants, is before her brother Laurent in the order of succession to the Belgian throne, due to the 1991 act of succession mentioned above. They have five children:
*** Prince Amedeo of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este
Prince Amedeo of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este (Amedeo Marie Joseph Carl Pierre Philippe Paola Marcus d'Aviano; born 21 February 1986) is a grandson of King Albert II of Belgium, and thus a member of the Belgian royal family. He is also he ...
. He married Elisabetta Maria Rosboch von Wolkenstein on 5 July 2014. They have one daughter and one son:
****Archduchess Anna Astrid of Austria-Este
****Archduke Maximilian of Austria-Este
***Princess Maria Laura of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este
Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (born 5 June 1962), is the second child and first daughter of King Albert II and Queen Paola, and the younger sister to the current Belgian monarch, King Philippe. She is married to Pri ...
. She married William Isvy on 10 September 2022.
***Prince Joachim of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este
Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (born 5 June 1962), is the second child and first daughter of King Albert II and Queen Paola, and the younger sister to the current Belgian monarch, King Philippe. She is married to Prin ...
***Princess Luisa Maria of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este
Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (born 5 June 1962), is the second child and first daughter of Albert II of the Belgians, King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium, Queen Paola, and the younger sister to the current Belgi ...
***
**Prince Laurent of Belgium nl, Laurens Benedikt Boudewijn Maria ger, Laurentius Benedikt Balduin Maria
, image = Prince Laurent of Belgium (2015 F).jpg
, caption = Prince Laurent in 2015
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Belvédère Castle, Laeken, Brussels, ...
(born 19 October 1963). He married Claire Coombs, an Anglo-Belgian former land surveyor
Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. A land surveying professional is ca ...
, on 12 April 2003, who was created HRH Princess Claire of Belgium 11 days before their wedding. They have one daughter and two sons:
***Princess Louise of Belgium
Princess Louise Marie Amélie of Belgium (18 February 1858 – 1 March 1924) was the eldest child and daughter of King Leopold II and Queen Marie Henriette of Belgium. She was a member of the House of Wettin in the branch of Saxe-Coburg and G ...
***Prince Nicolas of Belgium nl, Laurens Benedikt Boudewijn Maria ger, Laurentius Benedikt Balduin Maria
, image = Prince Laurent of Belgium (2015 F).jpg
, caption = Prince Laurent in 2015
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Belvédère Castle, Laeken, Brussels, ...
***Prince Aymeric of Belgium nl, Laurens Benedikt Boudewijn Maria ger, Laurentius Benedikt Balduin Maria
, image = Prince Laurent of Belgium (2015 F).jpg
, caption = Prince Laurent in 2015
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Belvédère Castle, Laeken, Brussels ...
**Princess Delphine of Belgium
Princess Delphine of Belgium (''Delphine Michèle Anne Marie Ghislaine de Saxe-Cobourg''; born 22 February 1968), known previously as ''Jonkvrouw'' Delphine Boël, is a Belgian artist and member of the Belgian royal family. She is the daughter ...
(born 22 February 1968). She is the non-marital daughter of King Albert II by his former mistress, Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps
Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps (born 28 August 1941) is a Belgian noblewoman. She is the former mistress of King Albert II, with whom she has a daughter, Princess Delphine.
Born in Uccle, De Selys Longchamps is the daughter of Count Mic ...
. After winning a paternity case in 2020, she and her children were elevated to the rank of prince/princess of Belgium by a court ruling on 1 October 2020. She has been in a relationship with James O'Hare since 2000. They have one daughter and one son:
*** Princess Joséphine of Belgium
***Prince Oscar of Belgium
Princess Delphine of Belgium (''Delphine Michèle Anne Marie Ghislaine de Saxe-Cobourg''; born 22 February 1968), known previously as ''Jonkvrouw'' Delphine Boël, is a Belgian artist and member of the Belgian royal family. She is the daughter ...
Other descendants of Leopold III
*Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Henri (french: Henri Albert Gabriel Félix Marie Guillaume, ; born 16 April 1955) is the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He has reigned since 7 October 2000. Henri, the eldest son of Grand Duke Jean and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, is a f ...
(born 16 April 1955). He is the eldest son of Grand Duke Jean and Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium
Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium (11 October 1927 – 10 January 2005), was the Grand Duchess consort of Luxembourg as the wife of Grand Duke Jean. She was the first child of King Leopold III of Belgium, and sister of the late King Baudoui ...
, sister of Kings Baudouin and Albert II and aunt of King Philippe.
*Princess Léa of Belgium
Princess Léa of Belgium (born Léa Inga Dora Wolman; 2 December 1951, in Brussels, Belgium) is the widow of Prince Alexandre of Belgium. She is an aunt by marriage of King Philippe of Belgium.
Early life and family
Princess Léa was born on ...
(born 2 December 1951). She is the widow of Prince Alexandre of Belgium nl, Alexander Emanuel Hendrik Albert Maria Leopold
, father = Leopold III of Belgium
, mother = Lilian Baels
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Stuyvenberg Castle, Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
, death_date =
, death_place = Sint-Genes ...
, half-brother of both Kings Baudouin and Albert II, and half-uncle of King Philippe.
* Princess Marie-Christine, Mrs Gourgues (born 6 February 1951). She is the eldest daughter of Leopold III and Lilian, Princess of Réthy
Princess Lilian of Belgium, Princess of Réthy (born Mary Lilian Henriette Lucie Josephine Ghislaine Baels; – ) was the second wife of King Leopold III of Belgium. Born in the United Kingdom and raised in Belgium, she became a volunteer a ...
, half-sister of both Kings Baudouin and Albert II and half-aunt of King Philippe. Her first marriage, to Paul Drucker (Toronto, Ontario, 1 November 1937 – 1 April 2008) in Coral Gables, Miami-Dade County, Florida, on 23 May 1981, lasted 40 days (though they weren't formally divorced till 1985); she subsequently married Jean-Paul Gourges in Los Angeles, California, on 28 September 1989.
* Princess Marie-Esméralda, Lady Moncada (born 30 September 1956). She is the youngest daughter of Leopold III and Lilian, Princess of Réthy
Princess Lilian of Belgium, Princess of Réthy (born Mary Lilian Henriette Lucie Josephine Ghislaine Baels; – ) was the second wife of King Leopold III of Belgium. Born in the United Kingdom and raised in Belgium, she became a volunteer a ...
, half-sister of both Kings Baudouin and Albert II and half-aunt of King Philippe. Princess Marie-Esméralda is a journalist, writing under the name ''Esméralda de Réthy''. She married Sir Salvador Moncada
Sir Salvador Moncada, FRS, FRCP, FMedSci (born 3 December 1944) is a Honduran-British pharmacologist and professor. He is currently Research Domain Director for Cancer at the University of Manchester.
In the past, he was the Research Directo ...
, a Honduran-British pharmacologist, in London on 4 April 1998. They have a daughter, Alexandra Leopoldine (born in London on 4 August 1998), and a son, Leopoldo Daniel (born in London on 21 May 2001).
Family tree of members
Deceased members
* Crown Prince Louis Philippe (eldest son of Leopold I, died in 1834);
* Queen Louise-Marie (second wife of Leopold I, died in 1850);
*King Leopold I
* nl, Leopold Joris Christiaan Frederik
* en, Leopold George Christian Frederick
, image = NICAISE Leopold ANV.jpg
, caption = Portrait by Nicaise de Keyser, 1856
, reign = 21 July 1831 –
, predecessor = Erasme Loui ...
(second son of Prince Francis, died in 1865);
*Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico
Maximilian I (german: Ferdinand Maximilian Josef Maria von Habsburg-Lothringen, link=no, es, Fernando Maximiliano José María de Habsburgo-Lorena, link=no; 6 July 1832 – 19 June 1867) was an Austrian archduke who reigned as the only Emperor ...
(husband of Princess Charlotte Princess Charlotte may refer to:
People
* Charlotte Christine of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1694–1715), wife of Tsarevich Alexei Petrovich of Russia and mother of Tsar Peter II, Emperor of Russia
* Charlotte Aglaé d'Orléans (1700–1761), wife of ...
, daughter of Leopold I, died in 1867);
*Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant nl, Leopold Ferdinand Elias Viktor Albert Maria
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Royal Castle of Laeken, Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
, death_date =
, death_place = Royal Castle of Laeken, Laeken, Brussels, Belgium
, burial_plac ...
(eldest son of Leopold II, died in 1869);
* Princess Joséphine-Marie (second daughter of Prince Philippe, third son of Leopold I, died in 1871);
*Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria
en, Rudolph Francis Charles Joseph
, caption = Rudolf in 1887
, spouse =
, issue = Elisabeth Marie, Princess Otto of Windisch-Graetz
, house = Habsburg-Lorraine
, father = Franz Joseph I of Austria
, mother ...
(first husband of Princess Stéphanie, daughter of Leopold II, died in 1889);
* Prince Baudouin (eldest son of Prince Philippe, third son of Leopold I, died in 1891);
*Queen Marie Henriette
Marie Henriette Anne of Austria (23 August 1836 – 19 September 1902) was Queen of the Belgians as the wife of King Leopold II. The marriage was arranged against the will of both Marie Henriette and Leopold and became unhappy due to their dis ...
(wife of Leopold II, died in 1902);
*Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders
nl, Filips Eugeen Ferdinand Marie Clemens Boudewijn Leopold Joris
, image = Philippe comte de Flandre (1880).jpg
, caption =
, spouse =
, issue =
, house = Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
, father ...
(third son of Leopold I, died in 1905);
*King Leopold II
* german: link=no, Leopold Ludwig Philipp Maria Viktor
, house = Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
, father = Leopold I of Belgium
, mother = Louise of Orléans
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Brussels, Belgium
, death_date = ...
(second son of Leopold I, died in 1909);
* Princess Marie, Countess of Flandres (widow of Prince Philippe, third son of Leopold I, died in 1912);
*Prince Karl Anton of Hohenzollern
Prince Karl Anton of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (german: Karl Anton Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Prinz von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen) (1 September 1868 – 21 February 1919) was a member of the Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Princely House of Hohenzollern- ...
(husband of Princess Joséphine Caroline, sister of Albert I, died in 1919);
* Prince Philipp of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duke in Saxony (husband of Princess Louise, daughter of Leopold II, died in 1921);
* Princess Louise of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess in Saxony (eldest daughter of Leopold II, died in 1924);
* Prince Victor, Prince Napoléon (husband of Princess Clémentine, daughter of Leopold II, died in 1926);
*Empress Carlota of Mexico
Charlotte of Belgium (''Marie Charlotte Amélie Augustine Victoire Clémentine Léopoldine''; 7 June 1840 – 19 January 1927), known by the Spanish version of her name, Carlota, was by birth a Princess of Belgium and member of the House of ...
(eldest daughter of Leopold I, died in 1927);
* Prince Emmanuel, Duke of Vendôme and Alençon (husband of Princess Henriette, sister of Albert I, died in 1931);
*King Albert I
Albert I (8 April 1875 – 17 February 1934) was King of the Belgians from 23 December 1909 until his death in 1934.
Born in Brussels as the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders and Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-S ...
(youngest son of Prince Philippe, third son of Leopold I, died in 1934);
*Queen Astrid
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mothe ...
(first wife of Leopold III, died in 1935);
* Crown Princess Stéphanie of Austria, Princess Lónyai de Nagy-Lónya (eldest daughter of Leopold II, died in 1945);
*Prince Elemér Lónyai de Nagy-Lónya (widower of Princess Stéphanie, daughter of Leopold II, died in 1946);
* Princess Henriette, Duchess of Vendôme and Alençon (eldest daughter of Prince Philippe, third son of Leopold I, died in 1948);
* Clémentine, Princess Napoléon (youngest daughter of Leopold II, died in 1955);
* Princess Joséphine-Caroline of Hohenzollern (third daughter of Prince Philippe, son of Leopold I, died in 1958);
* Queen Elisabeth (widow of Albert I, died in 1965);
* King Umberto II of Italy (husband of Princess Maria-José, daughter of Albert I, died in 1983);
* Prince Regent Charles, Count of Flanders (second son of Albert I, died in 1983);
*King Leopold III
Leopold III (3 November 1901 – 25 September 1983) was King of the Belgians from 23 February 1934 until his abdication on 16 July 1951. At the outbreak of World War II, Leopold tried to maintain Belgian neutrality, but after the German invasi ...
(eldest son of Albert I, died in 1983);
* King Baudouin I (eldest son of Leopold III, died in 1993);
* Queen Marie-José of Italy (eldest daughter of Albert I, died in 2001);
*Lilian, Princess of Réthy
Princess Lilian of Belgium, Princess of Réthy (born Mary Lilian Henriette Lucie Josephine Ghislaine Baels; – ) was the second wife of King Leopold III of Belgium. Born in the United Kingdom and raised in Belgium, she became a volunteer a ...
(second wife of Leopold III, died in 2002);
* Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg (eldest daughter of Leopold III, died in 2005);
* Prince Alexandre (third son of Leopold III, died in 2009);
*Queen Fabiola
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mothe ...
(widow of Baudouin I, died in 2014);
*Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg
Jean (Jean Benoît Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc d'Aviano; 5 January 1921 – 23 April 2019) was the Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1964 until his abdication in 2000. He was the first Grand Duke of Luxembourg of French agnatic ...
(widower of Princess Joséphine-Charlotte, daughter of Leopold III, died in 2019);
Royal consorts
* Princess Louise d'Orléans (second wife of King Leopold I)
* Archduchess Marie Henriette of Austria (wife of King Leopold II)
*Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria
Duchess Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie in Bavaria (24 December 1837 – 10 September 1898) was Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary from her marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph I on 24 April 1854 until her assassination in 1898.
Elisabeth was ...
(wife of King Albert I)
* Princess Astrid of Sweden (first wife of King Leopold III)
*Mary Lilian Baels
Mary may refer to:
People
* Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name)
Religious contexts
* New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below
* Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...
* (second wife of King Leopold III)
* ''Doña'' Fabiola de Mora y Aragón (wife of King Baudouin)
* ''Donna'' Paola Ruffo di Calabria (wife of King Albert II)
* ''Jonkvrouwe'' Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz (wife of King Philippe)
See also
*List of Belgian monarchs
This is a list of Monarchy of Belgium, Belgian monarchs from 1831 when the first Belgian king, Leopold I of Belgium, Leopold I, ascended the throne, after Belgium seceded from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, Kingdom of the Netherlands durin ...
*List of heirs to the Belgian throne
This page is a list of heirs to the Belgian throne. The list includes all individuals who were considered to inherit the throne of Belgium, either as heir apparent or as heir presumptive. Those who succeeded as King or Queen of the Belgians ar ...
*Line of succession to the Belgian throne
There are sixteen people in the line of succession to the Belgian throne.
The monarch is considered to have acceded to the throne upon her/his taking of the oath as required by article 91 of the constitution.
Eligibility
Since 1991, Belgium p ...
*Crown Council of Belgium
The Crown Council of Belgium (french: Conseil de la Couronne, nl, Kroonraad) is composed of the King of the Belgians, the Ministers and the Ministers of State (mostly former ministers and other major politicians). The constitutional Monarch chair ...
*Princess Delphine of Belgium
Princess Delphine of Belgium (''Delphine Michèle Anne Marie Ghislaine de Saxe-Cobourg''; born 22 February 1968), known previously as ''Jonkvrouw'' Delphine Boël, is a Belgian artist and member of the Belgian royal family. She is the daughter ...
and Royal bastard
A royal bastard was a common term (now largely dropped from common usage) for the illegitimate child of a reigning monarch. These children were considered to be born outside of marriage - either because the monarch had an extra-marital affair, o ...
References
External links
The Belgian monarchy
– official site of the Belgian royal family
The Belgian monarchy
- official brochure of the Belgium government
- website Expatica.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monarchy Of Belgium
*
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
1831 establishments in Belgium