Philippe & Gabriel witness the Ariane 5 Rocket Launch

11 April 2023

In the morning King Philippe and Prince Gabriel (19) left for Kourou, French Guiana from Melsbroek Airport.

They would witness the launch of the Ariane 5 rocket, that launched the JUICE satellite, which would in turn explore Jupiter. Belgium, a founding ESA member state, made a significant contribution to this space project.

This activity had been announced weeks ago by court, but it wasn't mentioned Gabriel would be joining his father. The Prince, who's a first year student at the Royal Military Academy, was on his Easter Holidays leave. 

This was his first international official activity.

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Départ du Roi Philippe et du prince Gabriel vers la Guyane pour le lancement d'un satellite dédié à l'exploration de Jupiter

Verrassing: koning Filip neemt zoon Gabriël mee naar Frans-Guyana voor lancering raket#BelgaVideo @JeromeFetu pic.twitter.com/sgFq5EJQlT

— BelgaVideo (@BelgaVideo) April 11, 2023

video: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2023/04/11/koning-filip-met-zoon-gabriel-naar-guyana-voor-lancering-van-sat/

#koningFilip neemt z'n oudste zoon #prinsGabriël mee op missie naar Frans Guyana, voor de lancering van ruimtesonde #ESAJuice. Het is Gabriëls 1e buitenlandse werktrip met zijn vader. In 2021 mocht hij ook mee de lucht in, met het nieuw militair transportvliegtuig A400M @vrtnws pic.twitter.com/Du9I8ds2uu

— pascale mertens (@pascale_mertens) April 11, 2023

Court also shared some images of Philippe in earlier years. From his childhood years, he's been fascinated by space exploration.

With uncle King Baudouin and father, Prince Albert at the National Sciences Museum in 1970, looking at a rock brought back from the Moon.

1970, Prince Philippe receives a mini replica of the moonlander from the US ambassador.

2002 and 2008, Crown Prince Philippe with Belgian astronauts Frank De Winne and Dirk Frimout.

Arrival at Cayenne, French Guiana.

Arrivée du Roi et du prince Gabriel à Cayenne pic.twitter.com/sVrArNnkND

— BelgaVideo (@BelgaVideo) April 11, 2023

12 April 2023

Father and son were given a tour of the European Space Center in Kourou.

A week earlier Philippe had broken 3 ribs while kite surfing on the Spanish coast. Now and then it was visible he was still having pain.

video: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnu/a-z/vrt-nws-journaal/2023/vrt-nws-journaal-vrt-nws-journaal-19u-20230412/?starttime=1245

They also met the Belgians who work at the Space Centre.

Later in the day King Philippe, followed by his son, also visited the third Foreign Infantry Regiment at the military barracks.

13 April 2023

ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer mission 'Juice' was planned to launch from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, but the launch was postponed because of a risk of lightning.

14 April 2023

A day later than initially planned the King and his son were able to witness the launch!

King Philippe was flanked by ESA director general Josef Aschbacher.

video: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2023/04/14/lukt-de-lancering-van-de-europese-ruimtesonde-juice-straks-wel/

In the evening the Belgian delegation left French Guiana, in time for King Philippe to be home to celebrate his 63rd birthday with the rest of his family.

Flashback: Baptizing Belgacom

15 April 2000

Princess Mathilde baptized the new trimaran "Belgacom" in Ostend.

Holidays 2023: Semana Santa around El Bierzo

1 April 2023

Spanish press reports that Philippe, Mathilde, Eléonore and a group of friends are currently in Spain, walking a part of the Santiago trail. A tradition they've been loyal to for years now.

According to the Diario de León, the Belgian royals arrived in Spain yesterday, Friday 31 March. They will be hiking around El Bierzo and are staying in El Parador de Villafranca del Bierzo. 

6 April 2023

Flashback: Breast Cancer

4 April 2003

Princess Mathilde hosted a round tabel on breast cancer at the Royal Palace in Brussels.

Mathilde was nearly five months into her second pregnancy.

25 Years of Child Focus + Expo "Expéditions d'Egypte"

30 March 2023

In the morning Queen Mathilde was present at the Atomium, to attend the 25th anniversary celebration of her patronage, Child Focus. 

After attending an academic session, Mathilde joined a group of children to promote the MAX campaign that teaches children it's important to have a reliable person in their lives, so they can share their doubts and fears.

Right after this activity Queen Mathilde was driven to the funeral of her uncle, Count Raoul d'Udekem in Enghien. (here)

In the evening the Queen was back in Brussels for another activity. She visited the exhibition "Expedition Egypt" at the Royal Museum for Art en History in Brussels.

It's been two weeks since Mathilde got back from an archeological visit to Egypt with her daughter, Crown Princess Elisabeth.

Queen Mathilde has granted her High Patronage to this exhibition.

Funeral: Raoul d'Udekem (1935-2023)

30 March 2023

Queen Mathilde attended the funeral of her uncle and godfather, Count Raoul d'Udekem d'Acoz at the Saint-Nicolas church of Enghien.

Mathilde already had another acitivity planned around this time, the 25th anniversary of Child Focus. Her presence was rescheduled to an earlier hour of the morning. Thanks to a police escort she was then able to make it to the funeral in time. In the late afternoon there was yet another activity on the agenda (here). 

Raoul's widow, Françoise de Maere, accompanied by her daughters Diane and Anne d'Udekem. Second row, right: Bernard d'Udekem, new head of the family.

Behind Mathilde: Blandine and Marie-Cécile de Lhoneux.

Blandine de Lhoneux carrying her young son, Alban du Bus de Warnaffe.

Family: Raoul d'Udekem has died

On Friday 24 March 2023 Count Raoul d'Udekem d'Acoz (87), Mathilde 's uncle and godfather died.

Raoul was the last surviving brother of Mathilde's father. He was born on 21 April 1935 in Uccle and grew up with his two brothers at Castle Couthof in Proven. 

He later moved to Ypres where he was active in local politics. At the end of the 1990s he moved to Herne where he was alderman from 2001 to 2007 for CD&V. 

Raoul d'Udekem was married to Françoise de Maere d'Aertrycke (°1935). They have four children: Anne, Diane, Bernard and Nadine, and twelve grandchildren. 

When Mathilde was a child, she and her siblings would often visit the family but as the years went on a family feud about their grandmother's inheritance caused a rift which even led to court cases. Mathilde's uncles would sometimes make the news with petty citicism on Mathilde's family, much to the Belgian press's amusement. 

At one point Raoul was interviewed about one of Mathilde's sister's (Elisabeth Pallavicini) properties, that she wanted to renovate and put up for rent. There was some upheaval as the tenant, who'd never signed a contract, had to leave the house. Raoul publicly accused Elisabeth's husband of only thinking about money.

After Mathilde's father, Patrick d'Udekem died in 2008, both surviving brothers expressed their regret at having waisted so much time bickering.

In 2013 Raoul and his niece, who had become Queen of the Belgians saw each other during a joyeuse entrée in the province Vlaams-Brabant. They exchanged a brief "hello". It isn't clear if their rapport changed in the following years.

When her uncle died, Mathilde was on state visit in South Africa. She must have been informed about his health beforehand, because she visited to say her last goodbye.

It has been announced that Count Raoul d'Udekem's funeral will be held at the Saint-Nicolas church of Enghien on 30 March 2023 at 11:00. In spite of a very full agenda, Queen Mathilde will attend the funeral.

I guess Queen Mathilde will attend the funeral of her uncle and godfather. We were informed that her first activity of the day - in Brussels - is advanced, so she has 45 minutes to be just in time in Enghien (with police escort). The second activity is in the late afternoon. https://t.co/qNClQgEGs4

— [Wim Dehandschutter] (@WDehandschutter) March 28, 2023