Albert II of Belgium
Albert II | |
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King of the Belgians | |
Reign | 9 August 1993 – 21 July 2013 |
Predecessor | Baudouin |
Successor | Philippe |
Prime ministers | |
Born | Château of Stuyvenberg, Laeken, Brussels, Belgium | 6 June 1934
Spouse | |
Issue Detail | |
Roman Catholicism | |
Signature |
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Albert II
Albert II is the son of
On 3 July 2013, King Albert II attended a midday session of the
Early life
Prince Albert was born at the Château of Stuyvenberg in Laeken, northern Brussels, as the second son and youngest child of King Leopold III and his first wife, Princess Astrid of Sweden. He was second in line to the throne at birth, and was given the title Prince of Liège. Queen Astrid died in a car accident on 29 August 1935, in which King Leopold was lightly injured but survived, when Prince Albert was one year old. The King remarried to Mary Lilian Baels (later became Princess of Réthy) in 1941. The couple produced three children: Prince Alexandre, Princess Marie-Christine and Princess Marie-Esméralda (who is also Albert's goddaughter). Albert and his siblings had a close relationship with their stepmother and they called her "Mother".[4][5]
During
Marriage and family
In 1958, Albert went to the
- King Philippe (born 15 April 1960 at the Belvédère Château in Brussels)
- Princess Astrid(born 5 June 1962 at the Belvédère Château in Brussels)
- Prince Laurent (born 19 October 1963 at the Belvédère Château in Brussels)
Delphine Boël
In 1997, the Belgian satirical magazine Père Ubu reported that the Belgian sculptor Delphine Boël (born 22 February 1968) was King Albert II's extramarital daughter.[7] It took some years for the Belgian mainstream media to report this news. According to Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps, the mother of Delphine, she and Albert shared an 18-year-long relationship[8] into which Delphine was born.
In June 2013, Boël summoned the then King and his two older children (the then Duke of Brabant and the Archduchess of Austria-Este) to appear in court. She hoped to use DNA tests to prove that she is the King's daughter. As the King enjoyed complete immunity under the law, Boël decided to summon his elder children as well.[9][10] The king abdicated the following month, in July 2013. After the King's abdication, Boël abandoned her first suit to introduce a second one only against the former King as he was no longer protected by immunity and the first claim would have been judged according to the situation at the time of the introduction of the claim.[11]
In March 2017, the Court ruled that her claim was unfounded, and her lawyers said she would take the claim to appeal.
On 29 May 2019, it was reported by CNN that Albert II had submitted a DNA sample after a Belgian court ruled on 16 May that he would be fined 5,000 euros for each day that he failed to do so, although he would continue to challenge the ruling, according to his attorney, Alain Berenboom .[15][16] The results of these DNA samples were released on 27 January 2020 by Alain Berenboom, confirming Delphine Boël as Albert II's daughter. Albert II confirmed this on 27 January 2020 in a press release.[17] "The king will treat all his children as equal," Berenboom said, according to VTM News. "King Albert now has four children."[18]
While it was proven that Boël was his biological daughter, her legal status as a daughter was not recognized[19][20] until a 1 October 2020 ruling of the Brussels Court of Appeal, which also recognized Boël as a princess of Belgium and granted her the new surname of Saxe-Coburg.[21]
Official role
As the younger brother of the childless
As King, Albert's duties included representing Belgium at home and abroad on state visits, trade missions, and at high level international meetings as well as taking an interest in Belgian society, culture and enterprise.[23] The King had a constitutional role which came into play in 2010–2011 when Belgium's parliament was unable to agree on a government. When the crisis was resolved, Albert swore in the new government.[24]
In 1984, he set up the Prince Albert Foundation, to promote expertise in foreign trade.[25]
Albert sparked controversy in his December 2012 Christmas speech by comparing modern "populist movements" with those of the 1930s. This was seen by several political commentators, as well as many Flemish politicians, as aimed implicitly at the large Flemish nationalist party, the
Abdication
On 3 July 2013, 79-year-old King Albert II attended a midday session of the
After his abdication on 21 July 2013 it was decided that he would be styled as His Majesty King Albert II,[28] the same form of address granted to his father, Leopold III, after his abdication.
Honours
National honours
- Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold[29]
As King (1993-2013) he was Grand Master of:
Other European distinctions
- Grand Star in the Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (1958) [30]
- Order of the Balkan Mountains (Bulgaria) (2003)[31]
- Grand Cross Special Class in the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany)
- Knight in the Order of the Elephant (Denmark)
- Grand Cross in the Order of the Dannebrog (Denmark)
- Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (5 June 2008) (Estonia) [32]
- Grand Cross in the Order of the White Rose of Finland (1996)[33]
- Grand Cross in the Legion of Honour (France)
- Grand Cross in the Order of the Redeemer (Greece)
- Grand Cross in the Hungarian Order of Merit
- Grand Cross in the Order of the Falcon (Iceland) (16 October 1979)[34]
- Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italy) (29 October 1973)[35][36]
- Grand Cross in the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (Italy)
- Knight in the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation (Italy)
- Commander Grand Cross in the Order of the Three Stars (Latvia)
- Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Vytautas the Great (Lithuania) (16 March 2006)[37]
- Knight in the Order of the Golden Lion of Nassau (Luxembourg)
- Order of Saint-Charles (Monaco) (13 October 1957) [38]
- Grand Cross in the Order of the Netherlands Lion
- Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands)
- Queen Beatrix Investiture Medal (Netherlands)
- Grand Cross in the Order of St. Olav (Norway) (1964)[39]
- St. Olavsmedaljen (Norway)
- Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
- Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland[40]
- Grand Collar in the Order of Prince Henry (Portugal) (13 December 1999)[41]
- Grand Cross in the Military Order of Aviz (Portugal) (11 December 1985)[41]
- Collar of the Order of the Star of Romania (2009)[42]
- Grand Cross in the Order of the White Double Cross (Slovakia)
- Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece (Spain) (16 September 1994)[43]
- Knight in the Order of the Seraphim (Sweden)
- King Carl XVI Gustaf Jubilee Medal (Sweden)
- Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (UK)
- Knight Grand Cross in the Royal Victorian Order (UK)
- Knight Grand Cross with the Collar of the Order of Pope Pius IX (Vatican) [40]
Latin-American distinctions
- Grand Cross in the Order of the Liberator General San Martín (Argentina) [40]
- Extraordinary Grand Cross of the Order of Boyacá (Colombia) [40]
- Grand Collar of the National Order of San Lorenzo (Ecuador) [40]
- Collar in the Order of the Aztec Eagle (Mexico) [44]
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru, Special Class[40]
- Grand Cross with Collar in the Order of the Liberator (Venezuela) [44]
African distinctions
- Grand Cross in the Order of Merit (Cameroon)[40]
- Grand Cordon in the National Order of the Leopard (R. Congo)
- Grand Cordon in the Order of the Republic (Egypt)
- Collar in the Order of the Queen of Sheba (Ethiopia)[40]
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Equatorial Star (Gabon) [40]
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the Throne (Morocco)
- Crand Cross of the Order of Merit (Senegal) [40]
- Grand Cross in the Order of the Independence (Tunesia)[40]
Asian and Middle-East distinctions
- 25th Centennial Anniversary Medal Ribbon (Iran)
- Grand Cordon in the Order of the Chrysanthemum (Japan)
- Grand Cross in the Grand Order of Mugunghwa (South-Korea)
- Honorary Grand Commander of the Most Esteemed Order of the Defender of the Realm (Malaysia) [40][45]
Dynastic and religious honours
- Knight in the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation
- Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece (Austrian Imperial Family)[40]
- Knight of the Great Cross in the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Honorary degrees
King Albert II is
- the Catholic University of Leuven
- Saint Louis University, Baguio City
- Ghent University
- the Free University of Brussels
- the Catholic university of Mons
- the Polytechnic Faculty of Mons.
Eponym
- Boulevard du Roi Albert II/Koning Albert II-laan, Brussels.
- Boulevard Prince de Liège /Prins van Luiklaan, Brussels
- Institute King Albert II, University hospital of Saint-Luc.[46]
Arms
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Ancestry
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See also
- Line of succession to the Belgian throne
- Crown Council of Belgium
- Royal Trust
- Prince Albert Fund
- Michel Didisheim, former private secretary
- Jacques van Ypersele de Strihou, former chief of the Kings Cabinet.
- Frank De Coninck, (former) Marshal of the Royal Household
Notes
- ^ French: Albert Félix Humbert Théodore Christian Eugène Marie, pronounced [albɛʁ feliks œ̃bɛʁ teɔdɔʁ kʁistjɑ̃ øʒɛn maʁi]; Dutch: Albert Felix Humbert Theodoor Christiaan Eugène Marie, pronounced [ˈɑlbərt ˈfeːlɪks ˈɦʏmbərt teːjoːˈdoːr ˈkrɪstijaːn øːˈʒɛːn maːˈri]; German: Albrecht Felix Humbert Theodor Christian Eugen Maria, pronounced [ˈalbʁɛçt ˈfeːlɪks ˈhʊmbɛʁt ˈteːodoːɐ̯ ˈkʁɪsti̯a(ː)n ˈʔɔʏɡn̩ maˈʁiːaː]
- Princess Marie-Christine of Belgium,[2] the two daughters of Leopold III and his second wife, Lilian, Princess of Réthy, are also still alive.
References
- ^ "Belgian royal asks nation to apologize to DRC for past". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ Princess Marie Christine of Belgium ruined because of her addicted husband
- ^ a b Matthew Price (3 July 2013). "Belgium's King Albert II announces abdication". BBC News.
- ^ Cleeremans, Jean. Léopold III, sa famille, son peuple sous l'occupation; Keyes, Roger. Echec au Roi, Léopold III, 1940–1951
- ^ White, Sam (3 July 1953). "Europe's Most Slandered Princess". Pittsburgh Press. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ "King Albert II". The Belgian Monarchy. Archived from the original on 25 April 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ Falter, Rolf (19 May 2005). "Pigment over Delphine Boël en Albert II". De Tijd.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ Stroobants, Jean-Pierre (17 June 2013). "En Belgique, la fille adultérine d'Albert II exige une reconnaissance officielle". Le Monde. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
- ^ Bacchi, Umberto (18 June 2013). "Belgium: King Albert's 'Disowned Natural Daughter' Delphine Boel Seeks Recognition in Court". International Business Times. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
- ^ Le Vif, "Chacun sait que le roi Albert est le père biologique de Delphine Boël" Archived 15 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ mtm (28 March 2017). "Delphine Boël vangt bot bij rechter: koning Albert II is niet haar wettelijke vader". Het Nieuwsblad. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
- ^ "Advocaat Paleis: 'Niet zeker of koning Albert DNA-test zal ondergaan'". De Standaard, datem 5 November 2018.
- ^ "Belgian ex-king Albert II refuses DNA test in love-child case". BBC News. February 2019.
- ^ "Former Belgian king submits DNA sample in paternity case". CNN. 29 May 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ "Analysis of King Albert's DNA may be used as evidence in Delphine Boël paternity case". vrtnws.be. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ "DNA test confirms: King Albert is the biological father of Delphine Boël". vrt.be. vrtnws. 27 January 2020.
- ^ Yeung, Jessie (28 January 2020). "DNA test forces former Belgian king to admit fathering a child in extramarital affair". CNN. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ Nu Delphine Boël wel degelijk de dochter van koning Albert II is: wordt ze prinses? En deelt ze in de erfenis? Article in Dutch
- ^ but Albert stated he will not raise any objections about his legal paternity. A court will decide about this matter in the near future.Ex-King of Belgium Acknowledges a Long-Dismissed Daughter
- ^ Boffey, Daniel (1 October 2020). "Delphine Boël: Belgian king's daughter wins right to call herself princess". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ "The Belgian Monarchy: Home – Royal Family – King Albert II". The Belgian Monarchy.
- ^ "The Belgian Monarchy: Home – The Monarchy today". The Belgian Monarchy.
- ^ "Belgium swears in new government headed by Elio Di Rupo". BBC News. 6 December 2011.
- ^ "The Belgian Monarchy: Home – The Monarchy today – Royal Initiatives – Prince Albert Fund". The Belgian Monarchy.
- ^ a b "Belgium King Albert II Christmas speech sparks controversy". BBC News Online. 27 December 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
- ^ "Letter of King Albert II to Prime Minister Di Rupo announcing his intention to abdicate". Scribd.com.
- ^ "Koning der Belgen versus Koning (Dutch)". Deredactie.be. 3 July 2013.
- ^ "Z.M. BOUDEWIJN". moriendi.be (in Dutch). 1 August 2023. Archived from the original on 19 September 2008.
- ^ "Reply to a parliamentary question" (PDF) (in German). p. 53. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- ^ "The Belgian Monarchy". Archived from the original on 24 May 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
- ^ "Vabariigi President". www.president.ee. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
- ^ "Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunnan suurristin ketjuineen ulkomaalaiset saajat". www.ritarikunnat.fi. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
- ^ "Fálkaorðuhafar". Falkadb.forseti.is. 21 October 1936. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "President of the Republic of Lithuania - The Belgian Royal Couple pays the first visit to Lithuania". Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- ^ Bulletin Officiel de la Principauté
- ^ "Den kongelige norske Sanct Olavs Orden", Norges Statskalender for Aaret 1970 (in Norwegian), Oslo: Forlagt av H. Aschehoug & Co. (w. Nygaard), 1970, p. 1240 – via runeberg.org
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Carnet Mondain, [Carnet Mondain, p. 2 ed. 2005] book page with Alberts honours
- ^ a b "ENTIDADES ESTRANGEIRAS AGRACIADAS COM ORDENS PORTUGUESAS - Página Oficial das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas". www.ordens.presidencia.pt. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
- ^ "Cancelaria Ordinelor". canord.presidency.ro.
- ^ "Boletín Oficial del Estado" (PDF). Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ a b Carnet Mondain, p. 2 ed. 2005
- ^ "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat". Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
- ^ "Institut Roi Albert II - Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc". Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
- ^ Philippe, Koning der Belgen (12 July 2019). "Koninklijk besluit houdende vaststelling van het wapen van het Koninklijk Huis en van zijn leden" (PDF). Moniteur Belge/ Belgisch Staatsblad. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
External links
Media related to Albert II of Belgium at Wikimedia Commons