“Did King Leopold II ever imagine his sister living here?” I ask. Before you stands the Château du Belvédère a true testament to Belgian royal history. This elegant neoclassical château wasn’t always a royal residence. Originally built in the 1780s it was a private estate. King Leopold II acquired it in 1867. He intended it for his sister Carlotta of Mexico. She preferred Tervuren though. The château remained empty for some time.
A significant event changed its fate. In 1890 a devastating fire gutted the Royal Palace of Laeken. King Leopold II and his wife Marie Henriette of Austria temporarily resided at the Château du Belvédère. Once the palace was repaired they returned. The Château du Belvédère then became home to their youngest daughter Princess Clementine. She lived there until her marriage. Different members of the royal court inhabited it after that.
The Château du Belvédère played a surprising role in 1958. It hosted exhibitions during the Brussels World’s Fair Expo 58. The following year Prince Albert of Liège and Paola Ruffo di Calabria moved in. Their marriage transformed the château’s grounds. It expanded to five hectares incorporating part of a nearby park. Their three children Prince Philippe Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent were all born and raised within its walls.
Even after becoming King and Queen in 1993 Albert II and Paola chose to stay. They preferred the Château du Belvédère to the official Royal Palace. They held official receptions at other royal residences. The Château du Belvédère remained their cherished home. Its elegant and refined atmosphere is palpable. A legacy of a unique family history and Belgian royalty lives on here in this beautiful château.