Belgium's King Philippe and several politicians attended the annual Armistice Day commemoration at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Congress Column in Brussels on Tuesday.
The ceremony began at around 10:20 a.m., with the king arriving at 10:30 a.m., accompanied by a delegation of mounted soldiers.
He laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a monument established in 1922 to honour Belgian war victims and soldiers who died during World War I.
King Philippe of Belgium pictured during a World War I commemoration at the 'Tomb of the Unknown Soldier' monument in Brussels, Tuesday 11 November 2025. On 11 November 1918 the Armistice was signed, marking the end of World War I. Credit: Belga/James Arthur Gekiere
The event marks 107 years since the guns fell silent after World War I, symbolised by a trumpet sounding the ceasefire at 11:00 a.m.
Belgian Defence Force units followed with a military parade, observed by Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA), Defence Minister Theo Francken (N-VA), and Interior Minister Bernard Quintin (MR).
Minister of Defence Theo Francken and Prime Minister Bart De Wever pictured during a World War I commemoration at the 'Tomb of the Unknown Soldier' monument in Brussels, Tuesday 11 November 2025. Credit: Belga/James Arthur Gekiere
Other attendees included representatives from the Constitutional Court, the Court of Cassation, the Brussels-Capital Region, and the city of Brussels.
Notably, Prime Minister De Wever wore a poppy, a symbol of World War I, referencing the poppies that grew near the battlefields in West Flanders where many Belgians lost their lives.
Illustration picture shows a veteran holding a flag during a World War I commemoration at the 'Tomb of the Unknown Soldier' monument in Brussels, Tuesday 11 November 2025.Credit: Belga/James Arthur Gekiere
The commemoration also honoured victims of World War II.
The military parade featured various Belgian units, including the Royal Band of the Navy, medical staff, and students from the Duke of York’s Royal Military School in the United Kingdom.
Illustration picture shows soldiers marching during a World War I commemoration at the 'Tomb of the Unknown Soldier' monument in Brussels, Tuesday 11 November 2025. Credit: Belga/James Arthur Gekiere
