Proclamation of King Albert II of Belgium - 31 July 1993

[Blog Real]

Albert was enthroned as King of the Belgians on 31 July 1993.

Photos:

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[Blog Real]

More photos:
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Video:

 

[Linda_26]

Just a correction to the title: Albert II became king on 9th August 1993, 9 days after his brother's death, on 31st July, and two days after his funeral. In Belgium, the succession is not automatic after the death of the monarch: the successor does not become king until he takes the costitutional oath.
Here's a longer video of Albert's accession

 

[Stefan]

Just a correction to the title: Albert II became king on 9th August 1993, 9 days after his brother's death, on 31st July, and two days after his funeral. In Belgium, the succession is not automatic after the death of the monarch: the successor does not become king until he takes the costitutional oath.
Here's a longer video of Albert's accession

And that has usually taken place after the funeral of the previous King like in 1933. Not already a few days after the death of the former monarch and before the funeral.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Albert II became the second Belgian monarch to abdicate in 2013 the year of Abdications (Pope Benedict XVI and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands)

 

[Linda_26]

And that has usually taken place after the funeral of the previous King like in 1933. Not already a few days after the death of the former monarch and before the funeral.

Indeed. King Leopold III in 1934 was sworn in as king the day after his father's funeral, for example. I remember Albert in his tv interview in 2014 recalling Baudouin's funeral and mentioning that he was not yet officially king at the time

 

[An Ard Ri]

Its a peculiar succession rule and I wonder if it will ever be amended?

 

[Linda_26]

Its a peculiar succession rule and I wonder if it will ever be amended?

I don't think there's any specific need to amend it, but it certainly is a rather peculiar rule, unique among European monarchies, I think. Of course, the succession to the throne is clearly established by the constitution, and in normal cases there are no doubts about who is going to take over. The particular situation of 1993 determined a very short period of uncertainty, not only among the public (Albert later revealed he asked Fabiola about what his brother would have wanted, before accepting)

 

[JR76]

The particular situation of 1993 determined a very short period of uncertainty, not only among the public (Albert later revealed he asked Fabiola about what his brother would have wanted, before accepting)

If I remember it correctly King Albert also sought the advice of King Juan Carlos about what to do.

 

[Linda_26]

If I remember it correctly King Albert also sought the advice of King Juan Carlos about what to do.

I've never heard about it, but it's possible. I know Juan Carlos and Sofia also went to Motril shortly after Baudouin's death.
I mentioned Fabiola because Albert in the interview he gave shortly after his abdication explicitedly said that it was his sister-in-law who told him it was Baudouin's wish that his brother would succeed him. I found a video of it, in the last 10 minutes or so (it's in French), he speaks about his brother's death and what happened immediately afterwards- I found it rather interesting

 

[maria-olivia]

He told in an interview that Queen Fabiola and his Sister Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte said it would be him.
He said I should never be king without Paola.

 

[Linda_26]

He told in an interview that Queen Fabiola and his Sister Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte said it would be him.
He said I should never be king without Paola.

Yes, indeed, he says so in the interview I shared in the previous post. The bit about Paola is in the following part (more personal) of the same interview, here ( btw, I'm not sure if these videos had already been posted on other threads)

 

[Blog Real]

Video:

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Just a correction to the title: Albert II became king on 9th August 1993, 9 days after his brother's death, on 31st July, and two days after his funeral. In Belgium, the succession is not automatic after the death of the monarch: the successor does not become king until he takes the costitutional oath.

I don't think there's any specific need to amend it, but it certainly is a rather peculiar rule, unique among European monarchies,

A month after this was posted, the new constitution of Luxembourg adopted the same rule. See here: Luxembourg Succession & Titles