25th Anniversary of King Baudouin's Death - 2018


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Yes I agree 100%. But the fact is that the Belgian Royal family has ALWAYS been wildly dysfunctional from their very earliest beginnings.

The Belgian Royal dysfunction doesn't get as much publicity in the European press as that of Spain and Monaco for some reason...but it's just as messy!:ohmy:


I think Romania is even more equal to them than Spain or Monaco when it comes to dysfunctionality....:whistling:
 
well more ot the point surely, if he's not attending because he is annoyed with the Belgian Politicians, that seems petty. Its not like he was saying "I wotn do any more "occasional engagements" or meet with the PM, because I am annoyed about the money issue.. ". He is saying, "because I feel let down and I feel I should have more money, I wont attend a religious ritual in honour of my late brother..."


Where, when did he ever claim that?! Isn´t that rather an interpretation and speculation of ours...?
 
The day Queen Fabiola passed away means the end of a Royal Family of Belgium.

I attend the 20th Anniversary of King 's Baudouin Death at the Cathedral, 3 Queens of the Belgians attended.

Did King Albert attend the 20th anniversary Mass?
 
First bolded part: In general - you would be amazed how much people's grievances carry on after death.
Second bolded part: That's your opinion, not a fact. You simply don't believe in it, which is your right.


Which person´ s grievances - the one who died or his left relatives? I hope you mean the second... I guess even the most devotest of brother´s grief hopefully might have faded a bit after 25 years! If it didn`t, the poor man would be seriously mentally ill....!


2nd bolded part of yours: You do not know what I believe and do not believe.
I just wanted to say that even if you beliefe in life after death, you cannot know if the deceased ones perceive what´s going on "down here" - and even if they could I doubt they judge actions and manners so narrow minded the living ones use to do. I like to think that they rather see and judge things from a litterally higher perspective....!
 
The day Queen Fabiola passed away means the end of a Royal Family of Belgium.

I attend the 20th Anniversary of King 's Baudouin Death at the Cathedral, 3 Queens of the Belgians attended.


Pathetic, too! The Royal Family consists first and foremost of The King and his wife and children. And there is nothing wrong or dysfunctional here at all! All the other ones are, forgive me, more or less supporting, substitute parts.

So, speaking about the end of the RF after Fabiolas death is nonesense:bang:!!!
 
Albert and Paola sail around the Med on their private yacht for their summer holidays. How many couples in "tight financial shoes" do that...Royal or otherwise?

Certainly Paola will find herself in straightened circumstances in the sad event that she loses her husband, as do many elderly widows.

Perhaps she can sell her yacht, as Queen Fabiola did after the death of Baudouin?:ermm:

Im sure Paola wont be in real financial need....If Albert is worried, why not save now for later...
 
To day no official tribute only a tribute from the Christian Belgians to the late King.
The 25th commemoration was only to see at the Summer exhibtion at the Royal Palace. Only one book has been written : Cheminement spirituel de Baudouin et Fabiola.

To day disapointment of some aficionados of the royal family who wanted to see a (re)manifestation of a family unity.

Wartenberg , How Harsh you are , just confirmation that you know nothing about my royal family.

Just came back after serious health problems. They are a lot of mistakes in this thread

Queen Fabiola never sold the Avila , King Baudouin's small yacht. It is seen in our Musée de l' Armée.

I am too tired to correct wrong informations about the to day attendence.

King Albert II attended the 20th Anniversary.
 
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I am happy to see you back maria-olivia. I hope your health has improved.

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The Italian newspaper La Stampa Albert & Paola were in Italy last Saturday: at the village Cannero Riviera on the Lago Maggiore.
 
Im sure Paola wont be in real financial need....If Albert is worried, why not save now for later...

Save from what? Apparently he already has to use his savings to make ends meet. There is a myth that royals have golden apples falling from a tree. In the 1950's and 1960's the reigning (!) Queen Juliana of the Netherlands was in so narrow shoes financially with the official dotation that for years and years she had to dig the holes from her own personal wealth. With other words: the budget for the office of state was not sufficient so she had to pay from her private savings to fulfill a public office...

923.000 pre-taxation is really not that much. It will result in 550.000 netto. Imagine you have a cook, a gardener, a secretary, a butler and a chauffeur. Let us say these 5 cost 40.000 a year (employer costs). Most likely they have a few more staff. This is already 200.000 eating away. Let us say the energy and utility bills for the Château and Parc du Belvédère, the maintenance, the cars, the fuel, the insurance, the local taxes cost another 200.000. We are talking about someone who was heir for 40 years and King for 20 years. In comparison: Queen Fabiola got 1,5 million a year (free of taxes) . Reportedly 70% of this was used for the costs of staffing. The rest for living at the Château de Stuyvenberg.

So the single lady got a lot more (not taxed) than the couple Albert & Paola (taxed, because of changed legislation). And this while Prime Minister Di Rupo promised a settlement comparable to Fabiola (the PM's own words, in a rare break of confidentiality, on RTBf radio).
 
That surely cannot be the opinion of most Belgians?!:sad:

Because from the point of view of a foreigner like myself, the current King and Queen and their beautiful well brought up children are a Royal Family to be proud of.

No, It's not. For most Belgians the royal family = Philippe, Mathilde and their children.

On a forum such as this one everyone knows all members, even the minor branches, and has an opinion... That's a different situation.

Glad to hear your health is better, Olivia. Don't spoil it by getting worked up by non sense ;-)
 
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To day no official tribute only a tribute from the Christian Belgians to the late King.
The 25th commemoration was only to see at the Summer exhibtion at the Royal Palace. Only one book has been written : Cheminement spirituel de Baudouin et Fabiola.

To day disapointment of some aficionados of the royal family who wanted to see a (re)manifestation of a family unity.

Wartenberg , How Harsh you are , just confirmation that you know nothing about my royal family.


Well, obviously you do not seem to know a lot about your "own" royal family as it is very much alive and well, although Fabiola is dead and A and P dared not to appear on King Baudouin`s mass of remembrance!
 
Well, obviously you do not seem to know a lot about your "own" royal family as it is very much alive and well, although Fabiola is dead and A and P dared not to appear on King Baudouin`s mass of remembrance!


I think maria-olivia meant that Queen Fabiola's death meant the end of an era for the Royal Family. There are other dynamics since her passing.
 
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That surely cannot be the opinion of most Belgians?!:sad:

Because from the point of view of a foreigner like myself, the current King and Queen and their beautiful well brought up children are a Royal Family to be proud of.

Well, obviously you do not seem to know a lot about your "own" royal family as it is very much alive and well, although Fabiola is dead and A and P dared not to appear on King Baudouin`s mass of remembrance!

If one reviews the posts on page 6, particularly leidi's, it seems evident that maria-olivia was remarking on the (seemingly) distant relationships between certain members of the Belgian Royal Family (and absences from events) after Queen Fabiola's death.

No, It's not. For most Belgians the royal family = Philippe, Mathilde and their children.

On a forum such as this one everyone knows all members, even the minor branches, and has an opinion... That's a different situation.

Interesting. Would you consider that this was the opinion of most Belgians prior to 2013?
 
To day no official tribute only a tribute from the Christian Belgians to the late King.
The 25th commemoration was only to see at the Summer exhibtion at the Royal Palace. Only one book has been written : Cheminement spirituel de Baudouin et Fabiola.

To day disapointment of some aficionados of the royal family who wanted to see a (re)manifestation of a family unity.

Wartenberg , How Harsh you are , just confirmation that you know nothing about my royal family.

Just came back after serious health problems. They are a lot of mistakes in this thread

Queen Fabiola never sold the Avila , King Baudouin's small yacht. It is seen in our Musée de l' Armée.

I am too tired to correct wrong informations about the to day attendence.

King Albert II attended the 20th Anniversary.

Welcome back maria-olivia and I'm happy to hear that your health is improving. I've often found your posts informative and interesting particularly coming from a Belgian perspective, so I'm glad you're here and posting again!
 
No, It's not. For most Belgians the royal family = Philippe, Mathilde and their children.

that's the point. when I watch Belgian tv they usually refer on to the King, the Queen and the princes and princesses when talking about the royal family. The king's siblings, their spouses and issues are part of the extended royal family. But now that the throne has passed to Philippe, somehow they are minor royals. Sure they provide some entertainment, with scandals and gossips (especially the young royals and Laurent).

As for Albert's and Paola's absence, I completely agree with Leidi here: sure they are retired, sure they avoid showing on the National Day that the perfect time to shine for the current king and his family. But this occasion was definitely looked upon to check the "health" of the extended family with sovereign. And they, once again, did him a disservice. Even more considering what a fatherly figure Baudouin was for the entire family, especially when Paola and Albert had gone separate ways.
Again, I am sure his present dotation is more of a pension, but showing up at a remembrance Mass for his own brother, should be more an act of decency than one of duty. That's why to me it is even more terrible what they have done.
 
Save from what? Apparently he already has to use his savings to make ends meet. There is a myth that royals have golden apples falling from a tree. In the 1950's and 1960's the reigning (!) Queen Juliana of the Netherlands was in so narrow shoes financially with the official dotation that for years and years she had to dig the holes from her own personal wealth. With other words: the budget for the office of state was not sufficient so she had to pay from her private savings to fulfill a public office...

923.000 pre-taxation is really not that much. It will result in 550.000 netto. Imagine you have a cook, a gardener, a secretary, a butler and a chauffeur. Let us say these 5 cost 40.000 a year (employer costs). Most likely they have a few more staff. This is already 200.000 eating away. Let us say the energy and utility bills for the Château and Parc du Belvédère, the maintenance, the cars, the fuel, the insurance, the local taxes cost another 200.000. We are talking about someone who was heir for 40 years and King for 20 years. In comparison: Queen Fabiola got 1,5 million a year (free of taxes) . Reportedly 70% of this was used for the costs of staffing. The rest for living at the Château de Stuyvenberg.

So the single lady got a lot more (not taxed) than the couple Albert & Paola (taxed, because of changed legislation). And this while Prime Minister Di Rupo promised a settlement comparable to Fabiola (the PM's own words, in a rare break of confidentiality, on RTBf radio).

Ironically if Albert and Paola had maintained a better relationship with Philippe, and with the public, maybe they wouldn't be in this 'dire' financial situation (the one where they do no public work but still get paid by the state enough to be on permanent holiday).

I find it noticeable how different the relationships Albert & Paola on one hand and Fabiola on the other had with the wider family post 'kingship".
 
:previous: Excellent point, very well made. Albert and Paola with their self absorbed and less than stellar parenting of their three children did not exactly lay the ground work for filial loyalty and devotion in later life.:ermm:
 
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:previous: Excellent point, very well made. Albert and Paola with their self absorbed and less than stellar parenting of their three children did not exactly lay the ground work for filial loyalty and devotion in later life.:ermm:

There are enough examples of stellar parenting which still results in disfunctional relationships, drug addictions, criminal offences or neglect. So the connection between parenting and agreed financial arrangements around the Abdication which were not honoured by one party has little to do with all of this.

When the Dutch Government would not honour the arrangements made with Princess Beatrix, which is uncomparably so much more lavish as for Albert & Paola, I doubt we would see her smiling and waving around after more than 60 years of public service.
 
This seems to be a Albert and Paola thread.

King Albert I and King Albert II are both unexpected Kings. The first one because his beloved Brother Prince Baudouin passed away when he was 21 years old. The second when his brother King Baudouin passed away when he was 63 years old. (King Albert I asked Leopold and Asrid to give to their first born Son the surname of Baudouin)

King Albert II has been during 20 years an excellent King of the Belgians. He managed well the many political situations etc..

Now we say in Belgium , il a raté sa sortie . Critics started after his abdication
 
The newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws reports about claims in the French-speaking media (Paris Match etc) why Princess Claire and her children were absent from the Mass of Remembrance.

The French-speaking media report that Prince Laurent apparently is so angry with the politicians and the media about the cut in his allowance, but especially with the annual report he has to make for the Auditory Court. The Prince seems to feel under control and is so upset about this that he demonstratively claims he can not afford clothing and coiffure anymore for the Princess.

The Princess seems to have withdrawn from public and committed herself totally to her teenage children Princess Louise (14) and the twins Prince Aymeric and Prince Nicholas (12). Princess Claire however finds comfort with King Albert and Queen Paola (also absent at the Remembrance Mass). It seems the former King and Queen see Claire's endless patience with Laurent and her unconditional commitment to her children as exceptional virtues. Apparently this endeared Claire into their hearts. This summer Princess Claire, Princess Louise, Prince Aymeric and Prince Nicholas -but not Prince Laurent- were guests at the yacht of King Albert and Queen Paola, sailing around Corsica.


https://www.hln.be/showbizz/royalty...s-voor-de-fratsen-van-prins-laurent~a702903c/
 
I believe this is old news I believe, I have read it a few times in other papers when she was absent. I don't remember if Laurent ever commented on it (the article below claims that he did), but it was considered the reason for a prolongued absense in 2014: https://nieuws.vtm.be/binnenland/79211-prins-laurent-hult-zich-stilzwijgen


Laurent's parents must 'thank God on their bare knees' that their son has such a stable and strong wife who is able to put up with his whims and moods. I think it is great that despite the trouble between Laurent and his parents this does not deprive the grandchildren from having a normal relationship with them.
 
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The whole family was seen at Mechelen.
The article of Paris Match was stupid ! it had the front page to be sold.
 
That was not an official event AFAIK. Princess Claire seemed to have worn normal clothes, so no expensive outfit and no expensive hairdresser were needed ;).
 
Good to see that King Albert and Queen Paola are not at all isolated from the family. I bet Claire, Louise, Aymeric and Nicholas have had an amazing and joyful time with grandpa and grandma, sailing around beautiful Corsica.
 
This were their holidays. Now they are students at the Lycée Français.
 
This year will mark the 30th anniversary of the Passing of the beloved King Baudouin!
 
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