Monarchy of Belgium
This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2023) |
King of the Belgians | |
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Koning der Belgen ( Royal coat of arms of Belgium | |
Incumbent | |
Philippe since 21 July 2013 | |
Details | |
Style | Royal Castle of Laeken |
Website | The Belgian Monarchy |
House of Belgium Saxe-Coburg-Belgium | |
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Parent house | Saxe-Coburg and Gotha |
Place of origin | Belgium |
Founded | 1831 |
Founder | Albert I of Belgium |
Current head | Philippe |
Belgium portal |
Belgium is a constitutional, hereditary and popular monarchy. The monarch is titled King (or Queen) of the Belgians (Dutch: Koning(in) der Belgen, French: Roi/Reine des Belges, German: König(in) der Belgier) and serves as the country's head of state and commander-in-chief of the Belgian Armed Forces. There have been seven Belgian monarchs since independence in 1830.
The incumbent, Philippe, ascended the throne on 21 July 2013, following the abdication of his father Albert II.
Origins
When Belgium gained independence from the
Following this refusal, the National Congress appointed
Hereditary and constitutional
As a
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.[3] Belgium's monarchs are inaugurated in a purely civil swearing-in ceremony.
The Kingdom of Belgium was never an absolute monarchy. Nevertheless, in 1961, the historian Ramon Arango, wrote that the Belgian monarchy is not "truly constitutional".[4][clarification needed]
Leopold I, Leopold II and Albert I
King Leopold I was head of Foreign Affairs "as an ancien régime monarch", the foreign ministers having the authority to act only as ministers of the king.[5] Leopold I quickly became one of the most important shareholders of the Société Générale de Belgique.[6]
Leopold's son, King Leopold II, is chiefly remembered for the founding and capitalization of the Congo Free State as a personal fiefdom. There was scandal when the atrocities in the Congo Free State 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.[7][8][9] The Free State scandal is discussed at the Museum of the Congo at Tervuren in Belgium.[10]
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)[11] and was accused by Yvon Gouet of noncompliance with the country's parliamentary system.[12]
Leopold II died without surviving legitimate sons. The line now descends from his nephew and successor,
Leopold III and Baudouin
Louis Wodon (the chef de cabinet 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"[13] According to Arango, Leopold III of Belgium shared these views about the Belgian monarchy.
In 1991, towards the end of the reign of
- 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.
Unlike the British constitutional system, in Belgium "the monarchy underwent a belated evolution" which came "after the establishment of the constitutional monarchical system"
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 reigns. The Belgian monarchy is closer to the principle "the King does not rule",[18] but the Belgian kings were not only "at the head of the dignified part of the Constitution".[19] 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.[20] For Francis Delpérée, to reign does not only mean to preside over ceremonies but also to take a part in the running of the State.[21] The Belgian historian Jean Stengers 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".[22]
List of kings of the Belgians
The monarchs of Belgium originally belonged to the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The family name was changed by Albert I in 1920, to the House of Belgium[23][24] and the armorial bearings of Saxony from the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha were removed from the Belgian royal coat of arms.[24]
In 2019, the
Since the 2017,
For completeness, the family tree should include Princess Delphine of Belgium (born 1968). Princess Delphine is the legally acknowledged half-sibling of King Philippe of Belgium, and her children are also recognised as members of the royal family.
Francis Duke of Saxe- Coburg-Saalfeld 1750–1806 r.1800–1806 | Augusta Reuss of Ebersdorf 1757–1831 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Charlotte of Wales 1796–1817 | Leopold I King of the Belgians 1790–1865 r.1831–1865 | Louise of Orléans 1812–1850 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Carlota of Mexico 1840–1927 | Maximilian I Emperor of Mexico 1832–1867 r.1863–1867 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Elisabeth of Bavaria 1876–1965 | Baudouin of Flanders 1869–1891 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marie José of Belgium 1906–2001 | Umberto II King of Italy 1904–1983 r.1946 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Marie Christine of Belgium b. 1951 | Marie Esméralda of Belgium b. 1956 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lorenz Archduke of Austria-Este b. 1955 | Laurent of Belgium b. 1963 | Claire Coombs b. 1974 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leopold I[33] King of the Belgians 1790–1865 r.1831-1865 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leopold II[34] King of the Belgians 1835–1909 r.1865-1909 | Philippe Count of Flanders 1837–1905 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albert I[35] King of the Belgians 1875–1934 r.1909-1934 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leopold III King of the Belgians 1901–1983 r.1934-1951 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Baudouin[36] King of the Belgians 1930–1993 r.1951-1993 | Albert II King of the Belgians b. 1934 r.1993–2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Philippe[37] King of the Belgians b. 1960 r.2013-present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Title
The proper title of the Belgian monarch is "King of the Belgians" rather than "King of Belgium" as is common for other monarchies throughout Europe. The title is linked to a concept of
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
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
In contrast to King Philippe's title of "King of the Belgians",
In the other official language of German, monarchs are usually referred to by their French names. The same is true for English 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, who adopted the family name of Windsor after the British royal family's place of residence.[40]
Nevertheless, the Royal Decree published on 19 July and signed on 12 July 2019 by King Philip, reinstated the Saxonian escutcheon in the all royal versions of the family's coat of arms.[41][42] 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.[43]
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 "
Article 37 of the
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
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
Previously, children of the King were entitled to a seat in the senate (Senator by right) when they were 18. This right was abolished in 2014 as part of the Sixth Belgian state reform.
Inviolability
The Inviolability of Monarchy is a legal principle in Belgium that protects the King or Queen from legal prosecution, civil or criminal, during their reign. This principle is enshrined in Article 88 of the Belgian Constitution.
According to this principle, the King or Queen cannot be held responsible for their actions as monarch, nor can they be subjected to legal proceedings during their reign. This is intended to ensure that the monarch can perform their duties without fear of political interference or retribution.
However, it is important to note that the principle of inviolability does not extend to the actions of the monarch outside of their official duties. If a monarch commits a crime or engages in unlawful activities outside of their role as head of state, they can still be held legally accountable for their actions.[44]
In Belgium, the principle of inviolability is seen as an important safeguard for the constitutional monarchy, which is a key component of the country's political system. It is also seen as a way to ensure that the monarch can act as a unifying figure for the country, representing all Belgians regardless of political affiliation or ideology.
Overall, the principle of inviolability of the monarchy in Belgium is a key feature of the country's political system, designed to protect the monarch and preserve the stability of the constitutional monarchy.
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.[45] The child is then given the name of the Sovereign and receives a gift from the palace and Burgomaster of the city.[46] Similar traditions are attached to the
Popular support
Popular support for the monarchy had historically been higher in
Royal Household
The King's Household (Dutch: 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 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 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
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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. Prior to the First World War, 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 title Prince or Princess of Belgium is a specific noble title within the
- Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, who will inherit the throne after her father due to a 1991 act of succession which established absolute (gender-neutral) primogeniture, altering the order of succession from "eldest son" to "eldest child".
- Prince Gabriel of Belgium
- Prince Emmanuel of Belgium
- Princess Eléonore of Belgium
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) 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 (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:
- Prince Lorenz of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este, 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. He married Elisabetta Maria Rosboch von Wolkenstein on 5 July 2014. They have two daughters and one son:
- Archduchess Anna Astrid of Austria-Este
- Archduke Maximilian of Austria-Este
- Archduchess Alix of Austria-Este
- Princess Maria Laura of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este. She married William Isvy on 10 September 2022.
- Prince Joachim of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este
- Princess Luisa Maria of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este
- Princess Laetitia Maria of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este
- Prince Laurent of Belgium (born 19 October 1963). He married Claire Coombs, an Anglo-Belgian former land surveyor, 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
- Prince Nicolas of Belgium
- Prince Aymeric of Belgium
- Princess Delphine of Belgium (born 22 February 1968). She is the non-marital daughter of King Albert II by his former mistress, Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps. 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
Other descendants of Leopold III
- Princess Léa of Belgium (born 2 December 1951). She is the widow of Prince Alexandre of Belgium, half-brother of both Kings Baudouin and Albert II, and half-uncle of King Philippe.
- Lilian, Princess of Réthy, 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.
- Lilian, Princess of Réthy, 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, 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
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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 (second son of Prince Francis, died in 1865);
- Princess Charlotte, daughter of Leopold I, died in 1867);
- Prince Leopold, Duke of Brabant (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 (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 (wife of Leopold II, died in 1902);
- Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders (third son of Leopold I, died in 1905);
- King Leopold II (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 (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(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 (youngest son of Prince Philippe, third son of Leopold I, died in 1934);
- Queen Astrid (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);
- 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 (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 (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(widow of Baudouin I, died in 2014);
- Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg (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(wife of King Albert I)
- Princess Astrid of Sweden (first wife of King Leopold III)
- Mary Lilian Baels* (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
- List of heirs to the Belgian throne
- Line of succession to the Belgian throne
- Crown Council of Belgium
- Princess Delphine of Belgium and Royal bastard
References
- ^ "History". Monarchy of Belgium. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
- ^ Belgian Federal Government. "National Day and feast days of Communities and Regions". Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- ^ "La Constitution Belge" [The Belgian Constitution] (PDF). Belgian Federal Parliament. May 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
- ^ ISBN 9780801800405.
- ^ Van Kalken, Frans (1950). La Belgique contemporaine (1780-1949) (in French). Paris: Armand Colin. p. 43.
...dirigeant personnellement les Affaires étrangères, comme un souverain d'Ancien Régime, en discutant toutes les questions importantes avec ses ministres, ceux-ci n'ayant d'autorité que pour autant qu'ils étaient ministres du roi...
- ^ Lebrun, Pierre (1981). Essai sur la révolution industrielle en Belgique: 1770-1847 (in French) (Second ed.). Bruxelles: Palais des Académies.
- ISBN 978-0061224904.
- ^ Wertham, Frederic (1969). A Sign For Cain: An Exploration of Human Violence. Paperback Library.[page needed]
- ISBN 978-0618001903.
King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror, and Heroism in Colonial Africa.
- ^ "A Belgian Visit to "Kongo"". The New Yorker. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ Raymond Fusilier, Les monarchies parlementaires en Europe Editions ouvrières, Paris, 1960, p. 399.
- ^ Yvon Gouet, De l'unité du cabinet parlementaire, Dalloz, 1930, p. 232, quoted by Raymond Fusilier, p. 400.
- ^ Arango, p. 31.
- ISBN 2-87090-010-4
- ^ Les monarchies parlementaires en Europe, Editions ouvrières, Paris, 1960, p. 350
- ^ Arango, p. 12.
- ^ Hans Daalder, The monarchy in a parliamentary system, in Res Publica, Tijdschrift voor Politologie, Revue de Science Politique, Belgian Journal of Political Science, number 1, 1991, pp. 70–81, p. 74.
- ^ Raymond Fusilier, Les monarchies parlementaires - étude sur les systèmes de gouvernement en Suède, Norvège, Luxembourg, Belgique, Pays-bas, Danemark, Editions ouvrières, Paris, 1960, pp. 419-420.
- ^ Bagehot, The English Constitution
- ^ R.Fusilier, pp. 419–420. French Elle n'est pas purement symbolique, car elle participe à la direction des affaires de l'Etat dans la mesure où sa volonté coïncide avec la volonté des ministres, lesquels seuls assument la responsabilité de la politique du gouvenement.
- ISBN 2-87090-010-4
- ISBN 2-8011-1026-4
- ISBN 978-2-262-07112-7.
Il [Albert Ier] décide le 22 avril 1921 de ne plus porter ses titres de comte de Saxe et prince de Saxe-Cobourg-Gotha, mais n'abandonne pas ses qualités et titres officiels allemands, tout comme Elisabeth garde son titre de duchesse en Bavière. Leur fils, Léopold III, les reprendra plus tard, ces titres n'ayant pas été juridiquement supprimés.
- ^ a b Balfoort, Brigitte; Van Paemel, Eddy, eds. (2010). "The Belgian monarchy" (PDF). belgium.be. Olivier Alsteens. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2019.
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- ^ "Royal Decree of July 12, 2019". Moniteur Belge. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
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- ^ "Belgian royal coat of arms gets a 'modern' update". Brussel Times. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
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- ^ "La famille royale s'appelle à nouveau de Saxe-Cobourg". Le Soir Plus (in French). 4 May 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- ^ Libre.be, La (5 May 2017). "Famille royalement de Belgique et Saxe-Cobourg". www.lalibre.be (in French). Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- ^ Pirenne 1948, p. 30.
- ^ "Leopold II". The Belgian Monarchy. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
- ^ Carlo Bronne. Albert 1er: le roi sans terre.
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- ^ "Belgium's King Albert II gives up throne to son". CNN. 21 July 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
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- ^ "Le Moniteur belge". www.ejustice.just.fgov.be. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
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- ^ Assistant, Jess IlseEditorial (13 July 2019). "King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visit ancestral castles during visit to German states". Royal Central. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- Belgian Senate. Retrieved 17 September 2007.
- ^ "Zevende zoon zorgt voor zevende viergeslacht en peterschap van koning Filip: "Ze noemen ons Sneeuwwitje en de zeven dwergen"". 27 January 2018.
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- ^ "Arrêté royal relatif à l'octroi du titre de Prince ou Princesse de Belgique" [Royal Decree on the granting of the title of Prince or Princess of Belgium] (in French). Federal Parliament of Belgium. 12 November 2015.
- ^ Clevers, Antoine (25 November 2015). "Le Roi limite l'octroi du titre de "prince de Belgique"" [The King limits the granting of the title of "Prince of Belgium"]. La Libre Belgique. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
External links
- The Belgian monarchy – official site of the Belgian royal family
- The Belgian monarchy Archived 9 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine - official brochure of the Belgium government
- What role for a Belgian monarch? - website Expatica.com