Editing Albert II of Belgium (section)

==Official role==
[[File:21 juli 2011 Defilé Koning Albert II.png|thumbnail|The King reviewing the army during the [[Belgian National Day]], 2011]]

As the younger brother of the childless [[King Baudouin]], Prince Albert was the [[heir-presumptive]] to the throne. Albert's son Philippe was groomed to eventually succeed. On Baudouin's death, Albert was [[Swearing-in of the Kings of the Belgians|sworn in before parliament]], on 9 August 1993, as King of the Belgians.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.monarchie.be/royal-family/king-albert-ii |title=The Belgian Monarchy: Home – Royal Family – King Albert II |publisher=The Belgian Monarchy }}</ref>

As King, Albert's duties included representing Belgium at home and abroad on [[List of state visits made and received by Albert II of Belgium|state visits]], trade missions, and at high level international meetings as well as taking an interest in Belgian society, culture and enterprise.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.monarchie.be/monarchy-today |title=The Belgian Monarchy: Home – The Monarchy today |publisher=The Belgian Monarchy }}</ref> The King had a constitutional role which came into play in 2010–2011 when Belgium's parliament was unable to agree on a government. When the crisis was resolved, Albert swore in the new government.<ref>{{cite news |date=6 December 2011 |title=Belgium swears in new government headed by Elio Di Rupo |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16042750 |work=BBC News}}</ref>

In 1984, he set up the Prince Albert Foundation, to promote expertise in foreign trade.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.monarchie.be/monarchy-today/royal-initiatives/prince-albert-fund |title=The Belgian Monarchy: Home – The Monarchy today – Royal Initiatives – Prince Albert Fund |publisher=The Belgian Monarchy }}</ref>

Albert sparked controversy in his December 2012 Christmas speech by comparing modern "populist movements" with those of the 1930s. This was seen by several political commentators, as well as many Flemish politicians, as aimed implicitly at the large Flemish nationalist party, the [[N-VA]].<ref name="christmas">{{cite news|title=Belgium King Albert II Christmas speech sparks controversy|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20852536|access-date=2 January 2013|newspaper=BBC News Online|date=27 December 2012}}</ref> [[Bart De Wever]], the party's leader, called for the King's role in the formation of Belgian governments to be changed in the wake of this comment since he "could no longer see the monarch as playing the constitutional role of referee."<ref name=christmas/>

===Abdication===
On 3 July 2013, 79-year-old King Albert II attended a midday session of the [[Cabinet of Belgium|Belgian cabinet]], where he revealed his intention to abdicate to Prime Minister [[Elio Di Rupo]] and to the deputy prime ministers. This came less than one month after the king and two of his children had been asked to appear in court by the Belgian sculptor [[Princess Delphine of Belgium|Delphine Boël]], who was intent on proving that the king was her biological father. According to a letter sent by the King to the Prime Minister and dated 3 July 2013, and which was made public, the King had already broached the topic of his intention to abdicate several times with the Prime Minister, who had asked him to reconsider it.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/151540175/De-brief-van-koning-Albert-II-aan-Di-Rupo |title=Letter of King Albert II to Prime Minister Di Rupo announcing his intention to abdicate |publisher=Scribd.com }}</ref> At 6 pm (CET) the King announced in a recorded radio and television speech that on 21 July, Belgium's [[National Day]], he would abdicate the throne for health reasons. He was succeeded by his elder son, Philippe.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news|author=Matthew Price |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23167525 |title=Belgium's King Albert II announces abdication |date=3 July 2013|work=BBC News }}</ref>

After his abdication on 21 July 2013 it was decided that he would be styled as ''His Majesty'' King Albert II,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/binnenland/1.1668827|title=Koning der Belgen versus Koning (Dutch) |date=3 July 2013 |publisher=Deredactie.be }}</ref> the same form of address granted to his father, Leopold III, after his abdication.