“Boudwijn realized that he was being manipulated by his father and became a different kind of king”: this is how much our monarchy evolved in 190 years | Royalty

In his book “Belgium and its kings: from power to influence” Mark Van den Wijngaert, professor emeritus contemporary history, describes how our monarchy has undergone a complete transformation over the past 190 years. “From a dictating to a servant role: Leopold I felt that he should not only form the government but also tell the ministers what to do, Filip realizes that he still has a small consultative role in government formation, and that he must share the joys and sorrows of his compatriots”, says Van den Wijngaert. “There has been an erosion of power throughout the history of the monarchy. The constitution clearly states that the king is subject to ministerial responsibility. Leopold said: none of that, I’ll decide that myself.”

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