Series synopsis
Albert II is a drama television series that premiered on VRT 1 on September 8, 2013. It ended on October 6, 2013. It stars Ruth Bastiaensen, Wim Lommaert, Lotte Mariën and Leah Thys.
Largely fictionalized, partly fictitious chapters from the life of the Belgian royal family during and around the reign of king Albert II. Besides his duties, including signing a more federal regime for the Belgian state, focus is on his marital troubles, illegal offspring and unruly sons. Albert's elder brother and predecessor Boudewijn I and his widow Fabiola also play a largely fictionalized part.
Premise
Largely fictionalized, partly fictitious chapters from the life of the Belgian royal family during and around the reign of king Albert II. Besides his duties, including signing a more federal regime for the Belgian state, focus is on his marital troubles, illegal offspring and unruly sons. Albert's elder brother and predecessor Boudewijn I and his widow Fabiola also play a largely fictionalized part.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Ruth Bastiaensen as Prinses Mathilde
- Wim Lommaert as Prins Lorenz
- Lotte Mariën as Prinses Claire
- Leah Thys as Koningin Fabiola
- Stefaan Degand as Prins Laurent
- Ruth Becquart as Prinses Astrid
- Kris Cuppens as Koning Boudewijn
- Lucas Van den Eynde as Koning Albert II
Supporting cast
- Mathijs Scheepers as Prins Filip
- Ludo Busschots as Jacques van Ypersele de Strihou
- Valentijn Dhaenens as Guy Verhofstadt
- Christel Domen as Sybille de Selys Longchamps
- An Miller as Delphine Boël
- Veerle Eyckermans as Koningin Paola
- Wim Opbrouck as Jean-Luc Dehaene
Guest cast
- Silke Becu as Elisabeth Beel De Laet
Episodes
This series spans 1 season with 5 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 5 | September 8, 2013 | October 6, 2013 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Vive le roi Following the sudden death of king Boudewijn of Belgium, his brother Albert feels obliged to take up his rights as crown prince. His son, Filip, is not pleased with this decision. Albert quickly realizes how difficult it is to fill the space left by Boudewijn. |
September 8, 2013 |
| 2 |
Ik zal handhaven Shortly after being sworn in as the new king, it becomes clear that Albert is quite inexperienced. King Albert II is regarded as a temporary figure. Then the country is shaken by the disappearance and murder of several young girls. Albert arises as a capable and powerful man, one that cannot be neglected by the government. |
September 15, 2013 |
| 3 |
De bastaard van Laken By the end of the 90s, Albert is getting more proficient at the game that is politics. The change of power from Dehaene to Verhofstadt runs smoothly. The book of a young journalist about the existence of a bastard daughter changes all that. His sons Filip and Laurent don't make the situation any easier. The king is tired and during one of the hardest moments of his life, his heart gives up. |
September 22, 2013 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | VRT 1 |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 8, 2013 |
| Last aired | October 6, 2013 |
| Runtime | 55 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Sunday |