2003 in Belgium

Incumbents

• Monarch: Albert II
• Prime Minister: Guy Verhofstadt

  Events

• 1 February – Lucas Van Looy consecrated as bishop of Ghent
• 15 February – 70,000 people march through the streets of Brussels as part of the global anti-war protest.

• 12 April – Wedding of Prince Laurent and Claire Coombs

• 15 May – Art deco cinema De Roma in Borgerhout reopens as a cultural centre and performance venue
• 18 May – Belgian federal election, 2003

• 1 June – Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Belgium

• 12 July – Verhofstadt II Government sworn in

• 7 September – Guy Harpigny consecrated as bishop of Tournai

• 1 October – Merger between 3 universities leads to the establishment of the University of Antwerp.

  Births

• 23 April – Princess Laetitia Maria of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este, fifth child of Prince Lorenz of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este and Princess Astrid of Belgium
• 20 August – Prince Gabriel of Belgium, second child of Philippe of Belgium and Mathilde of Belgium

  Deaths

• 8 January - Franz Drappier comic book writer
• 11 January - Bob Maertens soccer player
• 22 January - Georges Mommerency politician
• 29 January - Louis Baret singer and comedian

• 4 February
• *Pierre Carteus soccer player
• *André Noyelle cyclist
• 6 February - Mark Braet poet and politician
• 9 February - René Uyttendaele mayor
• 26 February
• *Christian Goethals race-car driver
• *Michel Van Maele mayor

• 11 March - Jacques Yerna politician
• 31 March - Theo Mertens trumpet player

• 3 April - Karel Boumans comic book writer
• 17 April - Jeff Schell molecular biologist
• 20 April - Henri Lemaître papal diplomat

• 15 May
• *Rik Van Steenbergen cyclist
• *Marcel Thielemans singer and trombone player
• 22 May - Albert Mettens soccer player

• 1 June - André Lootens mayor
• 26 June - Gerard Gaudaen wood carver

• 18 July - Daniël Van Avermaet TV presenter

• 1 August - Guy Thys soccer manager
• 5 August - Maurice Mollin cyclist

• 4 September - Lola Bobesco violinist
• 8 September - August Vanistendael union leader and politician
• 22 September
• *Maxime Brunfaut architect
• *Armand Pien weather man and TV presenter

• 29 October - Albert Cool mayor
• 30 October - Antoon Roosens philosopher

• 11 November - Paul Janssen, founder of Janssen Pharmaceutica

• 8 December - Charly Talbot politician
• 11 December - Ann Petersen actress