July 21, 2013 -- Updated 1606 GMT (0006 HKT) King Philippe is sworn in as king of Belgium on Sunday in Brussels His father, Albert II, stepped down an hour earlier Belgium also gained a queen, Philippe's wife Mathilde (CNN) -- Former Crown Prince Philippe was sworn in as king of Belgium on Sunday after his father abdicated the throne an hour before. Albert II of Belgium gave up his throne over concerns about his advanced age. "I have noticed how my age and my health have not permitted me to exercise my duties the way I would like to," the 79-year-old said in an address to the nation. King Philippe, 53, was educated in public schools in Belgium's two major languages, Flemish and French, and later attended the royal military academy, where he trained to be a fighter pilot. Belgium, which is home to the European Union capital of Brussels, has also gained a queen in Mathilde, Philippe's wife. Albert's abdication follows that of the Netherlands' Queen Beatrice earlier this year and that of Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.