Christmas Visit 2017: Huis Perrekes

21 December 2017

King Philippe & Queen Mathilde made a Christmas visit to Huis Perrekes, a residential care facility in Oosterlo for persons suffering from dementia.

Clotilde Boël acted as lady-in-waiting.

According to members of staff, the King & Queen were visibly moved by their meeting with residents, family members and staff. They stayed quite a bit longer than had been planned.

Philippe & Mathilde also joined De Betties, a group of residents with dementia who sing together.

Christmas Concert 2017

20 December 2017

The royal family, in the presence of their 4 children attended the annual Christmas concert at the royal palace in Brussels.

Other members of the larger family were also present: Princess Astrid & her husband, Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este with their daughter Princess Laetitia, and Princess Claire with her sons, Prince Aymeric and Prince Nicolas.

video: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2017/12/21/meezinger--stille-nacht--sluit-traditionele-kerstconcert-op-koni/

Afterwards there was a reception. Melissa Maas acted as lady-in-waiting.

Diplomatic Contact Days 2017

19 December 2017

King Philippe & Queen Mathilde hosted a reception for the Diplomatic Contact Days, at the royal palace in Brussels.

Christmas Card 2017

December 2017

President Moïse + Dialogue des Carmélites

14 December 2017

King Philippe & Queen Mathilde granted to an audience to the President of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse and his wife at the royal palace in Brussels.

In the evening, Queen Mathilde went to see the opera "Dialogue des Carmélites" at La Monnaie in Brussels.

Sporty Children

In her recent visit to indepent living facility "Jules Lejeune", Mathilde told one of the residents that one of her sons practices judo, and one of her daughters aikido.

Any thoughts on who could be into what?

The royal family is a sporty one anyhow.

Elisabeth is known to practice diving. She also does hiking trails.

Gabriel, apart from being a real sports lover who enjoys watching matches, plays hockey in a team.

As a family, the six of them go skiing each year, and sailing in summer. They're also known to go for cycling trips in the weekend, and they have their own tennis court and swimming pool at the Laken estate.

Flashback: Nuts for the Battle of the Bulge

13 December 2014

King Philippe & Queen Mathilde participated in the traditional throwing of nuts, in reference to the Battle of the Bulge in Mathilde's home town Bastogne.

They talked to American veterans who had returned to Bastogne after 70 years.