Philippe, Duke of Brabant
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Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant (Philippe Léopold Louis Marie (French) or Filip Leopold Louis Marie (Dutch)), styled HRH The Duke of Brabant (born 15 April 1960), is the eldest son and heir apparent of Albert II, King of the Belgians. His godparents were King Leopold III of the Belgians and Donna Luisa Ruffo di Calabria. If Prince Philippe becomes king as expected, he will be known as King Philippe I of the Belgians.
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[edit] Biography
He was educated at the Belgian Royal Military School, from 1978 to 1981 he continued his education at Oxford University's Trinity College and finally attended Graduate School at Stanford University, California where he graduated in 1985 with an MA in Political Science.
After this he was appointed as a Second Lieutenant in 1980, the Prince obtained his fighter pilot's wings and his certificates as a parachutist and a commando. In 1989, the Prince attended a series of special sessions at the Royal Higher Defence Institute. The same year, he was promoted to Colonel. On 25 March 2001, the Prince was appointed as Major-General and Rear-Admiral.
He married Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz, daughter of a Belgian noble family, on December 4, 1999, and they have three children:
- Princess Elisabeth, born 25 October 2001
- Prince Gabriel, born 20 August 2003
- Prince Emmanuel, born 4 October 2005
If Philippe assumes the throne, the present Duchess of Brabant will become the first Belgian-born Queen Consort.
Owing to the amendment to the laws of succession (the Lex Salica, or Salic Law) from eldest son to eldest child, Princess Elisabeth is next in the line of succession after her father, followed by her younger brothers the Princes Gabriel and Emmanuel.
Recently, the Prince has been a target of criticism within Belgium for his political and social conservatism. During his bachelorhood, vocal detractors had called for him to step out of the line of succession and to allow a more liberal member of the royal family to take his place.
For some years, Philippe, though second-in-line to the throne, was treated as the likely heir of his childless uncle, King Baudouin. However on Baudouin's premature death, Philippe's father, Albert, inherited the throne.
[edit] Titles
As differentiated from King Albert II's title, King of the Belgians, Prince Philippe is called the Prince of Belgium, not Prince of the Belgians, a title that does not exist. He is also Duke of Brabant, the traditional title of the heir apparent to the Belgian throne.If Philippe succeeds to the throne, he will be known as King Philippe I.
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| Styles of Prince Philippe of Belgium, Duke of Brabant |
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| Image:Roybelg.JPG | |
| Reference style | His Royal Highness |
| Spoken style | Your Royal Highness |
| Alternative style | Sir |
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[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Fonds Prince Philippe (in French, Dutch and German)
| House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Born: 15 April 1960 |
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| Preceded by first in line |
Line of succession to the Belgian Throne | Succeeded by Princess Elisabeth |
| Vacant Title last held by Baudouin |
Duke of Brabant 1993- |
Incumbent |
