Belgium celebrates King's Feast today

King Albert II, Queen Paola, Princess Astrid, Prince Lorenz, Prince Laurent and Princess Claire attend the Te Deum at St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral in Brussels on Tuesday to mark King's Day.

Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo, ambassadors from many countries and religious representatives of Catholicism, Judaism and Islam were present at the celebration of King's Day. They joined the royal family to sing the Te Deum and listen to the homily by cardinal Jozef De Kesel.

The royals were greeted by police unions on their arrival. They protested against the federal government after a knife attack on two police officers in Schaerbeek last week. A 29-year-old police inspector died in hospital shortly afterwards.

King's Feast has been celebrated in Belgium since 1866. It is not a national holiday, but federal government institutions are closed. King Philippe, Queen Mathilde and their four children did not attend the ceremony. Tradition dictates that the king should not celebrate himself.

(TOM)

^{The Te Deum mass in Brussels. © BELGA PHOTO JAMES ARTHUR GEKIERE}