In the long history of the Belgian monarchy — established in 1831 with King Leopold I — no king has succeeded to the throne in as deliberate a generational handover as King Philippe. The Brussels-born eldest son of King Albert II and Queen Paola, who at fifty-three was crowned on 21 July 2013 following his father's voluntary abdication, is one of three current European monarchs who came to the throne by an abdication rather than a death. Behind every state appearance sits one of the most interconnected European royal families — through marriage, Philippe is a cousin of nearly every reigning European royal house.

The Family's Roots: The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

The Belgian royal family belongs to the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the German princely house that has provided rulers to several European countries (including the British royal family before it was renamed Windsor in 1917).

Philippe was born in Brussels on 15 April 1960.

His Father: King Albert II

King Albert II of Belgium, born 6 June 1934, reigned as King of the Belgians from August 1993 until his abdication on 21 July 2013. He acceded after the unexpected death of his elder brother King Baudouin and abdicated due to age-related infirmities.

His Mother: Queen Paola

Queen Paola, born Donna Paola Margherita Maria Antonia Consiglia Ruffo di Calabria on 11 September 1937 in Forte dei Marmi, Italy, is from a noble Italian family — she is the youngest of the seven children of Don Fulco VIII Ruffo di Calabria, Sixth Prince of Calabria. She married Albert in 1959.

His Siblings

Philippe has two younger siblings:

Princess Astrid, born 5 June 1962, married Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este (a Habsburg) in 1984.

Prince Laurent, born 19 October 1963, is married to Claire Coombs.

His Wife: Queen Mathilde

Queen Mathilde, born Jonkvrouw Mathilde Marie Christine Ghislaine d'Udekem d'Acoz on 20 January 1973 in Uccle, Belgium, comes from a Belgian aristocratic family — she was the first Belgian-born queen in the country's history (her predecessors as Queen had all been foreign-born). She trained as a speech therapist before her marriage. Philippe and Mathilde married on 4 December 1999.

Their Children

Philippe and Mathilde have four children:

Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, born 25 October 2001, is the heir apparent to the Belgian throne under the 1991 reform of succession (the first generation that permits female succession in Belgium). She studied at Lincoln College, Oxford.

Prince Gabriel, born 20 August 2003.

Prince Emmanuel, born 4 October 2005.

Princess Eléonore, born 16 April 2008.

The Belgian Royal Family Tree at a Glance

Dynasty

  • House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
  • Belgian monarchy established 1831 with King Leopold I

Parents

  • Father: King Albert II (b. 6 June 1934) — King of the Belgians, 1993–2013
  • Mother: Queen Paola née Ruffo di Calabria (b. 11 September 1937)

Siblings

  • King Philippe (b. 15 April 1960)
  • Princess Astrid of Belgium (b. 5 June 1962) — married Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este
  • Prince Laurent of Belgium (b. 19 October 1963) — married Claire Coombs

King Philippe

  • Born 15 April 1960, Brussels
  • Royal Military Academy of Belgium; Trinity College, Oxford; Stanford University (MA Political Science, 1985)
  • Active Belgian Air Force fighter pilot in his youth
  • Crown Prince from 1993; King of the Belgians from 21 July 2013

Wife: Queen Mathilde

  • Born 20 January 1973, Uccle
  • Daughter of Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz and Anna Maria Komorowska
  • Speech therapist
  • Married Philippe on 4 December 1999

Children

  • Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant (b. 25 October 2001) — heir apparent
  • Prince Gabriel (b. 20 August 2003)
  • Prince Emmanuel (b. 4 October 2005)
  • Princess Eléonore (b. 16 April 2008)

What the Belgian Royal Family Story Teaches Us

A father who abdicated after twenty years. A noble Italian mother who has spent six decades as Belgian royalty. A speech-therapist wife who became the first Belgian-born Queen of the Belgians. A daughter who is heir apparent under reformed succession rules. Three younger siblings born into one of Europe's most actively diplomatic royal households.

For every family — large or small, famous or otherwise — the Belgian royal story carries the same lesson. The rules of succession can change within a single generation. Princess Elisabeth would not have been heir apparent under the old male-preference rules. The rules your family has — about who inherits what, who carries the family name forward — can also be revised by deliberate decision. Write down what your family's rules are. They are not fixed; they were decided once and can be decided again.

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