The fascinating history of 190 years of the Belgian monarchy. In 1830, the Belgian constitutional authority opted for a hereditary monarchy, but because of ministerial responsibility, he curbed royal power. Executive power rests with the government, which is politically accountable to the elected parliament. This creates a field of tension between the monarchy, which is hereditary, and the government, which is mandated by the voter. The stakes of this duality are political decision-making. The king is merely symbolically the head of the executive. His ministers rule, they conduct political policy. It was not self-evident that Leopold I, who grew up in the ancien régime, conformed to the Belgian constitution. He and his successors tried to bend political life in Belgium to their will. How did the power and influence of the monarch evolve, from Leopold I to Philip? If the king's power gradually diminishes through democratization and participation, does his influence also diminish? How did the kings view government and parliament? How did they use or abuse their power or influence? What attitude did they adopt towards political parties? Mark Van den Wijngaert answers these and other questions in a chronological overview from 1831 to the present. In it, the reader can follow the fascinating evolution from Leopold I, who had real power, to Philip, who only exercises influence. Hardback edition, revised edition 2021, in Dutch only, 375 pages, some illustrations, size 15x14 cm.