Albert II of Belgium
Albert II (born 6 June 1934) is a member of the Belgian royal family who reigned as King of the Belgians from 1993 to 2013.
King Albert II is the son of King Leopold III, and the last living child of Queen Astrid, born princess of Sweden. He is the younger brother of the late Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg and King Baudouin, whom he succeeded upon 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. Albert II was the fourth monarch to abdicate in 2013, following Pope Benedict XVI, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, and Emir Hamad bin Khalifa of Qatar. In so doing, he was also the second Belgian monarch to abdicate, following his father Leopold III who abdicated in 1951, albeit under very different circumstances.
1934Jun, 6
Albert II of Belgium
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Events on 1934
- 23May
Bonnie and Clyde
Infamous American bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde are ambushed by police and killed in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. - 2Aug
Adolf Hitler
Gleichschaltung: Adolf Hitler becomes Führer of Germany following the death of President Paul von Hindenburg. - 26Sep
RMS Queen Mary
Steamship RMS Queen Mary is launched. - 9Oct
Alexander I of Yugoslavia
Regicide at Marseille: The assassination of King Alexander I of Yugoslavia and Louis Barthou, Foreign Minister of France. - 6Nov
Tennessee Valley Authority
Memphis, Tennessee becomes the first major city to join the Tennessee Valley Authority.