King Albert II & Queen Paola: Current Events, Part 2 (Mar. 2007 - Aug. 2010)

[MAfan]

Belgium has now her 4 governments. After the 21 of July the King and Queen may go on holiday. We will have in september brand new royals as both are starting diet.

What do you mean with "4 governments"?

 

[queenofthelight]

Coutesy of Belga Gallery.

King Albert II of Belgium pictured during the recording of his annual television and radio speech on the occasion of the Belgian National day. (20/07/2009)

http://i26.tinypic.com/k97yv7.jpg
http://i31.tinypic.com/2cp3r7p.jpg
http://i25.tinypic.com/e7mm8h.jpg
http://i26.tinypic.com/1038q6t.jpg
http://i27.tinypic.com/2u94rko.jpg

 

[MAfan]

Thanks, Queenofthelight.
In the first two pictures he reminds me a lot his late Brother King Baudouin.

 

[susan alicia]

King Albert has addressed the people of Belgium on the eve of Belgium's National Day.

flandersnews.be: "Thinking of people who lost their job"


.......The king said that his thoughts were first and foremost with those of us who had lost their job as a result of the global economic slowdown.

King Albert also called for a more ethical financial world. He noted that the economic crisis had its roots in a financial crisis that was triggered by a lack of norms also in the banking world.....

 

[maria-olivia]

MAFAN : 4 governments
1. National
2. Flanders
3. Bruxelles-capitale
4. Wallonie

 

[LadyLeana]

MAFAN : 4 governments
1. National
2. Flanders
3. Bruxelles-capitale
4. Wallonie

Actually, there are six governments in Belgium

1) federal
2) Flemish territory and community (one government)
3) Brussels territorial government
4) Wallonia territorial government
5) Francophone community government
6) German speaking community government

So no wonder everything is going so difficult always...

And the King has sworn them all in, and since summer recess begins, he can rest assured and go on a holiday after the 21st.

I think his speech was really nice, and a lot different from what it used to be, especially about the reformation debate. His references to ethical finances and such made the journalists here wonder if he had been a victim of the Fortis crash of stock value as well. I don't think he has made many such explicit speeches before.

 

[MAfan]

So no wonder everything is going so difficult always...

Really, no wonder...
Thank you for these explanations, I had forgotten that Belgium is a federal country.

 

[maria-olivia]

Lady Leana is absolutely right and she noticed quite well that the Flemish has one government and the French speaking two governments!!

 

[LadyLeana]

King Albert bought a new yacht last year, and since this is the first year he can enjoy it during the holidays, pictures have come out of the Belgian King and Queen on their new little boat and it has sparked a discussion in crisis-struck Belgium.

Where everybody conveniently forgets the King bought the boat before the crisis. But anyway.

See our blog

 

[magnik]

So what that he has bough it?
I know that there's crisis but common he buy it before crisis!
If he pay from his own pocket not from public money...
There're so many rich people around the world and just because there's crisis they can't do with they money what they want?!

Comparing with other yachts this doesn't belong to the biggest and is quite cheap

 

[LadyLeana]

yes, they are pretty modest, our royals

mostly jealousy of course. But it did bring to my attention there should be holiday pics of Albert and Paola, has anyone seen them?

 

[Martha]

Albert has bought new yacht, the problem is the economy in the world is in crisis.

 

[Marengo]

Well, consumer spending is much of the sollution to the problem, so the king is doing a good job here. But like LadyLeana says, only jealousy from people who can not afford such a boat and who are dissatisfied with their own lives. I can't see how it is other people's business what the king does with his money. He is free to burn it all in the garden of the Belvedere, empty it in the harbour of Antwerp or buy a yacht with it.

 

[Opal]

Absolutely Marengo. People need to spend, Spend, SPEND so we can get out of this economic crisis! And it's only the ones who have money who can do the spending right now so I say Go For It!

 

[LadyLeana]

Actually, burning money is against the law. It's damaging state property. But apart from that, it's his to spend as he wishes.

 

[Martha]

I don´t know If is true, but I read in a webpage that Paola and Albert had a strong discussion in a theater.

 

[maria-olivia]

When , during their holidays ??
Don't forget they both are doing diète.

 

[Martha]

According to the newspaper on line El mundo Today, the discussion was on july 22, when They went to the concert of Brussels Philharmonic Orquestry at Flemish Royal Theatre.

 

[mktv2000]

The Belgium royal family celebrated milestone wedding anniversaries together today. TM King Albert and Queen Paola are celebrating 50 years together. To mark the occasions, the king and queen held a reception. 68 Belgian couples who also got married on July 2 were invited. Five couples who got married on the same day as Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz and five couples who got married on the same day as Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde were also invited.

Royal Examiner Link

 

[iceflower]

Danish NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen
was received by King Albert II of Belgium, at the Royal
Palace, in Brussels, on Monday 31 August 2009


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 **

 

[Marengo]

There have been rumours in the Belgian press that the king also bought another villa near the present one in Chateauneuf sur Grasse (France). The press dived on the issue, only to find out now that the rumours are false, the king did not buy a villa at all.

HLN Royalty - "Koning kocht helemaal geen villa in Provence" (991577)

 

[LadyLeana]

you mean apart from all the rumours and public outcry about the king, his new boat and, apparently, his avoiding to pay VAT by registering the boat in Italy as a military vessel, he now also would have bought a second villa in the Provence? Or rather, he didn't...

Whatever the man does with his money is his business. Even when it comes to his dotation, called the Civil List, he can use a certain percentage of that money without having to account for it to the government, that is arranged in the Belgian constitution. For some reason, I'm getting fed up with all these whining complaints.

 

[LadyLeana]

Poor King Albert, another spending spree which isn't appreciated by the public...

http://www.theroyalforums.com/11581-king-albert-still-on-spending-spree/

 

[Al_bina]

I am saddened to learn about a new controversy of a financial nature surrounding the Belgian royal family. One would expect that King Albert and his advisers would tread cautiously when dealing with finances. Upon re-reading TRF members' opinions on the matter, I agree that King Albert is free to spend his dotation. Unfortunately journalists are likely to create a media storm around big acquisitions such as the above boat.

 

[iceflower]

Pics 1.10.2009

Queen Paola of Belgium, pictured during a visit to the exhibition
'Delvaux, 180 jaar Belgische luxe' (Delvaux, 180 years of Belgian
luxuary) at the ModeMuseum (Fashion Museum) in Antwerp, 01
October 2009.

Belgian fashion label Delvaux is mostly known for its designs of
leather hand bags and travel gear.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** Pic 5 ** belga **

** gettyimages/zimbio **

 

[stephanievl]

King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium arrive for the special mass in honour of missionary Father Damien (Jozef De Veuster/Pater Damiaan/Pere Damien), Sunday 04 October 2009 in Tremelo. The canonization of Father Damien takes place next Sunday, 11 Octobre, in Rome. Father Damien was known for his ministry to people with leprosy on the island of Molokai, Hawai.

1***2***3***4***5***6***7***8***9***10

 

[LadyLeana]

Here's an article with a little movie from the event (in Dutch): deredactie.be

For some information in English, be sure to visit our blog.

 

[*Mara*]

a small piece of information in English
flandersnews.be: Tremelo honours Father Damien

 

[dazzling]

King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium arrive for the special mass in honour of missionary Father Damien (Jozef De Veuster/Pater Damiaan/Pere Damien), Sunday 04 October 2009 in Tremelo. The canonization of Father Damien takes place next Sunday, 11 Octobre, in Rome. Father Damien was known for his ministry to people with leprosy on the island of Molokai, Hawai.

a picture gallery from ANP pictures

 

[Paty]

King Albert II met with Brazilian president Lula da Silva, during and audience at Laeken castle. President Lula is in Belgium to attend High-Level Business Forum.

Getty Images - Unsupported browser detected