Saturday 6 June 2009

On this date: King Albert turns 75

Today is the 75th birthday of King Albert II of the Belgians. In fact this makes him the oldest Belgian monarch ever. His great-great-grandfather Léopold I died a few days before his 75th birthday, while Léopold II died at 74, Albert I was killed at 58, Léopold III abdicated at 49 and Baudouin I died at 62. Unlike its neighbours Luxembourg and the Netherlands, Belgium has no tradition for voluntary abdications and the King has been in good health after heart surgery in April 2000 while the heir, Prince Philippe, is not very popular.

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