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PHILIPPE ASCENDED THE throne of Belgium as its seventh king earlier amid national day celebrations marked by hopes the fragile nation can remain united.
“I swear to abide by the constitution and the laws of the Belgian people,” Philippe, 53, and dressed in full military uniform, said in the country’s three languages – French, Flemish and German.
“I am aware of the responsibilities weighing on my shoulders,” he added, after the abdication of his father Albert II after 20 years at the helm of the linguistically-split country at the heart of Europe.
Albert, 79, abdicated in favour of his eldest son at a solemn ceremony in the royal palace’s chandelier-laden throne room after saying he felt too old and too fragile to continue to reign.
Royal family members Queen Paola, King Albert II, Prince Philippe and his wife Princess Mathilde attend a church service at the St. Gudule cathedral in Brussels to watch Philippe become the country’s seventh monarch. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)
In his last speech, Albert reiterated a call to the country’s leaders “to work tirelessly in favour of Belgium’s cohesion”.
His voice breaking with emotion, Albert turned to his wife of 54 years, Queen Paola, to say: “As for the queen who constantly supported me in my task I would simply like to tell her ‘thank you’.
“A big kiss”, he added as she shed a tear and the audience of political leaders and other dignitaries broke into a long round of applause.
Under sunny skies and a light summer breeze, flags fluttered across Brussels as the day of pageantry began with a thanksgiving mass in the cathedral and crowds lined outside shouted “Long Live the King”.
Supporters hold balloons in the Belgian colors. (AP Photo/Ezequiel Scagnetti)
The medieval cathedral of Saint Michael and Gudula was packed with Belgian government and other dignitaries, but there were no foreign guests in attendance.
But worries persist that the shy and often awkward prince Philippe may lack the political skills of his father to maintain unity in a nation deeply divided between its Flemish- and French-speaking halves.
Mathilde, an outgoing 40-year-old who will be Belgium’s first home-grown queen, is seen as his best asset in the couple’s campaign to win the hearts of their 11.5 million people.
The monarchy more often than not is viewed as a rare symbol of Belgium’s unity, along with its iconic fries and the national football team.
But while the French-speakers of the south remain largely royalist, Flemish-speaking Flanders, home to 60 per cent of the population, has cooled.
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I’m amazed animal circuses are still legal in so called civilised countries.
@Sheldon: As long as those uneducated in the cruelty imposed on circus animals continue to pay to attend circuses, these cruel businesses will continue to exist.
Some people are still of the opinion, even in 2018, that attending a circus is a ‘Great day out’.
Further education is needed.
@Sheldon: In a country where traumatising and torturing a bull is a national pastime, I would imagine concern for the welfare of circus animals is non-existent.
@Karen Lord: Bullfighting isn’t even popular over there. It relies on heavy subsidies from the State to stay in business because most Spanish think it is as disgusting as we do? Can we talk though? We round up wild hares and terrorize them every year in hare coursing events.
@Sean: and fox hunting
@Sean: look at the popularity of events like San Fermín. There’s clearly a significant portion of the population that isn’t too concerned about animal welfare.
@Sheldon: my thought exactly!they should be banned.
Why o why is it permitted to have these wonderful animals caged up, it astonishes me that Ivory sales have been banned since 1947 and yet society permits the abuse of these animals in circus’s it’s outrageous, perhaps the EU might consider doing something useful for a change and ban this practice across Europe
This is just desperately sad. A huge trauma for these poor noble creatures in their already miserable existence. Big sigh.
D dead 1 had a lucky escape from captivity.
Sad
We need to ban circuses from using animals. It’s just appalling that a beautiful animal died in such a manner today.
@Catherine Sims: dreadful but at least now he wont have to suffer performing any more
@Mary Oliver: He is dead though. Dead is never a better alternative. He might not be performing but he or she isn’t doing anything anymore.
Their journey was truncated.
@Minom Pnnomm: Man child
Can people like myself who eat meat even complain about this? Look how livestock are treated. Just because it’s elephants probably should not mean that some animals are more equal than others.
@Kevin Kirkpatrick: it’s because we have some weird grading based on how sentient the animal is. In other words if the animal is clever and capable of emotion we show treat it better than we do say chickens. Of course when this so called system was evolving animals like pigs were considered to be very dumb. Recent findings of how intelligent these animals are is just conveniently ignored.
@Catherine Sims: Pigs are at least as smart as dogs. I find it hard to take outrage at incidents like this seriously when people don’t seem to have a problem with how our meat is produced.
@Kevin Kirkpatrick: agreed. I don’t eat meat but I can understand the difference between eating meat for subsidence and just using animals for entertainment. Either way, animals in the meat industry should be treated better and transport of live animals should be barred. Ban Halal meat for a start.
@john Appleseed: I don’t eat meat either but our meat Industry for the most part is not the horror story it is in other countries . Apart from bacon maybe. We are better are looking after our animals produced for food. That not an excuse as I said I don’t eat meat. There is also a huge movement on having wild animals in captivity at all. Animals like elephants should be roaming around d their natural environments in Africa and India. The problem is of course animals are still hunted to extinction and zoos are important for their breeding programs. It’s a huge issue with many layers.
This just makes my blood boil!!. There should be a complete ban on animals in circuses. Don’t even get me started on the way farmers treat their animals. It’s an absolute disgrace and nothing is said about it. From a chicken to an elephant, they should all be given respect.
5 elephants in 1 truck….
By the way I have been a vegetarian for the past 30 years.
have your say