Abdication of Albert II and Oath of Philippe, 21 July 2013

[Huddo74]

Great Phots of the new King and Queen but I was just wondering how come Mathilde didn't wear a Tiara and Sash like Maxima did in her offical portraits when she became Queen?....

[Marchesina]

Originally Posted by Huddo74

Great Phots of the new King and Queen but I was just wondering how come Mathilde didn't wear a Tiara and Sash like Maxima did in her offical portraits when she became Queen?....

because the protocol didn't require it. it is a morning ceremony, so no evening dresses for ladies and for man just suits, without morning coat. it is a far less formal occasion than the one in the Netherlands

[Esmerelda]

Dutch NOS broadcast of the abdication and inauguration. The abdication ceremony begins 12 minutes in.
Gemist: NOS Inhuldiging Belgische koning

[NoorMeansLight]

Thank you both Esmerelda and Mafan, for replying and explaining all this!
I totally understand what you mean, but I do find it so not reasonable. This small country has got 3 Queens & 2 Kings now!
I'd also like to say that Mathilde looked every inch a Queen on Sunday! I like her modesty.

[IloveCP]

Here is the whole video of it:

Troonwisseling Koning Filip 2013 - YouTube

[Isabella Park]

Oh , l really like belgian royal family!
I 'm so glad to see the new King and Queen and their children

[Isabella Park]

Thanks for sharing the video! IloveCP.

[klaboom]

Jochim and Luisa Maria attended the evening celebration as well

[Isabella Park]

Originally Posted by klaboom

Jochim and Luisa Maria attended the evening celebration as well

This picture Prince Joachim and Princess Luisa Maria are very seems a like
their papa Prince Lorenz.
Very attractive Prince and Princess.

[Esmerelda]

Reflections and a bit of behind the scenes of the ceremonies.
21 juillet d'exception - 1ère partie - Vidéo - RTL TVI
21 juillet d'exception - 2ème partie - Vidéo - RTL TVI

[CyrilVladisla]

Originally Posted by Eveline

Now (I think) 17 persons will sign the document. King Albert just did that, so he is not king anymore.

Other than King Albert II, who are the people who signed the abdication document?

[CyrilVladisla]

It was interesting to learn from Majesty magazine:

As Belgium is the only European kingdom where the heir does not succeed automatically on the death or abdication of the sovereign, Philippe was still a prince when he walked into the Parliament building shortly before noon, but left it as a King after having sworn his oath to the Constitution.

[Marchesina]

Originally Posted by CyrilVladisla

It was interesting to learn from Majesty magazine:

As Belgium is the only European kingdom where the heir does not succeed automatically on the death or abdication of the sovereign, Philippe was still a prince when he walked into the Parliament building shortly before noon, but left it as a King after having sworn his oath to the Constitution.

but when he entered the Parliament he was announced as King in the three languages of the kingdom (French, Flemish and German - le roi/de koning/der König)

[Tatiana Maria]

Former PM Di Rupo had secret deal with King Albert

King Albert II announced on 3 July 2013 that he would abdicate on 21 July, on the Belgian national holiday. However, Albert had taken this decision in April, with Di Rupo among the very few people who were informed. Di Rupo next approached Albert to ask him to keep the news quiet, which also happened. [...]

"My [Di Rupo's] biggest fear was that the N-VA would destabilise the country. The king already had a date in mind for his abdication: 21 July. I didn't want several months between his announcement and the abdication itself. If you know the political state of affairs in Belgium, and the N-VA's attitude, you understand why."

[Blog Real]

Video:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=n9YwEPH3gJU

Video:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0nS7K...ature=youtu.be

[Mbruno]

A curiosity: I did a word search in the Belgian constitution (English version) and the words abdication or abdicate did not show up anywhere in the document. However, nobody in Belgium seems to dispute that King Albert II or King Leopold III before him had the prerogative to abdicate the throne and that this could be done unilaterally (keep in mind that, in other countries like the UK or Spain, an abdication requires that special legislation be passed).


I guess my question is where the authority of a Belgian monarch to abdicate comes from and how a post-abdication succession is reconciled with the normal order of succession as laid out in the constitution. My conjecture is that, for succession purposes, an abdication is considered equivalent to the demise of the former king, but I can't find the legal basis to back that interpretation.

[paola]

I dare not claim that I have any expertise in this matter, I am not Belgian, I am not a lawyer.
However, I don't think that King Leopold III really abdicated voluntarily, but forced because of politics and circumstances.
This may also have set a precedent.
As I understand, King Albert II consulted with the then Prime Minister of Belgium about his wish to resign.

And can you require someone to remain in office until he or she dies?

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Mbruno

A curiosity: I did a word search in the Belgian constitution (English version) and the words abdication or abdicate did not show up anywhere in the document. However, nobody in Belgium seems to dispute that King Albert II or King Leopold III before him had the prerogative to abdicate the throne and that this could be done unilaterally (keep in mind that, in other countries like the UK or Spain, an abdication requires that special legislation be passed).


I guess my question is where the authority of a Belgian monarch to abdicate comes from and how a post-abdication succession is reconciled with the normal order of succession as laid out in the constitution. My conjecture is that, for succession purposes, an abdication is considered equivalent to the demise of the former king, but I can't find the legal basis to back that interpretation.

In the Belgian Constitution there is no abdication indeed. They solved it by making a special Act of Abdication, signed by King Albert II and contraseigned by Prime Minister Elio di Rupo. With that contraseign the PM covered the King with his ministerial responsility and became accountable for Parliament.

While the Act of Abdication in the Netherlands is a beautiful calligraphed document with the Great Seal of Realm, the Belgian one is a simple A4, like the difference in the Abdication and Investiture Ceremonies in both countries.

Belgian Act of Abdication, there is no picture of the signed version:
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PRuQMgwk9...00/belgie4.jpg

[Duc_et_Pair]

ACT OF ABDICATION OF THE THRONE BY HIS MAJESTY KING ALBERT II
In the year Two-thousand-and-thirteeen, on July the Twenty-first, at 10.30 o'clock.

Today We, Annemie Turtelboom, Minister of Justice, went to the Royal Palace in Brussels on invitation of His Majesty King Albert II, to confirm the Act which determines and enables that His Royal Highness Prince Philippe, Prince of Belgium will accede to the throne.

His Majesty King Albert II, having made his entrance in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Philippe, having held an address and having heard a reply by the Prime Minister, requested Us to construct an Act involving His solemn declaration whereby He ends His Government and definitively abdicates the constitutional prerogatives which He owns, based on Article 85 of the Constitution.

From all as prescribed here, We have made two originals, of which one will be stored in the Archives of the Royal House and the other in the Federal Archives of the Justice Department.

Have signed with Us:

His Majesty King Albert II

Contraseign by Annemie Turtelboom, Minister of Justice

Signs by 15 witnesses.

[Duc_et_Pair]

The difference with the Dutch Act of Abdication is that this is an own decision which needs no ministerial backing. The only royal prerogative without a necessary contraseign, that is. (Ministers did co-sign anyway, but as formal witnesses of the solemn event, not as an Act of Parliament). While the Belgian text is written from the viewpoint of Annemie Turtelboom, the Minister of Justice, the Dutch text is written from the viewpoint of Queen Beatrix herself:

To date at present, the thirtieth of April in the year MMXIII, at ten o'clock before Noon, have I,

Beatrix, Queen of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, Etc. Etc. Etc.,
In the presence of My eldest son the Prince of Orange and his spouse,
summoned to the Royal Palace in Amsterdam:

[Authorities are named]

To establish in their presence and in a solemn declaration the intention I publicly made on January Twenty-eighth: to abdicate the kingship.

I solemnly declare that I hereby abdicate the kingship of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with which the kingship is now transferred to My eldest son and successor;

Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange,

According to the provisions in the Statute and the Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

This declaration, formalized by My signature and that of My eldest son and his spouse, as well by all authorities I have summoned here, will be stored in the Royal House Archives, with the Great Seal of the Kingdom attached to it.

B e a t r i x