RoyaltyThirty years ago, our country was in turmoil. King Baudouin died at the age of 62 during his holiday in Motril, Spain. The then Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene came at a press conference with surprising news: not Filip, but Albert would succeed Boudewijn. Nobody saw that coming. Not even Dany Verstraeten (67), who was ready to present an extra news broadcast. That resulted in hilarious images.
Ine Verheyen Aug 1, 2023 Last update: 3:00 PM
VTM news anchor Dany Verstraeten was called in the night of July 31 to August 1, 1993 to present an extra news broadcast. “Boudewijn had passed away, so it was an incredibly hectic day,” he looks back. “Around 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning I got a call, I had become as sick as a dog that night. I had eaten a bad mussel at a mussel souper. So it was not ideal. But I got up, took some pills and took a shower to feel better. Then I rushed to the editors, but I really didn’t feel 100%.”
“You saw the surprise on my face”
At the end of the day there was a huge surprise. It was decided by the Wetstraat that Albert would better become king, who eventually also took on the task. “We were waiting for Jean-Luc Dehaene’s press conference, who was going to announce who would succeed Boudewijn. And of course, like everyone else, we assumed that it would be Filip. Suddenly the message came in that the prime minister was not going to announce Filip, but Albert as the new king. Then you saw my surprise on my face,” says Dany. “I think it’s great that scene, when you see it again, it’s pretty hilarious.”
“I had already made a number of preparations, there were all kinds of papers with information about Filip in front of me. That way I could already frame him a bit. Then came the unexpected news. Then you have to start improvising. Once the extra news has started, you have to move on with the resources you have. The astonishment and surprise has then become part of the news. Everyone had to switch the gun from shoulder and adapt.”
LOOK. No one saw it coming, not even Dany Verstraeten, who was ready to present an extra news broadcast. That resulted in these hilarious images
Misunderstanding
The fragment surfaced several years ago. “I did say it 30 years ago, but it never made it into the living rooms. The cameras were already rolling and so the fragment was retrieved from the archive. It just took on its own life, but I think it’s hilarious,” laughs Dany.
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Dany Verstraeten © VTM
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2023-08-01 11:52:42
#Albert #Dany #Verstraeten #iconic #statement #years
