Albert II of Belgium 143745 224486919 2008-07-09T01:48:42Z SieBot 4005189 robot Adding: [[mr:आल्बर्ट दुसरा, बेल्जियम]] {| style="float:right;" |{{Infobox Monarch | name = Albert II | title = [[King of the Belgians]] | image = [[Image:George and Laura Bush, King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium.jpg|250px]] | reign = [[9 August]] [[1993]] – present | coronation = | predecessor = [[Baudouin I of Belgium|Baudouin I]] | successor = | suc-type = Heir-Apparent | heir = [[Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant|Philippe, Duke of Brabant]] | consort = [[Queen Paola of Belgium|Paola, Queen of the Belgians]] | issue = [[Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant|Philippe, Duke of Brabant]]<br>[[Princess Astrid, Archduchess of Austria-Este|Astrid, Archduchess of Austria-Este]]<br>[[Prince Laurent of Belgium|Laurent, Prince of Belgium]]<br>[[Delphine Boël]] | royal house = van België, de Belgique or von Belgien | royal anthem = | father = [[Leopold III of Belgium|Leopold III]] | mother = [[Astrid of Sweden]] | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1934|6|6|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Laeken]], [[Belgium]] | death_date = | death_place = | buried = }} |- |{{Belgian Royal Family}} |- |{{Infobox hrhstyles | royal name = King Albert II of the Belgians | image = [[Image:COA of Government of Belgium.svg|50px]] | dipstyle = [[Majesty|His Majesty]] | offstyle = Your Majesty | altstyle = Sire }} |} <!--A discussion on Wikipedia produced an overwhelming consensus to end the 'style wars' by replacing styles at the start by a style infobox later in the text. It is now installed below.--> '''Albert II''' ([[French language|French]]: ''Albert Félix Humbert Théodore Christian Eugène Marie'', [[Dutch language|Dutch]]: ''Albert Felix Humbert Theodoor Christiaan Eugène Marie'', [[German language|German]]: ''Albert Felix Humbert Theodor Christian Eugen Maria'') (born [[June 6]], [[1934]]) is the current [[King of the Belgians]] and a [[constitutional monarchy|constitutional monarch]]. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named [[Saxe-Coburg-Gotha]]. He is the younger son of [[Leopold III of Belgium|King Leopold III]] (1901-1983) and his first wife, [[Astrid of Sweden|Princess Astrid of Sweden]] (1905-1935). His godparents were [[Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma|Prince Felix of Luxembourg]] and his paternal grandmother, [[Elizabeth of Belgium|Queen Elisabeth of Belgium]]. ==Life== Prince Albert was sent to the [[Switzerland|Swiss]] private school [[Institut Le Rosey]] for his pre-university education. He succeeded his elder brother, [[Baudouin I of Belgium|Baudouin I]], as king, taking the constitutional oath on [[August 9]], [[1993]], becoming the oldest king in Belgian history to ascend to the throne (at age 59). Before his accession he was known as the [[Prince of Liège]], a title created for him the day after his birth; he had been [[Heir Presumptive|heir presumptive]] to the Belgian throne since 1951. He also served in the [[Belgian Navy]] between 1953 and 1958. ==Marriage and family== He married, in [[Brussels]], on [[July 2]], [[1959]], [[Queen Paola of Belgium|Princess Donna Paola Margherita Maria Antonia Consiglia Ruffo di Calabria]] (born 1937). She is the daughter of [[Fulco Ruffo di Calabria, Duca di Guardia Lombarda|Principe Don Fulco Ruffo di Calabria, Duca di Guardia Lombarda]] and his wife, [[Countess Luisa Gazelli di Rossana e di Sebastiano]] (1896-1989). He and the Queen have three children: * [[Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant|Philippe Léopold Louis Marie, Duke of Brabant]] (born [[April 15]], [[1960]]). He married, on [[December 4]], [[1999]], Jonkvrouwe [[Mathilde, Princess of Belgium|Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz]], who was created HRH Princess Mathilde of Belgium a day before their marriage. She is a daughter of Baron (now Count) [[Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz]] and his wife, [[Countess Anna Maria Komorowska]]. They have four children: ** [[Princess Elisabeth of Belgium|Princess Elisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène]], who will inherit the throne after her father, in accordance with the 1991 Act of Succession, which created full [[primogeniture|cognatic primogeniture]], better known as succession by strict birth order without regard to gender. ** [[Prince Gabriel of Belgium|Prince Gabriel Baudouin Charles Marie]] ** [[Prince Emmanuel of Belgium|Prince Emmanuel Leopold Guillaume François Marie]] ** [[Princess Eléonore of Belgium|Princess Eléonore Fabiola Victoria Anne Marie]] * [[Astrid, Princess of Belgium|Astrid Joséphine Charlotte Fabrizia Elisabeth Paola Marie]] (born [[June 5]], [[1962]]). She is the wife of His Imperial and Royal Highness [[Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este]], [[Archduke of Austria]], Prince Royal of [[Hungary]] and [[Bohemia]], whom she married in 1984 and who was created a [[Prince of Belgium]] in 1995. Princess Astrid, with her own descendants, is before her brother Laurent in the order of succession to the Belgian throne, in accordance with the 1991 Act of Succession mentioned above. They have five children: **[[Prince Amedeo, Archduke of Austria-Este|Archduke Amedeo of Austria-Este]], Prince of Belgium **[[Princess Maria Laura, Archduchess of Austria-Este|Archduchess Maria Laura of Austria-Este]], [[Princess of Belgium]] **[[Prince Joachim, Archduke of Austria-Este|Archduke Joachim of Austria-Este]], Prince of Belgium **[[Princess Luisa Maria, Archduchess of Austria-Este|Archduchess Luisa-Maria of Austria-Este]], Princess of Belgium **[[Princess Laetitia Maria, Archduchess of Austria-Este|Archduchess Laetitia-Maria of Austria-Este]], Princess of Belgium * [[Laurent, Prince of Belgium|Laurent Benoît Baudouin Marie]] (born [[October 19]], [[1963]]). He married [[Princess Claire of Belgium|Claire Coombs]], an Anglo-Belgian former real-estate agent, on [[April 12]], [[2003]]. She was created HRH Princess Claire of Belgium 11 days before their marriage. They have one daughter and two sons: ** [[Princess Louise of Belgium]] ** [[Prince Nicolas of Belgium]] ** [[Prince Aymeric of Belgium]] The Belgian press considers, [[Delphine Boël|without formal proof]], that The King also has an illegitimate daughter, [[Delphine Boël]] (born 1968). Her mother is a Belgian aristocrat, [[Sybille de Selys Longchamps|Sybille, Baroness de Selys Longchamps]] (ex-Madame [[Jacques Boël]]). Boël, a sculptor living in [[Brussels]], has 2 children by her American companion, [[Jim O'Hare]]. ==Titles== *''His Royal Highness'' Albert, Prince of Liège, Prince of Belgium ([[1934]]-[[1993]]) [[a.k.a.]] H.R.H The Prince of Liège *''His Majesty'' Albert II, King of the Belgians, Prince of Belgium (Since [[1993]]) ==Ancestry== <div style="clear: both; width: 100%; padding: 0; text-align: left; border: none;" class="NavFrame"> <div style="background: #ccddcc; text-align: center; border: 1px solid #667766" class="NavHead">'''Ancestors of Albert II of Belgium''' </div> <div class="NavContent" style="display:show;"> <center>{{ahnentafel-compact5 |style=font-size: 90%; line-height: 110%; |border=1 |boxstyle=padding-top: 0; padding-bottom: 0; |boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc; |boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9; |boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc; |boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc; |boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe; |1= '''Albert II of Belgium''' |2= [[Leopold III of Belgium]] |3= [[Astrid of Sweden|Princess Astrid of Sweden]] |4= [[Albert I of Belgium]] |5= [[Elisabeth of Bavaria (1876-1965)|Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria]] |6= [[Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland]] |7= [[Princess Ingeborg of Denmark]] |8= [[Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders]] |9= [[Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen]] |10= [[Karl-Theodor, Duke in Bavaria]] |11= [[Maria Josepha of Portugal|Infanta Maria Josepha of Portugal]] |12= [[Oscar II of Sweden]] |13= [[Sofia of Nassau|Princess Sofia of Nassau]] |14= [[Frederick VIII of Denmark]] |15= [[Lovisa of Sweden|Princess Lovisa of Sweden]] |16= [[Leopold I of Belgium]] |17= [[Louise-Marie of France|Princess Louise-Marie of France]] |18= [[Karl Anton, Prince of Hohenzollern]] |19= [[Princess Josephine of Baden]] |20= [[Maximilian Joseph, Duke in Bavaria]] |21= [[Princess Ludovika of Bavaria]] |22= [[Miguel of Portugal]] |23= [[Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg|Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg]] |24= [[Oscar I of Sweden]] |25= [[Josephine of Leuchtenberg|Duchess Josephine of Leuchtenberg]] |26= [[Wilhelm, Duke of Nassau]] |27= Princess Pauline of Württemberg |28= [[Christian IX of Denmark]] |29= [[Louise of Hesse-Kassel]] |30= [[Charles XV of Sweden]] |31= [[Louise of the Netherlands|Princess Louise of the Netherlands]] }}</center> </div></div> ==Patrilineal descent== Albert's patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son. [[Patrilineal descent]] is the principle behind membership in royal houses, as it can be traced back through the generations - which means that if Albert II were to choose an historically accurate house name it would be [[House of Wettin|Wettin]], as all his male-line ancestors have been of that house. [[Image:Personal Standard of King Albert II of Belgium.png|thumb|right|260px|[[List of Belgian flags|Pesonal Standard]] of King Albert II.]] '''House of Wettin''' #[[Thimo of Wettin]], Count of Brehna #[[Conrad, Margrave of Meissen]], maternal grandson of [[Otto of Nordheim]], 1098 - 1157 #[[Otto II, Margrave of Meissen]], 1125 - 1190 #[[Dietrich I, Margrave of Meissen]], 1162 - 1221 #[[Henry III, Margrave of Meissen]], c. 1215 - 1288 #[[Albert II, Margrave of Meissen]], 1240 - 1314 #[[Frederick I, Margrave of Meissen]], 1257 - 1323 #[[Frederick II, Margrave of Meissen]], 1310 - 1349 #[[Frederick III, Landgrave of Thuringia]], 1332 - 1381 #[[Frederick I, Elector of Saxony]], 1370 - 1428 #[[Frederick II, Elector of Saxony]], 1412 - 1464 #[[Ernest, Elector of Saxony]], 1441 - 1486 #[[John, Elector of Saxony]], 1468 - 1532 #[[John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony]], 1503 - 1554 #[[Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar]], 1530 - 1573 #[[John II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar]], 1570 - 1605 #[[Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha]], 1601 - 1675 #[[John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld]], 1658 - 1729 #[[Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld]], 1697 - 1764 #[[Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld]], 1724 - 1800 #[[Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld]], 1750 - 1806 #[[Leopold I of Belgium]], 1790 - 1865 #[[Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders]], 1837 - 1905 #[[Albert I of Belgium]], 1875 - 1934 #[[Leopold III of Belgium]], 1901 - 1983 #[[Albert II of Belgium]], 1934 - ==See also== *[[Kings of Belgium family tree]] ==Gallery== <!--Public domain images ONLY--> <gallery> Image:George_W._Bush_John_Paul_II_funeral.jpg|Albert II with [[Queen Paola of Belgium]], Prince [[Henrik of Denmark]], [[Bernadette Chirac]], [[President of Portugal|President]] [[Jorge Sampaio]] of [[Portugal]], George W. Bush and Laura Bush, [[President of Estonia|President]] [[Arnold Rüütel]] of [[Estonia]], and [[President of the Philippines|President]] [[Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo]] of the [[Philippines]] at the [[funeral of John Paul II]]. </gallery> ==Belgian coinage== [[Image:2003 Belgium 100 Euro 100 years Franc Germinal back.JPG|160px|thumb|[[Euro gold and silver commemorative coins (Belgium)|Commemorative 100 euro gold coin featuring King Albert II]]]] * In Belgium, it is common that the effigy of the ruling King is minted in the coins for circulation. As a general rule, this does not happen for the commemorative and collectors' coins. However, some very high value coins have been minted with the effigy of the King in one side, such as the [[Euro gold and silver commemorative coins (Belgium)|commemorative 100 euro gold coin]] minted in 2003. ==See also== * [[List of Succession to the Belgian Throne]] * [[Crown Council of Belgium]] * [[Royal Trust (Belgium)|Royal Trust]] * [[Prince Albert Fund]] * [[Michel Didisheim]], former private secretary * [[Jacques van Ypersele de Strihou]] (private secretary) * [[Frank De Coninck]], (former) Marshal of the Royal Household == External links == *[http://www.monarchie.be/en/index.php Official Belgian monarchy web site] *{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1550250.stm | title=Belgium defends king against 'assault' | publisher=BBC News | date=2001-09-18}} * [http://almanachdechivalry.com/_wsn/page3.html/ The Royal Belgium Orders] {{start}} {{s-hou|[[Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha]]|06 June|1934|||[[House of Wettin]]}} |- {{s-reg|}} |- {{s-bef|before=[[Baudouin I of Belgium|Baudouin I]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Monarchy of Belgium|King of the Belgians]]|years=1993 – present}} {{s-inc|heir=[[Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant|Crown Prince Philippe]]}} {{s-roy|be}} {{s-new|reason}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Prince of Liège]]|years=1934 – 1993}} {{s-non|reason=became King|reason2=Title dissolved}} |- {{s-pre|}} {{s-bef|before=[[Prince Umberto of Bulgaria]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Line of succession to the Saxon throne#Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Line of succession to the throne of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]]|years=22<sup>nd</sup> position}} {{s-aft|after=[[Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant]]}} {{end}} {{Heads of state of the European Union Member states}} <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] --> {{Persondata |NAME = Albert II of Belgium |ALTERNATIVE NAMES = |SHORT DESCRIPTION = Belgian monarch |DATE OF BIRTH = June 6, 1934 |PLACE OF BIRTH = Laeken, Belgium |DATE OF DEATH = |PLACE OF DEATH = }} [[Category:Belgian monarchs]] [[Category:Belgian royal princes]] [[Category:Roman Catholic monarchs]] [[Category:Current national leaders]] [[Category:House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha]] [[Category:Reigning monarchs]] [[Category:Belgian Roman Catholics]] [[Category:Knights of the Elephant]] [[Category:Knights of the Golden Fleece]] [[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav]] [[Category:Roseens]] [[Category:1934 births]] [[Category:Living people]] <!--Interwiki--> [[ar:ألبير الثاني من بلجيكا]] [[bs:Albert II Belgijski]] [[br:Alberzh II a Velgia]] [[bg:Албер II (Белгия)]] [[ca:Albert II de Bèlgica]] [[cs:Albert II. (Belgie)]] [[da:Albert 2. af Belgien]] [[de:Albert II. (Belgien)]] [[et:Albert II (Belgia)]] [[el:Αλβέρτος Β΄ του Βελγίου]] [[es:Alberto II de Bélgica]] [[eo:Alberto la 2-a (Belgio)]] [[fr:Albert II de Belgique]] [[gl:Alberte II de Bélxica]] [[ko:벨기에의 알베르 2세]] [[hr:Albert II. od Belgije]] [[io:Albert 2ma]] [[id:Albert II dari Belgia]] [[is:Albert 2. Belgíukonungur]] [[it:Alberto II dei Belgi]] [[he:אלברט השני, מלך הבלגים]] [[ka:ალბერტ II (ბელგია)]] [[la:Albertus II (rex Belgiae)]] [[lb:Albert II. vun der Belsch]] [[hu:II. Albert belga király]] [[mr:आल्बर्ट दुसरा, बेल्जियम]] [[nl:Albert II van België]] [[ja:アルベール2世 (ベルギー王)]] [[no:Albert II av Belgia]] [[nn:Albert II av Belgia]] [[oc:Albèrt II de Belgica]] [[pms:Albert II dël Belgi]] [[pl:Albert II Koburg]] [[pt:Alberto II da Bélgica]] [[ro:Albert al II-lea al Belgiei]] [[ru:Альберт II (король Бельгии)]] [[sk:Albert II. (Belgicko)]] [[sl:Albert II. Belgijski]] [[sr:Алберт II од Белгије]] [[fi:Albert II (Belgia)]] [[sv:Albert II av Belgien]] [[th:สมเด็จพระราชาธิบดีอัลแบร์ที่ 2 แห่งเบลเยียม]] [[tr:II. Albert (Belçika Kralı)]] [[uk:Альберт II]] [[zh:阿尔贝二世 (比利时)]]