Albert II of Belgium Facts for Kids

Full name
Dutch: Albert Felix Humbert Theodoor Christiaan Eugen Maria French: Albert Félix Humbert Théodore Christian Eugène Marie German: Albert Felix Humbert Theodor Christian Eugen Maria

House

Belgium

Father

Leopold III of Belgium

Mother

Astrid of Sweden

Religion

Roman Catholicism

Signature

Albert II (born 6 June 1934) is a member of the Belgian royal family. He was the King of the Belgians from 9 August 1993 until he stepped down on 21 July 2013.

Albert II is the son of King Leopold III and Queen Astrid. He is the younger brother of King Baudouin. Albert became king after Baudouin passed away in 1993.

He is married to Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria, now known as Queen Paola. They have three children together. Albert's oldest son, Philippe, is the current King of the Belgians.

On 3 July 2013, King Albert II announced he would step down from the throne. He did this for health reasons on 21 July, which is Belgian National Day. His son Philippe became king that day. Albert II was the second Belgian king to step down. His father, Leopold III, also stepped down in 1951.

The Early Life of Prince Albert
Marriage and Family Life
- Princess Delphine's Story
King Albert II's Official Role
- Why King Albert II Stepped Down
Honours and Recognitions
- National Honours
- Honorary Degrees
Images for kids
See also

The Early Life of Prince Albert

Prince Albert was born on 6 June 1934. His birthplace was the Château of Stuyvenberg in Laeken, near Brussels. He was the second son of King Leopold III and Princess Astrid of Sweden.

When he was born, Albert was second in line to become king. He was given the title of Prince of Liège. Sadly, when Albert was just one year old, his mother Queen Astrid died in a car accident. His father, King Leopold, later married Mary Lilian Baels in 1941. Albert and his siblings had a good relationship with their stepmother.

During World War II, in May 1940, Belgium was invaded. Prince Albert, his sister Princess Joséphine-Charlotte, and his brother Prince Baudouin left Belgium. They went to France and then Spain for safety. They returned to Belgium in August 1940.

In June 1944, the royal family was taken by the Germans to Germany and then Austria. They were freed by American soldiers in May 1945. Because of the political situation in Belgium, the family moved to Switzerland. Prince Albert continued his schooling there. In July 1950, King Leopold III, Prince Baudouin, and Prince Albert returned to Belgium.

Marriage and Family Life

Albert (right) and his brother Baudouin around 1940

King Albert II and Queen Paola with US President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush at the Royal Palace of Brussels in 2005

In 1958, Albert visited the Vatican. There, he met an Italian woman named Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria. Prince Albert asked her to marry him, and she said yes! They got married on 2 July 1959.

Albert and Paola have three children. They also have many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Their children are:

King Philippe (born 15 April 1960)
Princess Astrid (born 5 June 1962)
Prince Laurent (born 19 October 1963)

Princess Delphine's Story

In 1997, a Belgian magazine reported that the artist Delphine Boël (born 22 February 1968) was King Albert II's daughter. Her mother, Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps, said she had a long relationship with Albert.

In 2013, Delphine Boël asked the court to prove that Albert was her father. She wanted DNA tests. At first, the King had special protection under the law. But after he stepped down in July 2013, he no longer had this protection.

The legal process continued for several years. In October 2018, a court decided that Delphine Boël was not the daughter of Jacques Boël. The court then ordered King Albert to take a DNA test.

On 29 May 2019, it was reported that Albert II had given a DNA sample. This happened after a court ruled he would be fined if he didn't. The results of the DNA test were shared on 27 January 2020. They confirmed that Delphine Boël is Albert II's daughter.

King Albert II confirmed this news. His lawyer said, "The king will treat all his children as equal." On 1 October 2020, a court officially recognized Delphine as a princess of Belgium. She was also given the new family name of Saxe-Coburg.

King Albert II's Official Role

The King reviewing the army during the Belgian National Day, 2011

Since his older brother King Baudouin had no children, Prince Albert was the next in line to the throne. Albert's son Philippe was prepared to become king one day. When King Baudouin passed away, Albert became King of the Belgians on 9 August 1993. He took an oath before the parliament.

As King, Albert had important duties. He represented Belgium in his own country and around the world. This included state visits and important international meetings. He also cared about Belgian society, culture, and businesses.

The King also had a special role in the government. For example, in 2010–2011, Belgium's parliament had trouble agreeing on a government. The King helped resolve this situation. Once the problem was fixed, Albert officially swore in the new government.

In 1984, he started the Prince Albert Foundation. This foundation helps promote Belgium's trade with other countries.

In his Christmas speech in December 2012, King Albert compared some modern political movements to those of the 1930s. Some people saw this as a comment about a large Flemish nationalist party. This led to some discussion about the King's role in forming governments.

Why King Albert II Stepped Down

On 3 July 2013, King Albert II, who was 79 years old, told the Belgian government that he planned to step down. He had discussed this idea with the Prime Minister before.

At 6 pm that day, the King announced his decision in a speech on radio and TV. He said that he would step down on 21 July, Belgium's National Day. He explained that he was doing this for health reasons. His older son, Philippe, then became the new King.

After he stepped down on 21 July 2013, he was given the title His Majesty King Albert II. This is the same title his father, Leopold III, received after he stepped down.

Honours and Recognitions

Royal monogram of King Albert II of Belgium

Coat of arms as King of the Belgians

Personal Standard of King Albert II.

King Albert II has received many awards and honours from Belgium and other countries. These awards recognize his important work and his role as a monarch.