In the snug, prosperous, heavily industrial Kingdom of the Belgians and its rich jungle Congo empire, even the worst Cabinet crisis is almost never cause for alarm. Reason: the extraordinary prestige and stabilizing ability of the Throne. Its power is a legacy from that masterly European schemer Leopold II, who died in 1909, and from his heroic successor, Belgium's Wartime King Albert. Fortunately, the throne next came to young King Leopold III, today easily the outstanding European crowned head in strength of mind and leadership. Last week His Majesty, having presided for some days over the vain efforts of Belgian politicians to find a successor for able, honest but scandal- seared Premier Paul van Zeeland, who recently resigned (TIME, Nov.1), calmly announced that Dr. van Zeeland will continue in office as Premier while King Leopold this week makes a visit of state in London to King George.
It happens that Belgium has a howling would-be-Hitler in the sleek person of Rexist Leader Léon Degrelle, who has been raking every kind of muck for months against Economist van Zeeland and finally made some of it stick (TIME, Sept. 13 et ante). But Belgians did not think this week that their King was taking a risk in stepping out of his country and away from his Government at such a crucial time. They felt that the Government was not so much being left behind as it was going abroad in the person of the King. Reason: The last time Leopold III went to London, His Majesty negotiated with the British Foreign Office and brought back to Brussels a treaty giving Belgium an altogether different status in Europe*(TIME, April 5 et seq.). This act of state by the King eclipsed in importance anything his Cabinet or Premier have yet done and was fully approved afterward by the Belgian Parliament, press and public. Thus King George is to be honored in Buckingham Palace this week by a state visit from a constitutional sovereign whose powers are real.
George VI as a young man witnessed the triumphant re-entry into Brussels— after it had been evacuated by the Germans—of Belgium's King Albert and Crown Prince Leopold, who is now King. In 1935 Britain's present King George and Queen Elizabeth, then Duke & Duchess of York, gave a ball in the British Pavilion at the Brussels Exposition—the last public function at which young King Leopold Ill's dearly beloved and beauteous Queen Astrid ever appeared. After her tragic death in a motoring accident in Switzerland (TIME, Sept. 9, 1935), the Duke of York returned to Brussels to represent his father, George V, at the funeral. Today, in so far as two crowned heads can be on natural and simple human terms, the British King and the King of the Belgians are fast friends.