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King Albert II of Belgium is crowned

Albert II is a member of the Belgian royal family who reigned as King of the Belgians from 1993 until his abdication in 2013. Albert II is the son of King Leopold III and the last living child of...

Albert II is a member of the Belgian royal family who reigned as King of the Belgians from 1993 until his abdication in 2013.

Albert II is the son of King Leopold III and the last living child of Queen Astrid, born a princess of Sweden. He is the younger brother of the late Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg and King Baudouin, whom he succeeded following Baudouin's death in 1993. He married Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria (now Queen Paola), with whom he had three children. Albert's eldest son, Philippe, is the current King of the Belgians.

On 3 July 2013, King Albert II attended a midday session of the Belgian cabinet. He then announced that, on 21 July, Belgian National Day, he would abdicate the throne for health reasons. He was succeeded by his son Philippe on 21 July 2013.

Historical Significance

Albert II is a member of the Belgian royal family who reigned as King of the Belgians from 1993 until his abdication in 2013.

Events Before

  1. Grace Hopper dies

    Grace Hopper, American u.s. naval officer and computer scientist, known for u.s. naval officer and computer scientist, died on 1992-01-01.

  2. MLB baseball right fielder Sammy Sosa (23) weds Sonia Rodriguez

    MLB baseball right fielder Sammy Sosa (23) weds Sonia Rodriguez

  3. The Maastricht Treaty is signed by 12 countries from the European Community (EC) to create the European Union (EU)

    The European Union is a geo-political entity, created in 1993, covering a large portion of the European continent.

  4. American record producer Lou Adler (58) weds American actress Page Hannah (27) (Daryl's sister)

    American record producer Lou Adler (58) weds American actress Page Hannah (27) (Daryl's sister)

  5. NHL players begin first strike in 75-year history; 10 day action earns large playoff bonus increase, more control over l

    NHL players begin first strike in 75-year history; 10 day action earns large playoff bonus increase, more control over licensing of their likenesses and changes to free agency system

Events After

  1. Aleksandr Popov swims a world record 100m freestyle of 47.83 seconds

    Aleksandr Popov swims a world record 100m freestyle of 47.83 seconds

  2. Kathleen Kinmont files for divorce from Lorenzo Lamas

    Lorenzo Fernando Lamas is an American actor and producer. He is widely known for his role of Lance Cumson, the irresponsible grandson of Angela Channing—played by Jane Wyman—in the soap opera Falcon...

  3. Kapil Dev takes 2/41 as India beats Sri Lanka by an innings and 95 runs in 2nd Cricket Test in Bengaluru; equals Sir Ric

    Kapil Dev takes 2/41 as India beats Sri Lanka by an innings and 95 runs in 2nd Cricket Test in Bengaluru; equals Sir Richard Hadlee's world record of 431 Test wickets

  4. The Church of England ordains its first 32 female priests at the Bristol Cathedral in Bristol, England [1]

    On 12 March 1994, 32 women were ordained as Church of England priests for the first time in history.

  5. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. divorces Emily Black

    Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., also known by his initials RFK Jr., is an American politician, environmental lawyer, author, conspiracy theorist, and anti-vaccine activist serving as the 26th United...

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on August 9, 1993?
Albert II is a member of the Belgian royal family who reigned as King of the Belgians from 1993 until his abdication in 2013. Albert II is the son of King Leopold III and the last living child of Queen Astrid, born a princess of Sweden. He is the younger brother of the late Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg and King Baudouin, whom he succeeded following Baudouin's death in 1993.
Why is King Albert II of Belgium is crowned significant?
Albert II is a member of the Belgian royal family who reigned as King of the Belgians from 1993 until his abdication in 2013.

Explore More

August 9 in HistoryYear 1993