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Belgium's Prince Philippe and his wife Princess Mathilde. (AP Photo/Ezequiel Scagnetti)

New king takes throne in Belgium after father abdicates

King Albert II relinquished the throne paving the way for his eldest son to become the country’s seventh monarch.

PHILIPPE ASCENDED THE throne of Belgium as its seventh king earlier amid national day celebrations marked by hopes the fragile nation can remain united.

“I swear to abide by the constitution and the laws of the Belgian people,” Philippe, 53, and dressed in full military uniform, said in the country’s three languages – French, Flemish and German.

“I am aware of the responsibilities weighing on my shoulders,” he added, after the abdication of his father Albert II after 20 years at the helm of the linguistically-split country at the heart of Europe.

Albert, 79, abdicated in favour of his eldest son at a solemn ceremony in the royal palace’s chandelier-laden throne room after saying he felt too old and too fragile to continue to reign.

Royal family members Queen Paola, King Albert II, Prince Philippe and his wife Princess Mathilde attend a church service at the St. Gudule cathedral in Brussels to watch Philippe become the country’s seventh monarch. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

In his last speech, Albert reiterated a call to the country’s leaders “to work tirelessly in favour of Belgium’s cohesion”.

His voice breaking with emotion, Albert turned to his wife of 54 years, Queen Paola, to say: “As for the queen who constantly supported me in my task I would simply like to tell her ‘thank you’.

“A big kiss”, he added as she shed a tear and the audience of political leaders and other dignitaries broke into a long round of applause.

Under sunny skies and a light summer breeze, flags fluttered across Brussels as the day of pageantry began with a thanksgiving mass in the cathedral and crowds lined outside shouted “Long Live the King”.

Supporters hold balloons in the Belgian colors. (AP Photo/Ezequiel Scagnetti)

The medieval cathedral of Saint Michael and Gudula was packed with Belgian government and other dignitaries, but there were no foreign guests in attendance.

But worries persist that the shy and often awkward prince Philippe may lack the political skills of his father to maintain unity in a nation deeply divided between its Flemish- and French-speaking halves.

Mathilde, an outgoing 40-year-old who will be Belgium’s first home-grown queen, is seen as his best asset in the couple’s campaign to win the hearts of their 11.5 million people.

The monarchy more often than not is viewed as a rare symbol of Belgium’s unity, along with its iconic fries and the national football team.

But while the French-speakers of the south remain largely royalist, Flemish-speaking Flanders, home to 60 per cent of the population, has cooled.

- AFP

Read: Signs that people have lost their minds over the royal baby>

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    Mute stephen
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    Oct 15th 2015, 10:52 AM

    I’d love one to drive home after the night shift, I could have a quick snooze and “hopefully” I won’t kill anyone.

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    Mute Bill Madden
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    Oct 15th 2015, 2:19 PM

    Father Ted had one years ago!

    10
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    Mute Floodzie
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    Oct 15th 2015, 10:54 AM

    *Tesla

    46
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    Mute michaelhenry
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:24 AM

    People kill and injure thousands of other people each year on the worlds roads- computers are bound to do better-

    38
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    Mute Brendan Hughes
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    Oct 15th 2015, 10:56 AM

    always a good day when you dont hit someone.

    35
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    Mute Anton Friendo
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:00 AM

    Except for the Micra / Yaris driver who takes half an hour to go round a corner

    37
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    Mute Bill Madden
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    Oct 15th 2015, 1:10 PM

    Perhaps it might stop them savages from running down people at bus stops and then choping the injured with and ax!

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    Mute Dave Meagher
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    Oct 15th 2015, 10:55 AM

    Fingers crossed, be grand they said……

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    Mute Right of Nigel
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    Oct 15th 2015, 10:52 AM

    rise of the machines

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:48 AM

    this is awesome. My next car will be a Tesla.

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:14 AM

    Honestly I don’t see how one of these vehicles could be better than a competent driver. They’re susceptible to all kinds of software and hardware issues which could cause fatal accidents and they could be vulnerable to unsolicited electronic access. Not to mention the fact that cars will become much more expensive to manufacture and maintain as a result.

    I think in theory it’s a good idea but in practice it will fail.

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    Mute John Galvin
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:37 AM

    ya gotta start somewhere. otherwise progress will never be made!

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    Mute Hólec Alfield
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:48 AM

    “a motorised carriage fuelled by highly combustible liquid!? I think in theory it’s a good idea but in practice it will fail.” – Some dude, circa 1900

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:49 AM

    You can’t see how because you don’t know the first thing about machine learning. Google ‘s cars are already safer than competent drivers.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:51 AM

    Why would cars that don’t need steering wheels and peddles be more expensive?

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:58 AM

    I’m pretty sure a full suite of computers, sensors and AI programming are more expensive than a steering wheel and a couple of peddles Jake.

    Hólec, for every one design out there that succeeds there’s a ton more that fail. How are those flying car designs which were supposed to revolutionise travel coming along? Hell even jetpacks were toted as the personal transport revolution and promptly dropped.

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    Mute Hólec Alfield
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    Oct 15th 2015, 12:06 PM

    Jason, open up to the spirit of endeavour.

    Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Oct 15th 2015, 12:46 PM

    “I’m pretty sure a full suite of computers, sensors and AI programming are more expensive than a steering wheel and a couple of peddles Jake”

    So Tesla uses a system of radar and cameras. They’re not that expensive. They were included with all of their models and did not increase the price of the car. Tesla will be selling a $35K model starting next year and it too will include the radar and cameras.

    Then there is the fact that Tesla’s are electric cars and cost fukc all to run compared to an ICE.

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    Mute Jake Race
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    Oct 15th 2015, 12:47 PM

    As for computers, cars already have on-board computers and have since the 1980s. The biggest problem facing manufacturers of self-driving cars is the software, not hardware.

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    Mute Warai Aoi
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    Oct 15th 2015, 2:09 PM

    ‘They’re susceptible to all kinds of software and hardware issues which could cause fatal accidents and they could be vulnerable to unsolicited electronic access.’

    You could say the same of human drivers.

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    Mute Pronnsias McCarthaigh
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:03 AM

    Another one of these cars that Feds could switch off remotely and lock you in side or worse again crash it into something.

    Michael Hastings, ‘Rolling Stone’ Contributor,died at the age of 33

    http://www.globalresearch.ca/death-of-rolling-stone-muckracker-the-michael-hastings-wreck-video-evidence-only-deepens-the-mystery/5343027

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    Mute Chini
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:00 AM

    Denmark is slowly retreating from some of its most ambitious, self-regarding climate initiatives. In an unforeseen attack of common sense, the government is readying to end its generous tax breaks for citizens who buy low-carbon vehicles because of the expense imposed on the public purse.

    This will triple the retail price of electric cars like the popular Tesla (Model X pictured above) and remove their competitive price advantage against standard fossil fuel-powered models.

    A draft budget proposed last week would extend an existing 180 per cent automobile tax to electric vehicles and place their pricing alongside all other standard competitors.
    HT Simon Kent Breitbart

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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:10 AM

    To be honest, I’m glad they’re pulling support for electrical vehicles. Evidence has shown that the production processes involved in making these electrical cars is even worse for the environment than standard hydrocarbon vehicles. That and they still contribute negatively to CO2 emissions unless the entire grid is powered by sustainable fuels (which almost nobody has achieved).

    The only vehicles that stand a reasonable chance of having a positive effect are hydrogen cars and even then the production process for hydrogen fuel requires gas.

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    Mute Chini
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:20 AM

    This is what the Chinese get from all this green nonsense, just one on the many many articles on this pollution available http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/01/28/article-1350811-0CF36063000005DC-625_634x286.jpg

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    Mute M
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    Oct 15th 2015, 12:05 PM

    I wish I was a kid again so that when I grew up I coud be like Elon Musk.

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    Mute Drew TheChinaman :)
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:59 AM

    I’m honestly more concerned about it ‘self-parking’ itself into the side of the Ferrari or the Porsche that my neighbours in the garage drive than it hitting a person.

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    Mute Al Ca
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    Oct 15th 2015, 12:36 PM

    Try not parking it in your neighbours garage.

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    Mute Peter Downey
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    Oct 15th 2015, 1:34 PM

    With increased interest in autonomous vehicles – everyone and their mother seems to be looking into autonomous driving – at what point do pedestrians themselves become responsible for crossing a road out side of pedestrian/zebra crossings. No matter how good software and sensor arrays get they can’t predict or be responsible for stupidity.

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    Mute Ciarán
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    Oct 15th 2015, 3:39 PM

    They can predict about as well as a human diver and react far far quicker

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    Mute Jamsey
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    Oct 15th 2015, 11:01 PM

    And they’re unlikely to down ten pints, smoke an ounce of weed before attempting to drive home.

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    Mute paddy Jennings
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    Oct 15th 2015, 1:22 PM

    did he not launch these on the Simpsons a few months back

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