King Albert II, the former King of Belgium, has been taken to hospital where it’s believed that the 89-year-old was “dehydrated”. The former monarch is undergoing tests, with the palace saying he was taken in as a “precautionary measure”.
Albert is reportedly responding well to treatment but is expected to remain in hospital over the next few days. His wife, Queen Paola, is at his side and he has been visited by other members of the Belgian royal family including Prince Laurent, and his successor, King Philippe.
The Belgian monarch canceled his scheduled appearance at the University of Ghent in order to see his father.
Albert abdicated from the throne in 2013 for “health reasons”. At the time, the then 79-year-old said: “Age and health no longer allow me to perform my duties. After a 20-year reign, the time has come to pass the torch to the next generation.”
Albert became King of the Belgians in 1993 following the death of King Baudouin, but at the time it was widely expected that Baudouin’s nephew, Prince Philippe, would ascend to the throne, having been tipped for the role since childhood.
However, linguistic and religious differences emerged and the Belgian Parliament opted to grant the title to Albert.
Albert ruled for 20 years before his abdication, with his constitutional role coming into play during a governmental crisis between 2010 and 2011, with it ending with Albert swearing in a new government.
The former King, who is still styled as His Majesty King Albert II, has four children, King Philippe, 63, Princess Astrid, 61, Prince Laurent, 59, and Princess Delphine, 55, who was born as the result of his affair with Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamps.
Delphine took Albert and his sons to court ahead of his abdication to prove that he was her father. The legal case was a lengthy one, with it initially being thrown out in 2017 before the Court of Appeal ruled in Delphine’s favour the following year.
A DNA sample from Albert was collected in 2019, with the results being publicised in 2020, confirming Delphine’s heritage. In a statement at the time, it was said: “The king will treat all his children as equal. King Albert now has four children.”
Despite a difficult beginning to their relationship, Albert and Delphine have reconciled, and the former King was seen embracing his daughter at an event earlier in the year, the first time they had been seen in public together since she was granted a royal title.
The exchange between the pair was captured by royal journalist Wim Dehandschutter as the Belgian royals attended the annual mass in memory of deceased members of the royal family at the Notre Dame de Laeken church in Brussels. Delphine also embraced half-brother Philippe and his wife, Queen Mathilde.
Delphine’s two children, Princess Josephine and Prince Oscar, were granted royal titles, however, they are not in the line of succession for the Belgian throne.
