King Philippe of Belgium Discusses Potential Abdication in Favor of Daughter, Princess Elisabeth
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King Philippe of Belgium, aged 65, has opened up about the possibility of stepping down from the throne to pave the way for his daughter Princess Elisabeth, who is 23 years old. This revelation comes as the Belgian monarchy considers a historical shift towards a female successor.
In a recent interview released by The Belgian Monarchy, King Philippe addressed this topic among 30 questions chosen from a pool of 2,614 video messages received for his birthday. The monarch emphasised that while a king may step back, it does not equate to retirement. He expressed his commitment to continuing to serve Belgium, highlighting his desire to provide Princess Elisabeth with the time and space to explore her youth, nurture personal growth, and gain worldly experiences.
Belgium has a noteworthy history of voluntary abdications within the royal family. King Philippe himself ascended to the throne in 2013 following the abdication of his father, King Albert II, who stepped down at the age of 79 due to health reasons. Moreover, King Philippe’s grandfather, King Leopold III, abdicated in 1951 amid a turbulent political climate to safeguard the monarchy’s stability.
Princess Elisabeth, as the eldest offspring and heir to King Philippe, holds the potential to create royal history as Belgium’s first queen regnant, signifying a significant shift towards gender equality in succession laws. The country adopted absolute primogeniture in 1991, ensuring that female descendants, including Elisabeth, could inherit the throne based on birth order, thus eliminating previous male-preference primogeniture customs.
The royal family, consisting of King Philippe, Queen Mathilde, and their children Princess Elisabeth, Prince Gabriel, Prince Emmanuel, and Princess Eléonore, continually juggles the demands of royalty with personal pursuits. Princess Elisabeth, also known as the Duchess of Brabant, recently celebrated her graduation from Oxford University in the United Kingdom, where she obtained a degree in History and Politics.
Currently pursuing further studies in the United States, Princess Elisabeth commenced a master’s programme in Public Policy at Harvard University in Boston in September 2024, reinforcing her commitment to academic excellence alongside her royal responsibilities. Notably, she was honoured with the prestigious Fulbright Program’s Honorary Award, an accolade by the U.S. Department of State promoting international educational exchange.
Despite her international endeavours, Princess Elisabeth remains dedicated to fulfilling her royal duties, regularly returning to Belgium to engage in public affairs and uphold the family’s heritage. Her poised and diligent approach to both academic pursuits and royal obligations exemplifies a balance between tradition and modernity within the Belgian monarchy.
As discussions regarding the potential succession continue to unfold, King Philippe’s affirmation of supporting Princess Elisabeth’s personal growth and future endeavours underscores a harmonious transition within the royal household. The prospect of Belgium witnessing its first female monarch signifies a progressive shift in the country’s long-standing royal traditions, projecting a vision of inclusivity and equality in its monarchy.