Happy 48th Birthday!

20 January 2021

Handicap International

19 January 2021

As their royal patron, Queen Mathilde made a visit to Handicap International.

Funeral: Karl Ludwig von Habsburg (1918-2007)

18 January 2008

Princess Mathilde was among the guests at the memorial service for Archduke Karl Ludwig (Charles-Louis) von Habsburg, at the Abbey of La Cambre in Brussels. 

Archduke Carl Christian von Habsburg & his children, Archduchess Marie Christine, Archduchess Gabriella and Archduke Alexander de Habsbourg-Lorraine.

Archduke Rodolphe & Archduchess Anna Gabriele von Habsburg.

Queen Fabiola of the Belgians with Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein & Princess Margaretha of Luxembourg and former Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg.

Prince Hans-Adam & Princess Marie of Liechtenstein.

Princess Mathilde, who was expecting her fourth child. She was about 6 months pregnant. 

Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg.

Prince Charles & Princess Fiametta d'Arenberg.

Flashback: At the Opera

14 January 2000

Queen Paola, Crown Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde attended a gala concert for the 300th anniversary of Brussels Opera House La Monnaie. 

Flashback: Expo "Le Sourire du Bouddha"

13 January 2009

Crown prince Philippe & Princess Mathilde visited the exhibition "Buddha's Smile" at the Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels. 

Federal Prize for Fighting Poverty 2020

12 January 2021

At the castle of Laeken, Queen Mathilde had a (socially distanced) meeting with representatives of Le Petit Vélo Jaune, La Maison Source and Mensen voor Mensen, the laureats of the Federal Prize for Fighting Poverty. They discussed new solutions to the increasing child poverty rates in Belgium.

Flashback: Donald Tusk

7 January 2015

King Philippe & Queen Mathilde hosted a lunch for Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, at the Castle of Laeken.

Book: Prinsessen van België

Two Belgian journalists, Joëlle Vanden Houden & Brigitte Balfoort, have published a new book on the current princesses of Belgium.

The bulk of the book is about Crown Princess Elisabeth.

The other princesses who are mentioned in the book are:

Princess Marie Christine (daughter of Léopold III & princess Lilian)
Princess Esmeralda (daughter of Léopold III & princess Lilian)
Princess Astrid (King Philippe's sister)
Princess Laura (daughter of princess Astrid)
Princess Luisa (daughter of princess Astrid)
Princess Laetitia (daughter of princess Astrid)
Princess Claire (Prince Laurent's wife)
Princess Louise (daughter of prince Laurent & princess Claire)
Princess Eléonore
Princess Delphine (daughter of king Albert II & Sybille de Selys)

Flashback: Family Photo Shoot 2007

 3 January 2007

2020: The Year That Was

It will come as no surprise to say that 2020 was the year of the pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus.

Apart from the numerous video calls with all segments of society and the working visits to hospitals and (secluded) institutions,  the Belgian royal family wholeheartedly showed their personal support to the medical professionals and to all those suffering from isolation and disease...

And as Mathilde put it to a fan while on a visit: "As long as we have to wear a face mask we may just as well be creative". A true word!

On a personal level 2020 must have been a turning point in Philippe & Mathilde's family life, with a house full of teenagers. 

Eléonore (12) started secondary school, Emmanuel (15) switched schools to the International School of Brussels, Gabriel (17) turned into a 2 meter tall fellow in front of our eyes and Elisabeth (19) impressed the country once again, this time by joining the military! 

As a little extra, the family got the company of their relative, Léopold de Nassau (20) who's living with them while studying in Brussels.

It seems a world away now, but at the start of 2020 there were still activities abroad for Queen Mathilde. In the first half of the year she visited 4 countries.

There was the annual visit to Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Fourum in January.

A week later Mathilde was in her mother's country Poland to pay homage to the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

In February the King & Queen of the Belgians were at the UN in New York where Belgium started its non-permanent mandate on the Security Council.

And finally a part of the summer holidays were spent in France.

Can't wait to see what 2021 holds for Queen Mathilde & her family. Any predictions?