King Albert II and Queen Paola - Current events part 4 - (July 2013 - current)

[iceflower]

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King Albert and Queen Paola have visited Bologna, Italy, here are a few pics:


** svenskdam.se: Albert och Paola turistade i Bologna ** translation **

 

[iceflower]

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Yesterday, March 19, King Albert and Queen Paola visited the Habbekrats association's project "Surplas", in favour of children and youngs of Brussels city center, at The Grand Place (Grote Markt), in Brussels.



** belga gallery ** facetoface **


** telebruxelles.net video: Sortie d'Albert et Paola sur la Grand Place **

 

[Marengo]

Belgian newspapers are quoting the Belgian version of Paris Match and say that also King Albert is feeling depressed. He was shocked by the negative reactions towards his request for more money. He is also worried about his wives financial future after he died. The article states that after he announced his abdication the king focussed on a smooth transition of power and forgot to negotiate a good financial arrangement.

It is expected that Queen Paola will get a lower dotation than the generous one that Queen Fabiola got in the nineties.

‘Koning Albert is depressief’ - Het Nieuwsblad

 

[leidi]

Well I don't think Philippe will allow his mother to live badly, don't you think? He seems to be a good man and to have forgiven everything that happened in the past, she might not get as much money as Fabiola did (times are completely different now) but she will want for nothing.

 

[Marchesina]

I'm quite sure that if she keeps herself engaged in supporting associations or in any kind of royal duty, she will receive enough money to have more than decent life.

 

[maria-olivia]

Come on , King Albert Ii and Prince Laurent suffered depression because they have less money.. This disappoints me !

 

[maria-olivia]

I think , but am not sure at all , that either the King or the Queen undergoes some medical treatments abroad. (It was one of the reasons why Queen Paola did not attend his friend Jan Hoet 's funerals).
They could not stay in holiday when their son is in hospital for serious pneumonia .
They will not come back for the State Visit from China.
The silence of the Royal Palace is strange to me!

 

[Marengo]

Indeed, I expected the communication skills of the palace to get better after Philippe's accession. It did in regards to himself and his family. But not so much for the rest. Perhaps the others do not feel like cooperating? I can understand the wish to eep medical matters private though.

 

[Marchesina]

Indeed, I expected the communication skills of the palace to get better after Philippe's accession. It did in regards to himself and his family. But not so much for the rest. Perhaps the others do not feel like cooperating? I can understand the wish to eep medical matters private though.

probably they have separate spokespersons and press office so, while the communication skills improved a lot on Philippe' side, things remained the same with Albert

 

[iceflower]

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King Albert and Queen Paola attended the screening of the film 'Talking to the Trees' about the sexual exploitation of children at the European Parliament in Brussels this evening, April 7:



** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** belga gallery **

 

[Anne2]

probably they have separate spokespersons and press office so,

that is exactly the situation! I think it is very regretable that the major difficulties for King Philip come from his own family!!

 

[iceflower]

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King Albert and Queen Paola visited Auvelais on April 13 to attend the farewell mass for the Italian Padre Nicole Iachini.



** Pic ** lavenir.net gallery: Sambreville: hommage royal au padre Nicola **


** lanouvellegazette.be gallery: Le roi Albert II et la reine Paola en toute décontraction à Auvelais ce dimanche (photos) **

 

[iceflower]

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Yesterday, May 25, Queen Paola and King Albert casted their vote in a polling station in Laken, Brussels, during the federal, regional and European elections in Belgium. They voted for the first time since 20 years.




** Pic ** belga gallery ** facetoface ** rtl.be video **


** lavenir.net gallery: Le roi Albert et la reine Paola de retour aux urnes après 20 ans **

 

[maria-olivia]

Funny,
M. Roi des Belges Sa Majesté Albert II !

 

[Marengo]

It must be the first time in two decades that the king and queen vote. The monarch and his wife are exempt from voting. For the other Belgians it is obligatory.
The big winner is the Flemish seperatist party.

 

[maria-olivia]

Queen Fabiola never vote in Belgium as She was directly Queen.
After King Baudouin's death She had to vote for the first time.

 

[Marengo]

On Monday the Belgian Francophone commercial tv station will broadcast an interview with Albert II on the occassion of his 80th birthday.

A clip was shown on Dutch tv, the king got emotional when he talked about the death of his brother. He heard the news from Fabiola on the phone., He asked her how Baudouin was doing, her reply was: 'Now he is in heaven, he is dead'. The first person he called was his sister Josephine Charlotte, who gave him one piece of advice: before I faint you must listen to me. Order a military plane, you are in charge now and you will go to Spain directly'.

Since it was not completely clear that Albert would succeed (it was generally assumed that he would step aside for Philippe, but at the time people thought that Baudouin would live longer than he did). The PM supported him and when he asked Fabiola if he should do it, she replied: 'Yes of course, and not for a short while'.

Apparently they also asked him about Delphine Boël.

The interviewer went to the Belvedere on two afternoons, and also interviewed Queen Paola. The interview is completely in French. When Albert & Paola first met, at a reception in Rome, Paola was tired and wanted to go home, but protocol didn't allow it. She stayed, and met Albert.

http://m.demorgen.be/dm/m/nl/16630/...het-hof.dhtml?originatingNavigationItemId=983
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It is not clear if the palace knew about the interview, there were claims that they were informed afterwards. The palace does admit that they do not know the content of the interview.

 

[polyesco]

clips of the interview
Interview exclusive d'Albert II sur RTL-TVi: le roi évoque la mort de Baudouin - Vidéo - RTL Vidéos

 

[Marchesina]

It is not clear if the palace knew about the interview, there were claims that they were informed afterwards. The palace does admit that they do not know the content of the interview.

Dear Lord, why do they keep on doing things separately from the Royal Palace? Philippe firing their spoke person wasn't enough? Let's hope this won't effect badly on the family image again.
It was really moving anyway, the bit where he talks about Baudouin's death

 

[melina premiere]

The part when King Albert spoke of the moment when he learned the death of King Baudoin was very moving, I was teary.

 

[Marengo]

Dear Lord, why do they keep on doing things separately from the Royal Palace? Philippe firing their spoke person wasn't enough? Let's hope this won't effect badly on the family image again.
It was really moving anyway, the bit where he talks about Baudouin's death

Uhm... while Pardoen was fired, Paola and Albert re-hired him in May in a job with a different function-title, but with the same tasks. He has been working for them for over 20 years of course.

Ontslagen raadgever Albert en Paola blijft in dienst - De Standaard

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I don't see how this will reflect on anybody btw, I am sure it will be mainly a sentimental interview, telling about memories and such. And since he is able to give an interview for the first time since 1993, I am happy that he does actually. Still, this could also have been arranged wíth the palace knowledge and cooperation.

BTW, the Flemish commercial broadcaster VTM is also involved in the interview, but it was decided to do it completely in French.

 

[iceflower]

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Queen Paola handed out the Queen Paola Education Award 2013-2014 (Prijs Koningin Paola - Prix Reine Paola), at the Royal Castle in Laken today, June 4:




** belga gallery ** facetoface ** Prix Reine Paola : Entr’aide et l’école d’Awan récompensés ** translation **

 

[Anne2]

Uhm... while Pardoen was fired, Paola and Albert re-hired him in May in a job with a different function-title, but with the same tasks. He has been working for them for over 20 years of course.

I am sure it will be mainly a sentimental interview, telling about memories and such. And since he is able to give an interview for the first time since 1993, I am happy that he does actually. Still, this could also have been arranged wíth the palace knowledge and cooperation. UNQUOTE


I think all this controversies and rivalry between king Philip and his father are most regrettable!! and give a vey poor image of the RF. I find it regrettable that most difficulties of the king come from his parents!! Sorry, Albert and Paola should now become discreet, under the current circumstances... I wonder whether it is not simply a money business since Albert is complaining about insufficient income.


I hope my next comment can fit here: I kooked again at the pictures taken at the Church on the occasion of the "communion" of the kids of Laurent & Claire: no picture shows greetings or conversation between Philip and the rest of the family.... sure photographers would not have missed that, if there had been some courtesy between them.

 

[MARG]

IMHO abdicating while retaining the title of King and Queen is a recipie for disaster. They abdicate the hard yards and yank the rug out from under the actual monarch, their own son. Who does that?

This sort of behavior does them no favours and certainly cements the poor opinion many people gained of them and the the way they treat their children which arose during the hospitalisation of Prince Laurent.

All in all it leaves one wondering exactly what they are about. It can't be their country - their behavior is sending confusing messages about who is the real King and who holds the real power and, it certainly isn't their children since it is their son King Phillipe who is left looking stupid.

In the photos of them voting they look such a sweet and benign couple. Whoever would imagine the machiavellian machinations of those two?

Perhaps there might have to be some further legislation regarding those who abdicate . . .

 

[Marchesina]

IMHO abdicating while retaining the title of King and Queen is a recipie for disaster. They abdicate the hard yards and yank the rug out from under the actual monarch, their own son. Who does that?

This sort of behavior does them no favours and certainly cements the poor opinion many people gained of them and the the way they treat their children which arose during the hospitalisation of Prince Laurent.

All in all it leaves one wondering exactly what they are about. It can't be their country - their behavior is sending confusing messages about who is the real King and who holds the real power and, it certainly isn't their children since it is their son King Phillipe who is left looking stupid.

In the photos of them voting they look such a sweet and benign couple. Whoever would imagine the machiavellian machinations of those two?

Perhaps there might have to be some further legislation regarding those who abdicate . . .

I agree with you. And also I find the timing of this interview badly chosen. Philippe is going through a tough moment now. Elio Di Rupo just gave his resignation after the elections, and the King gave Bart De Wever the assignement to try and make a new government by making alliances with other parties...and this can take quite a long time. Last time Belgium spent 500 days without a government. Showing himself this way, Albert risks to put his son Phillippe in a vulnerable position, when he needs to be at his best in the eyes of his subjects

 

[maria-olivia]

King Albert II's private interview is for His 80th birthday !
If He has to wait more than 500 days until we will have a new government... he will be more than 81 years.
I wrote him a letter with my wishes for His Birthday .
In Belgium if you write to the Royal Family you may not send a printed letter from your PC !

 

[*Mara*]

An interview completely in French, now that’s a very clever idea to boost the image of the RF in Flanders. NOT.

I feel so bad for Philippe. The press made the most of the situation, it’s been all over the place and it is reflecting badly on the RF, highlighting again how dysfunctional this family is. For ex. the journalists wonder why the Belgians should have trust in Philippe when his own parents clearly haven’t. Much can be said about Philippe’s role as crown prince but he was loyal, accepted the rules even if they had a negative impact on his image and didn’t mention the bad relationship with his parents in public. What has he done all these decades to deserve the treatment he gets?

I also wonder what happens when the interview is aired. Sybille de Selys Longchamps already commented on it and surely will do again when the interview is aired. And what if Laurent is next to sit down in front of a tv camera and talk about his childhood and all.

News regarding Vincent Pardoen: his official successor Degraer asked to be dismissed last week (before he knew about the interview) since Vincent Pardoen was doing all the work anyway. Degraer is appointed as new head of Philippe`s military department. Pardoen was also the one who coordinated this interview, it is seen as his revenge. Last Saturday they had a preview with Albert’s lawyer to make sure that the part on Delphine wouldn’t be used against him in court. They also had two passages removed from the interview, one of them is supposed to be about the dotation. This Saturday an exhibition on Albert will be inaugurated in the presence of the whole RF. I hope Pardoen doesn’t show up there.

 

[PetticoatLane]

While I agree that Albert and Paola's decision not to inform the King prior to this interview is pretty deplorable, it also demonstrates that Philippe is clearly lacking in authority in his new position. He needs to assert himself and demonstrate once and for all that there is only one monarch in Belgium and it is not his father. That his parents seemingly disrespect and undermine their son at will suggests that they think they can get away with it.

Proof were it needed that the recent phenomenon of abdications is not the unalloyed positive for monarchy that some seem to think it is.

 

[Marchesina]

While I agree that Albert and Paola's decision not to inform the King prior to this interview is pretty deplorable, it also demonstrates that Philippe is clearly lacking in authority in his new position. He needs to assert himself and demonstrate once and for all that there is only one monarch in Belgium and it is not his father. That his parents seemingly disrespect and undermine their son at will suggests that they think they can get away with it.

Proof were it needed that the recent phenomenon of abdications is not the unalloyed positive for monarchy that some seem to think it is.

The abdication may be a good thing that can give new life to the monarchy but there's a condition: the old monarch should not interfere with the work of the new one and especially with his reforms. I think Philippe is in an incredible delicate position. You can't blame him if he's not too tough with his parents. Can you imagine the reaction of the press if says to his father to shut up?!

Sent from my GT-P5100 using The Royals Community mobile app

 

[leidi]

The interview itself would be fine if they had cleared it with the court first, but as usual, Albert and Paola have to do things their own way and go over their son to try to clean up their image (badly impacted by the Laurent issue, I've heard many belgians saying all kind of things about that, none positive).

Philippe has far bigger things on his plate than to scold his parents for their behavior, the formation of the new government is (as it should be) his number one priority, they are old enough to behave like adults but if they want to behave like spoiled teenagers, there's nothing he can do to avoid that.

Is Pardoen still a diplomat? if he is, then Philippe should send him away from Belgium, it is clear that he wants nothing but diminish the King's authority.