dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə fˈɜːst jˈɪɹz ʌv hɪz ɹˈeɪn, mˈoʊst əv ðə ɡˈɛsts wɜː bɹˈɪɾɪʃ, æz ðə bˈɛldʒən noʊbˈɪlᵻɾi wɜː stˈɪl lˈɑːɹdʒli lˈɔɪəl tə ðə hˈaʊs ʌv ˈɔɹɪndʒ, bˌʌt ɡɹˈædʒuːəli ðə bˈɛldʒən ˌæɹɪstˈɑːkɹəsi stˈɑːɹɾᵻd tʊ ɐtˈɛnd ðə ɹˈɔɪəl ɹᵻsˈɛpʃənz.
During the first years of his reign, most of the guests were British, as the Belgian nobility were still largely loyal to the House of Orange, but gradually the Belgian aristocracy started to attend the royal receptions.