On Friday 25 October 2019 crown princess Elisabeth turns 18. This means the duchess of Brabant can legally succeed her father.
An official celebration has been planned at the royal palace with music & dance performances.
Members of Elisabeth's family have been invited: her grandparents former king Albert II and former queen Paola, her aunts & uncles Astrid, Lorenz, Laurent and Claire, and her godfather, prince Amedeo. Other attendants are people who've played an important role in Elisabeth's life, such as teachers from her Brussels schoolyears at the Sint-Jan Berchmanscollege.
Both king Philippe & crown princess Elisabeth will give a speech.
Other Belgian teenagers who also celebrate their 18th birthday in October 2019 have been invited to talk about how they see the future, and the future of their country. It's Elisabeth's personal request to give her own generation a voice in the celebration.
The Belgian delegation, presided by the king & queen left for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg aboard a special train that departed from Bruxelles Luxembourg station at 8:03.
The royal couple chose the train as a means of transport out of ecological concerns. Philippe's relative princess Esmeralda told Belgian press earlier this week the king is very concerned about ecology, but he doesn't have the political freedom to express this as openly as he'd wish to. None the less he gave his public support to the climate youth in his New Year's speech of 2019.
Arrival at Luxembourg Central Station at 11:00. Philippe's first cousin, grand duke Henri of Luxembourg was waiting for them.
Welcoming Ceremony at the grand ducal palace.
Mathilde speaks to French tourists and thanks them for having braved the rain.
Wreath Laying Ceremony at the Monument national de la solidarité luxembourgeoise.
Private lunch at the grand ducal palace, hosted by grand duke Henri, hereditary prince Guillaume & hereditary princess Stéphanie. Grand duchess Maria Teresa doesn't participate most of this state visit because of recent knee surgery.
Audiences with PM Xavier Bettel and foreign & EU minister Jean Asselborn.
The grand duke accompanies the royal couple for a walk at the Corniche.
Academic session at the Hôtel de Ville of Luxembourg.
State Banquet hosted by grand duke Henri.
Maria Teresa wore the diamond Congo tiara that used to belong to her mother-in-law, Belgian princess Joséphine-Charlotte.
#belux2019
A l'occasion de la Visite d'Etat du Couple Royal Belge, découvrez un extrait du discours de S.A.R le Grand-Duc lors du gala de Mardi soir.
Retrouvez l'intégralité de la vidéo sur : https://t.co/tomnVvEBVNpic.twitter.com/AkyZqNUjzF
