As well as the parade and the fireworks, all eyes are on the royal family during today’s national holiday. This year the royal house of Belgium (formerly the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) has something extra to celebrate, as King Filip and, in particular, Crown Princess Elisabeth are becoming increasingly popular.
According to a survey by daily Het Laatste Nieuws, half the people of Belgium would even like to see Elisabeth on the throne within the next five years. “That’s certainly realistic. She’ll be 30 by then, and if you look at recent history, women who have ascended the throne at a young age are often very successful,” says royal expert Jo De Poorter.
Why is 25-year-old Elisabeth so popular? “Her appearance certainly plays a part: she is a young, attractive woman. It is also the first time in the history of Belgium that a woman could ascend to the throne. What’s more, she is equally fluent in Dutch and French and has an impressive educational background.”
Belgium ditched the Salic Law that limits royal succession to male heirs in 1991. The succession now passes to the monarch's eldest child regardless of gender.
Is King Filip, aged 66, really already considering stepping down? That’s rather unlikely, as he has only been head of state for 13 years and is more popular than ever. “Ultimately, that’s a decision he himself must make,” concludes De Poorter.