Within Belgium, the legacy of King Leopold II remains deeply contested and often uncomfortable. For many years, official narratives largely glossed over the atrocities, focusing instead on his role as a modernizing monarch who strengthened Belgium's economy and infrastructure. Statues and monuments dedicated to him still exist across the country, celebrating him as a 'builder king' or the 'founder of Belgium's colonial empire,' overlooking the immense human cost. However, in recent decades, there has been a significant shift in public discourse. Growing awareness, fueled by academic research and activist movements, has led to calls for the removal or recontextualization of Leopold's statues and a more honest reckoning with Belgium's colonial past. This perspective grapples with national identity, historical memory, and the responsibility of confronting a difficult national narrative. It highlights the struggle to reconcile a revered monarch with the undeniable horrors perpetrated under his authority, and the ongoing debate about how Belgium should acknowledge and atone for its colonial history.