Belgians are fairly blasé about the monarchy and the royal roles executed by its members, according to the latest Monarchy Barometer published on Monday.
The latest IPSOS survey conducted in conjunction with RTL Info, VTM and Het Laatste Nieuws reveals generally positive attitudes toward the Belgian royals. The survey focused on public opinion about King Philippe, Queen Mathilde and their daughter and heir to the throne Princess Elisabeth.
As Head of State, King Philippe represents Belgium on the world stage. 66% of Belgians were satisfied with his performance, up from 59% last year. Men above 35 – particularly men over 59 – expressed the highest levels of satisfaction.
The majority of respondents said the King was a good national representative and an even larger proportion said he should not reveal any more of his private life.
Queen Mathilde's biggest fans were Flemish people and over-35s, scoring 68% for overall satisfaction (like her husband, up from 59% in 2023). 72% believe she adds value to the Crown and 66% believe she has made her own mark on Philippe's royal duties.
Crown Princess Elisabeth and Queen Mathilde of Belgium in Egypt in 2023. Credit: Belga / Eric Lalmand
45% of respondents say Princess Elisabeth should wait more than ten years before succeeding to the throne, meaning that she would be at least 32 years of age while her father will have reached the age of 72.
1000 Belgians over the age of 18 participated in the survey and fair representation of age, gender and region was ensured. IPSOS says there is a 3.1% margin of error.
