By Voka Kamer van Koophandel Limburg CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

King Albert II of Belgium has a major engagement lined up – even though he’s still being treated in hospital.

As the former monarch continues his recovery from symptoms of dehydration under medical supervision, it’s been confirmed that he plans to attend events to mark the tenth anniversary of the reign of his son, King Philippe.

Philippe will celebrate a decade as King of the Belgians on July 21st 2023, the country’s national day. It will also be the tenth anniversary of Albert’s abdication.

King Albert, 89, plans to be at the Te Deum in Brussels on the morning of July 21st and at a special concert being held that same evening.

However, as the plans were revealed, it was announced that his participation does depend on his health. He was taken to hospital earlier this week after being found with symptoms of dehydration. Doctors initially said he would be treated for a couple of days but later altered that to almost a week under hospital supervision. Soon afterwards, they said that he was so tired he had to limit the number of people at his bedside.

King Philippe and his brother, Prince Laurent, visited their father on the day he was admitted to hospital but since then, King Albert’s main companion has been his wife, Queen Paola.

Albert ruled Belgium from 1993 until his abdication in 2013.