King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians

July 19, 2013

July 21, 2013

July 21, 2013

King Albert and Queen Paola shed tears as they say farewell

Today, July 19, the King and Queen Paola concluded their farewell tour in Liege and showed an emotional reaction to stepping down. According to AFP, as the couple stood on the town hall balcony, the typically affectionate couple shared a few kisses and waved to the gathered crowds. Queen Paola was a bit emotional needing to wipe away a few tears as the crowd of 7,000 chanted "Long live the King" and "Long live Belgium". Earlier, as the royal couple entered the town hall, the King’s emotion also came through as he saw footage of their 1959 trip to the town. The couple was engaged at the time and the King wiped away tears as he watched.

Belgium's Queen Paola shed a tear Friday after twice offering Albert II a kiss as the royal couple took a farewell tour of Liege ahead of the king's weekend abdication.

Greeted by thousands of cries of "Long live the King" and "Long Live Belgium", the visit to the southern Belgian city was Albert's last in 20 years of a reign that comes to a close Sunday.

It was also highly symbolic as it was there that his parents -- Leopold III and Swedish-born Queen Astrid -- showed him off from the town hall balcony as the one-year-old baby Prince of Liege.

Albert, who remained prince until the sudden death of his brother Baudouin in 1993, is credited with having kept linguistically-divided Belgium united despite calls for an end to the monarchy from Dutch-speaking separatists in northern Flanders.

The 79-year-old, who said he was stepping down due to age and poor health, climbed the town hall steps slowly and once inside brushed away a tear too when shown footage of a 1959 trip to Liege with his legendary beautiful fiancee, Paola.

Some 6,000 to 8,000 Belgians turned out in the streets to say good-bye.

July 21, 2013

Belgium's King Albert abdicates for son Philippe

Albert II hugged his son before signing the abdication treaty at the palace in Brussels

His final day as king began with a thanksgiving Mass for the royal family at the Saint Michael and St Gudula Cathedral in Brussels

After the service, celebrating the king's 20 years on the throne, Crown Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde waved to the crowd

Albert and Queen Paola spoke to well-wishers outside the cathedral before heading for the palace to bring an end to his rule

King Albert II signed the abdication documents watched by Philippe (L) and Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo ®

Belgium's Queen Fabiola looks on as Prince Philippe and his wife Princess Mathilde arrive to attend church service at the St Gudula Cathedral in Brussels

King Albert paid an emotional tribute to his wife Queen Paola and his son the new king, and his wife the new Queen Mathilde.

"Queen Paola, who constantly supported me in my work during these 20 years, I just want to say thank you and a big kiss," he said.

"Philippe, you have all the qualities of heart and mind to serve our country. We have full confidence in you and your dear Mathilde. Your mother and I are the ardent wish of success in this task that you are well prepared."

"Dear Mathilde, for many years you have invested all your heart in many activities. You have an innate sense for human contact. With our dear children, we confidently begin this new chapter in our lives and our country," said the new king.

July 21, 2013

King Albert II attends his last official engagement as Belgium's monarch

21 JULY 2013

King Albert II of Belgium has attended his last 'Te Deum' ceremony as the country's monarch. Albert II, who has chosen to abdicate on Sunday in favour of his son, undertook his last engagement as the country's king.

Albert's wife, Queen Paola, wiped a tear from her eye as she sat in the Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula. The ceremony of praise takes place annually on Belgium's national day, which has significantly been chosen as the day his son Prince Philippe will ascend the throne.

Queen Paola wore a bright green dress and matching jacket as she stepped out in Brussels for the historial event with her husband. The king looked visibly excited as he saw signs of thanks being held by supporters and was welcomed into the cathedral by a round of applause.

The royal couple's son, and soon-to-be King of the Belgians, Prince Philippe, also strode to the cathedral in the Sunday sunshine with his wife, Princess Mathilde.

Mother-of-four Mathilde chose an elegant cream dress, which she accessorised with a tan hat and nude heels, as she prepares to become Philippe's Queen consort. Mathilde, 40, is mother to the couple's four children including Belguim's heir, Princess Elisabeth.

King Albert II's daughter, Princess Astrid and his son, Prince Laurent, also attended the church service, taking the time to greet well-wishers on their way to the catherdral.

Once their brother Philippe has been made king, Astrid and Laurent will take on new responsibilites.

Princess Astrid, 51, who is mother to five children, will now fulfil some of the duties previously undertaken by Philippe and Mathilde, including international trips promoting Belgian trade.

Following their appearance at the Te Deum ceremony, the Belgian royals headed to the city's Royal Palace where King Albert officially abdicated and Prince Philippe was sworn in as king.

Just a month after his 79th birthday, King Albert II made an announcement on 3 July that he would abdicate due to age and health reasons.

"Age and health no longer allow me to perform my duties," he said. "After a 20-year reign, the time has come to pass the torch to the next generation."

http://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2013072113629/belgian-abdication-king-albert-ii/

July 21, 2013

Le Roi Philippe

Albert could be seen mouthing the words "Vive le roi" (Long live the king) at the swearing-in ceremony in parliament.

July 21, 2013

July 21, 2013

King Philippe

July 22, 2013

July 22, 2013

July 23, 2013

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde

July 24, 2013

Prince of Cambridge is in good company, with many young royals throughout the world
Kim Sweetman
• The Courier-Mail

• July 25, 2013 12:00AM

THE newborn Prince of Cambridge is in good company. There are host of young royals scattered through the world's royal houses.

BELGIUM

The family of Van Belgiadiadië or De Belgique

Princess Eleonore, Prince Gabriel,Queen Mathilde,Princess Elisabeth, King Philippe and Prince Emmanuel of Belgium.

Princess Elisabeth, 11. The heir apparent to the throne since earlier this month when her grandfather abdicated and her father Philippe became King. Ten years before her birth the law was changed to allow females to succeed regardless of whether they had brothers. She is the first heir to begin their education in Dutch, one of the two commonly spoken languages of Belgium.

Prince Gabriel, 9. Second in line to the throne and currently being thoroughly educated in both Dutch and Flemish.

Prince Emmanuel, 7. Third in line to the throne after his elder siblings. It was announced last year he would move to a special school for children with learning disabilities,

Princess Eleonore, 5. The fourth in line after her elder siblings is not expected to have a major royal role.

Princess Louise, 9, Prince Nicolas, 7 and Prince Aymeric, 8, are royal cousins through siblings of the King. They are not expected to have major roles.

DENMARK

The Schleswig-Holstien-Sonderburg-Glucksburg (sometimes Oldenburg) family have eight little Princes and Princesses.

Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark with Princess Isabella and Prince Christian after the christening of their twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine at Holmens Kirke in 2011.

Prince Christian, 7. Second in line to the throne after his father Crown Prince Frederik. His mother is the former Australian Mary Donaldson. Christian is set to inherit the oldest throne in Europe but has so far been educated at state schools where he often arrives by bicycle, carried by his father.

Princess Isabella, 5. Third in line to the throne after her father and brother. The little girl also attends a state school and her mother is on record as saying she has quite a temper.

Prince Vincent, 2. The Danish royals have made it known the youngest members of the royal brood will be expected to find jobs when they are adults. Vincent is a twin.

Princess Josefine, 2. The fourth and youngest child of the Crown Prince and Princess and the twin of Prince Vincent will also be expected to find real work when she grows up.

Prince Nikolai, 13, Prince Felix, 11, Prince Henrik, 4 and Princess Athena, 17 months: These young princes and their sister are the children of Prince Joachim, the younger brother of Crown Prince Frederik. The eldest two are from his first marriage to the half-Chinese Alexandra and the youngest to his second wife, the French-born Marie. None of them is expected to play a major royal role.

NETHERLANDS

House of Orange

Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands (centre), Princess Alexia of the Netherlands (left) and Princess Ariane of the Netherlands (right).

The House of Orange has a strong tradition of female leadership and also of the monarch abdicating in favour of their heir. King Willem-Alexander took over in April after his mother Queen Beatrix stepped down in his favour. She was following the lead of her mother and grandmother who were both ruling queens. The king's three daughters are in direct line to the throne after him.

The Princess of Orange, Catharina-Amalia, 10. The heir apparent to the Dutch throne. The Dutch gave equal inheritance rights to females back in 1983 although this is the first future queen to have been produced under such a law. The king and his Argentinian-born queen Maxima have raised the girls with a very Dutch idea of royalty and the family have been known to show up at official events on bicycle.

Princess Alexia, 8. Second in line to her father's throne after her older sister, she attends a state school with her siblings.

Princess Ariane, 6. Although she is third in line to the throne it has been made clear she will be expected to have a job.

There are three other young children close to the Dutch throne, the children of Willem-Alexander's younger brother Prince Constantijn. They are Countess Eloise of Orange-Nassau, 11, Count Claus-Casimir of Orange-Nassau, 9 and Countess Leonore of Orange-Nassau, 7. They are not expected to have royal roles and will be expected to work.

NORWAY

Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Gladiücksburg family

Norwegian Prince Sverre Magnus and Princess Ingrid Alexandra.

Norway is a very interesting royal family - of the six children closest to the king, one is a step-child and three are commoners. King Harald V's son Crown Prince Haakon is the heir apparent. He married single mother and commoner Mette-Marit (who did some of her high school in Australia). The royal children are:

Marius Borg Hiby, 16. He is not royal and not in line to the throne although his mother is Crown Princess and his stepfather will be king.

Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 9. She is in direct line to the throne after her father - one of clutch of European girls of her generation expected to become sovereigns in their own rights and the first female born in Norway to be the direct heir. She is also, through her descent from King Edward VII, in line to the throne of the United Kingdom.

Prince Sverre Magnus, 7. In Norway there is a difference between the royal family and the royal house, which includes only those closest to the direct line to the throne and the prince doesn't qualify although his sister does. He still ranks ahead of his sister in the line of succession in the United Kingdom.

The three commoners next in line are Maud, 10, Leah, 8, and Emma Benh, 5, the children of Crown Prince Haakon's sister Princess Martha Louise.

SWEDEN

House of Bernadotte

Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden with their daugter Princess Estelle.

Sweden currently has one of only three female heirs apparent (the others being the Netherlands and Belgium). Crown Princess Victoria will inherit the throne from her father King Carl XVI Gustafnts. She married her personal trainer who became Prince Daniel and they have one child. Sweden, in 1980, was the first European country in history to grant equal inheritance to females.

Princess Estelle, 17 months. One of only four girls in the world second in line to their thrones and expected to be monarchs. The others are in Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium. While there has been much speculation about why her name was chosen, since it's not royal, there has been no confirmation.

SPAIN

House of Borbon

The Spanish monarchy is a fragile one having been deposed and restored. The country is yet to introduce full equal succession rights for females. The next in line to the throne after King Juan Carlos is his son Felipe Prince of Asturias.

Infanta Leonor, 8. Second in line to the throne after her father. Her mother was a commoner and TV journalist and Leonor is the first female born as heir apparent but could in theory be bumped down by a younger brother.

Infanta Sofia, 6. Her arrival removed any urgency to change the laws of succession since she, unlike a boy, will not leapfrog her elder sister.

Victoria de Marichalar y Borbaacón, 13. The daughter of one of the sisters of the Prince of Asturias. She is sixth in line.

Pablo Urdangaraacín y de Borbaacón, 13, Miguel Urdangaraacín y de Borbaacón, 11, Irene Urdangaraacín y de Borbaacón, 8. Children of the youngest of the king's daughters and highly unlikely to have significant roles.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/prince-of-cambridge-is-in-good-company-with-many-young-royals-throughout-the-world/story-e6freon6-1226684604108