The story
Imagine the wind rushing past you as you stand on this wide, gray ribbon of pavement. It is a busy place, isn't it? If you pause for a second, you can hear the low, constant hum of tires on asphalt and, if the wind is right, the heavy roar of a jet engine climbing into the Belgian sky. You are walking along a road that serves as the front door to the city, the Boulevard Léopold III, or Leopold III-laan.
The man whose name you see on the signs lived a life that felt like a bridge between a disappearing world of royalty and the high-speed modern era we are standing in now. Leopold III was the fourth King of the Belgians, ascending to the throne in 1934. He was the son of the famous Soldier King, Albert I, but his own reign would be defined by much darker, more complicated times. When the Second World War swept across Europe in 1940, Leopold made a choice that would haunt his legacy. Rather than fleeing to London to lead a government in exile like many other monarchs, he chose to stay in Belgium with his soldiers and was eventually taken as a prisoner of war.
This decision created a deep and painful divide in the country after the war ended, a period historians call the Royal Question. The debate over whether he should return to the throne was so intense that it nearly tore the nation apart. Eventually, in 1951, Leopold stepped down, abdicated his throne, and passed the crown to his son, Baudouin. He spent the rest of his long life focused on science and travel until he passed away in 1983.
It is fitting, in a way, that this specific road bears his name. While many royal streets in Brussels are tucked away in the old, ornate center, this boulevard is a product of the mid-twentieth century’s push for progress. It was developed to be the grand artery connecting the heart of Brussels to the international airport at Zaventem. When you look around today, you aren't seeing medieval spires; you are seeing the face of global power and commerce. The massive, glass-shimmering headquarters of NATO stands prominently along this stretch, alongside the offices of Eurocontrol and various international corporations.
While the exact date this name was officially etched into the city map isn't always cited in the common records, the boulevard itself grew alongside the jet age, designed to handle the movement of people from all over the world. As you continue your walk, look up at the horizon. Somewhere above the corporate buildings and the tram lines, you will likely see a plane tracing the exact path this road was built to follow. Notice the light reflecting off those wings and think of how this road, named for a king who stayed behind, is now the very thing that carries everyone else away.