Why aren’t there portraits of the king and queen in every courtroom?

Answer

There is no obligation in Belgium to hang portraits of the reigning royal couple in public buildings such as town halls, courtrooms or even schools – Boudewijn and Fabiola hung in my class. It’s a custom that originated in the interwar years with King Albert and Queen Elisabeth, but that fad became so widespread that many people assume it’s a mandatory wall decoration. In school photos you see them suddenly appearing from 1920, only to see them fall back after Albert II’s accession to the throne. Especially in town halls people kept and continue to hold on to the tradition.