Queen Mathilde has 5 ladies-in-waiting
1. vicountess Laurence de Ghellinck d'Elseghem Vaernewijck: Laurence (°1970)
studied economics and international relations. She's married to Xavier van de Werve de Schilde, a major in the Belgian army. They live in Hoegaarden and have 3 children: Wauthier (°1996), Pierre (°1999) and Elodie (°2003).
Laurence is also the sister-in-law of Mathilde's close friend, Stéphanie de Radiguès de Chennevière - who was one of Mathilde's witnesses at her wedding. Stéphanie's husband and Laurence's husband are brothers.
Laurence's sons Wauthier van de Werve (on the right)
and Pierre van de Werve
Laurence's daughter, Elodie van de Werve
2. Melissa Maas: Ph
armacist Melissa Maas-Van Waeyenberge owns two pharmacies, in Antwerpen en Wijnegem. When her brother died of leukaemia she founded the "Jeugd Leukemie Fonds", a Foundation for children suffering from the disease. Melissa lives in Schoten.
3. Clotilde Boël: Clotilde de Peñaranda de Franchimont (°1968) studied art history. She is married to Harold Boël, CEO of financial holding "Sofina". They have two daughters, Agnès Boël (°1997) and Charlotte Boël (°1995). The Boël family are among the wealthiest and most powerful families of Belgium.
According to Clotilde the new job she was offered came as a surprise, even though the Boël family has a good rapport with the royal house. Even though Clotilde & Mathilde had met at several occasions where they talked to each other, they were not personal friends (yet). Mathilde rang Mrs Boël personnally to ask if she would become her lady-in-waiting.
Clotilde's daughters: Agnès (left) and Charlotte Boël (right)
4. Baroness Patricia Vlerick: Patricia Bouckaert is the daughter of the late Léon Bouckaert, who organized the Waregem horse races. she's also an inlaw of the wealthy Beaulieu textile group. Patricia's husband, Philippe Vlerick is a major real estate owner, a succesful manager in the textile industry and a director of KBC group. He's also an advisor for Belgian Foreign Trade. Philippe Vlerick was ennobled by King Albert in 2009. Patricia carries her husband's title as well.
Patricia and Philippe Vlerick have 4 children: Michael, David, Elisa and Barbara (married to Alexandre Cardon).
5. Lindsay Edwards: British born Lindsay Edwards studied Dutch in London and has been living in Belgium for over 15 years. She runs a translation company in Schaerbeek that's employed by court and by the Belgian embassy in London. Lindsay's husband is a diplomat.
