Albert II is a member of the Belgian royal family who reigned as King of the Belgians from 9 August 1993 to 21 July 2013.
Albert II in 2010
Albert (right) and his brother Baudouin, c. 1940
King Albert II and Queen Paola with US President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush at the Royal Palace of Brussels in 2005
Belgium is a constitutional, hereditary and popular monarchy. The monarch is titled King of the Belgians and serves as the country's head of state and commander-in-chief of the Belgian Armed Forces. There have been seven Belgian monarchs since independence in 1830.
Monarchy of Belgium
Equestrian statue of King Leopold II in Brussels, Belgium
Busts of the first five Kings of the Belgians
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Brussels is the National Basilica of Belgium.