King Baudouin’s parade car to go under the hammer at Zoute on Oct. 9

A Cadillac once used to carry King Baudouin through Belgium on his official Joyous Entries will be auctioned on Oct. 9 at the Zoute Grand Prix in Knokke.

The 1951 Series 62 Convertible belonged to the parade fleet of the Belgian royal household. Made in the United States, it arrived in Belgium in September 1951, only two months after the young Baudouin ascended the throne.

Baudouin used the car to travel through the country for his Joyous Entries, ceremonial visits that marked his arrival in Belgian cities. Period photographs show the king waving to crowds from the rear seat during official visits to Liège, Namur and Brussels in 1952, followed by trips to Arlon and Hasselt in 1953.

The Cadillac comes from a model launched in 1948, when the third generation of the Series 62 represented the revival of American postwar design. Its combination of comfort, presence and prestige attracted both Hollywood stars and crowned heads. The auction will take place during the Zoute Grand Prix, an event devoted to historic and exclusive cars in the upmarket coastal resort of Knokke.