Albert II of Belgium
| Albert II | |||||
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Albert II in 2010 | |||||
| King of the Belgians | |||||
| Reign | 9 August 1993 – 21 July 2013 | ||||
| Predecessor | Baudouin | ||||
| Successor | Philippe | ||||
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| Born | 6 June 1934 Château of Stuyvenberg, Laeken, Brussels, Belgium | ||||
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| House | Belgium | ||||
| Father | Leopold III of Belgium | ||||
| Mother | Astrid of Sweden | ||||
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Albert II (born 6 June 1934) is a member of the Belgian royal family who reigned as King of the Belgians from 9 August 1993 until his abdication on 21 July 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. In doing so, he was also the second Belgian monarch to abdicate, following his father, Leopold III, who abdicated in 1951, albeit under very different circumstances.