Former Belgian King Albert II (89) left hospital on Wednesday afternoon, after being admitted with symptoms of dehydration on Tuesday last week.
With former Queen Paola by his side, King Albert II left the hospital. Photos show him shaking hands with the doctors and nursing staff and thanking them at the exit.
Last Tuesday, the former head of state was hospitalised after becoming unwell at Belvédère Castle, his official residence in Laeken. He showed symptoms of dehydration and had to be examined.
During additional analyses, it became clear that he had also contracted a blood infection, which required several days of treatment. Now, he is in sufficiently good health to be discharged from hospital.
King Albert II of Belgium meets with the staff as he leaves the Saint-Luc hospital in Brussels. Credit: Belga / Frederic Sierakowski
King Albert was the sixth king of Belgium, from 9 August 1993 until 21 July 2013, when he abdicated so that his eldest son Philippe could take over.
Over the past few years, Albert has struggled with his health on several occasions: he has suffered from heart problems and had a skin tumour removed from his head in 2014.
