(21 Jul 2013)
King Albert to abdicate in favour of Crown Prince Philippe
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Brussels - 3 July 2013
AP TELEVISION
1. people gathered in front of King Albert's palace holding Belgian flags
POOL
2. SOUNDBITE: (French) King Albert II, Belgian monarch:
"It is therefore with serenity and confidence that I convey to you my intention to abdicate this 21 July 2013."
New King Philippe greets crowds from royal palace balcony after taking oath as Belgium's seventh king
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AP TELEVISION
Brussels - 21 July 2013
3. Mid of royal palace balcony
4. new royal couple, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, waving to public
5. Mid of crowd cheering and waving flags
6. Mid of royal family on balcony
STORYLINE:
On July 3rd 2013 Belgium's King Albert announced that he will abdicate in favour of his son, Crown Prince Philippe on July 21st, the country's independence day holiday.
The move had been rumoured for weeks and will end nearly two decades of steady reign over a fractious kingdom, one increasingly torn apart by political strife between northern Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking southern Wallonia.
Frail at 79, King Albert will be handing over the throne to his son Philippe, who is 53.
Albert said his age and health no longer allow him to carry out his functions as he would want to.
"After a reign of 20 years I believe the moment is here to hand over the torch to the next generation," the King said in an address carried by all of Belgium's major broadcasters.
"It is therefore with serenity and confidence that I convey to you my intention to abdicate on July 21st 2013, the day of our national celebration, in favour of the crown prince, my son Philippe," he said.
Belgium has had six kings since it came into being in 1830 - Albert is the first to voluntarily abdicate the throne.
In August, Albert would mark his second decade on the throne of the kingdom of 10.5 (m) million people.
Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo said the government expressed its "respect and understanding" of the King's decision.
"His sincerity, his courage and his lucidity regarding his decision deserves our admiration," he said at a news conference.
People on the streets of Brussels responded to the King's decision.
"I was hoping that he would stay as long as possible," said Isabelle De Crayencour
"He kept our country standing for 20 years. So isn't it a bit of a "goodbye Belgium" now?," she added.
Another person said the king "made a good decision."
"He arrives at retirement like everyone. We young people are also going to retire one day, so I think it is good for him that he does that," said Jeremy Desfougeres.
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Belgium's new King Philippe greeted the Belgian people at the royal palace balcony in Brussels on July 21st after taking the oath as the nation's seventh king earlier in the day.
In the morning, the former king, 79-year-old Albert, signed away his rights as the kingdom's largely ceremonial ruler in the presence of Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, who holds the political power in this 183-year-old parliamentary democracy.
Less than two hours later, Belgians met his successor when Philippe, 53, took the oath before the nation's legislators at the parliament building a short walk across the Royal Park in the heart of the city.
Early in the day, both Albert and Philippe mingled with the crowds under a royal blue sky following a Catholic ceremony at Brussels Cathedral that set off the festivities.
Later on July 21st the new royal couple were set to attend a military parade to be followed by a fireworks display that would mark the end of the day's ceremonies.
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