Since 1991, Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 practises absolute cognatic primogeniture but this only applies to the descendants of King Albert II, effectively barring the female descended offspring of Leopold II

Leopold II of Belgium

Leopold II was the second king of the Belgians. Born in Brussels the second son of Leopold I and Louise-Marie of Orléans, he succeeded his father to the throne on 17 December 1865 and remained king until his death.Leopold is chiefly remembered as the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free...

, Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders

Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders

align="right"|Prince Philippe of Belgium, Count of Flanders was the third born son of King Leopold I of the Belgians and his wife Louise d'Orléans . He was born at the Château de Laeken, near Brussels, Belgium...

, Albert I

Albert I of Belgium

Albert I reigned as King of the Belgians from 1909 until 1934.-Early life:Born Albert Léopold Clément Marie Meinrad in Brussels, he was the fifth child and second son of Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders, and his wife, Princess Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen...

 and Leopold III

Leopold III of Belgium

Leopold III reigned as King of the Belgians from 1934 until 1951, when he abdicated in favour of the Heir Apparent,...

 from the throne. Prior to 1991 Belgium used Salic law

Salic law

Salic law was a body of traditional law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the early Middle Ages during the reign of King Clovis I in the 6th century...

.

Constitutional succession law

The following articles of the Constitution of Belgium pertain to the succession to the Belgian Throne:

Article 85 (1) The King's constitutional powers are hereditary through the direct, natural, and legitimate descent from HM Leopold George Christian Frederick of Saxe-Coburg, by order of primogeniture.

(2) The successor described in Paragraph (1) shall be deprived of his rights to the crown, if he marries without the King's consent or, in the absence thereof, without the consent of those exercising the King's powers in cases provided for by the Constitution.

(3) His lost right may nonetheless be re-established by the King, or, in the absence thereof, by those exercising the King's powers in cases provided for by the Constitution, in the event of agreement on the part of both Houses.

Article 86 (1) For lack of a descendant of Leopold George Christian Frederick of Saxe-Coburg, the King may name his successor, with the approval of the Houses, in such a manner as prescribed in Article 87.

(2) In the absence of a nomination undertaken in the above-mentioned manner, the throne shall be vacant.

Title IX Transition

1) The dispositions of Article 85 shall for the first time be applicable to the descent from HRH Prince Albert Felix Humbert Theodore Christian Eugene Marie, Prince of Liège, Prince of Belgium, it being understood that the marriage of HRH Princess Astrid Josephine Charlotte Fabrizia Elisabeth Paola Marie, Princess of Belgium, with Lorenz, Archduke of Austria-Este, was meant to have obtained the consent described in Article 85 (2).

(2) Until such time, the following dispositions remain in effect.

(3) The constitutional powers of the King are hereditary through the direct, natural, and legitimate descent from HM Leopold George Christian Frederick of Saxe-Coburg, from male to male, by order of primogeniture and with the permanent exclusion of women and of their descendants.

(4) He shall be deprived of his rights to the crown any prince who marries without the consent of the King, or, in his absence, of those who exercise his authority as provided for by the Constitution.

(5) He may, however, be relieved of this deprivation by the King, or, in his absence, by those who exercise his authority as provided for by the Constitution, provided the consent of the two Houses is obtained.

List of succession

Current king: Albert II

Albert II of Belgium

Albert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...

, b. 1934

1. HRH
   Royal Highness
   Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
   
    The Duke of Brabant, b. 1960 (eldest son of King Albert II)
2. HRH Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, b. 2001 (elder daughter of the Duke of Brabant)
3. HRH Prince Gabriel of Belgium, b. 2003 (elder son of the Duke of Brabant)
4. HRH Prince Emmanuel of Belgium, b. 2005 (younger son of the Duke of Brabant)
5. HRH Princess Eléonore of Belgium, b. 2008 (younger daughter of the Duke of Brabant)
6. HI&RH The Archduchess of Austria-Este, b. 1962 (daughter of King Albert II)
7. HI&RH Prince Amedeo of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este, b. 1986 (Hereditary Duke of Modena; future head of the House of Austria-Este; eldest son of Princess Astrid)
8. HI&RH Princess Maria Laura of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este, b. 1988 (eldest daughter of Princess Astrid)
9. HI&RH Prince Joachim of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este, b. 1991 (youngest son of Princess Astrid)
10. HI&RH Princess Luisa Maria of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este, b. 1995 (second daughter of Princess Astrid)
11. HI&RH Princess Laetitia Maria of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este, b. 2003 (youngest daughter of Princess Astrid)
12. HRH Prince Laurent of Belgium, b. 1963 (youngest son of King Albert II)
13. HRH Princess Louise of Belgium
    Princess Louise of Belgium
    Princess Louise of Belgium born Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, 6 February 2004, is the first child of Prince Laurent and Princess Claire of Belgium. She is currently 13th in the line of succession to the Belgian throne.-Family:...
    
    , b. 2004 (daughter of Prince Laurent)
14. HRH Prince Nicolas of Belgium
    Prince Nicolas of Belgium
    Prince Nicolas of Belgium born Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, 13 December 2005, is the second child of Prince Laurent and Princess Claire of Belgium. He is currently 14th in the line of succession to the Belgian throne....
    
    , b. 2005 (son of Prince Laurent)
15. HRH Prince Aymeric of Belgium
    Prince Aymeric of Belgium
    Prince Aymeric of Belgium , is the third child of Prince Laurent and Princess Claire of Belgium...
    
    , b. 2005 (son of Prince Laurent)

See also

• List of Belgian monarchs
• Lists of incumbents