BRUSK

4 May 2026

Queen Mathilde visited BRUSK, a new gallery for contemporary art in Bruges, ahead of its official opening which will take place in four days.

Afterwards they also visted the adjacent restauration workshop, BRON.

video: https://focus-wtv.be/nieuws/koninklijke-preview-koningin-mathilde-bezoekt-nieuwe-kunsthal-brusk-in-brugge-vlak-voor-opening?fbclid=IwY2xjawRliutleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeHR-typjpodDuArhY0UxMRBU1CJ0AuUoUnbNg0nJGc0omqNg4dj85mcDjyT8_aem_bw2IEo-p0BI7zgGiopbl6A

Queen Elisabeth Competition 2026: Cello

This year's Queen Elisabeth Competition is dedicated to cello. It's a special edition since the world renowned music competition celebrates its 75th edition, a 150 years after the birth of its namesake and founder, Queen Elisabeth.

Queen  Elisabeth of the Belgians and Pablo Casals, 1961

Queen Mathilde, who's the Honorary President of the Queen Elisabeth Competition will no doubt attend as many concerts as she can. We will be seeing less of her during the semi finals though, when she'll be accompanying a Belgian trade mission in Turkey. During the finals week she'll also spend time in the US for the graduation of her daughter, Crown Princess Elisabeth, at Harvard.

First round: Monday 4 May to Saturday 9 May 2026 at Flagey.

4 May 2026: After visiting the exhibition "The Belgian royal family and the cello", Mathilde attended a session.

Semi Finals: Monday 11 May to Saturday 16 May 2026 at Flagey.

13 May 2026: Queen Mathilde attends a session.

16 May 2026: Queen Mathilde attends a session and the naming of the finalists.

Finals: Monday 25 May to Saturday 30 May 2026 at Bozar.

25 May 2026: King Philippe & Queen Mathilde attend a session.

29 May 2026: Prince Gabriel (22) attends a session. 

30 May 2026: Queen Mathilde attends the final session of the finale week, and the announcement of the winner.

2 June 2026: Queen Mathilde attends the award ceremony at the Queen Elisabeth chapel in Waterloo.

Laureate Recitals (by the 6 non classified laureates) on 3 June and 4 June 2026 at Flagey.

Laureate Concerts (by numbers 6, 5 and 4) on 8 June 2026 at Bozar.

8 June 2026: Queen Mathilde attends the laureate concert.

Final Concert (By numbers 3 and 2 and the winner) on 10 June 2026 at Bozar, attended by King Philippe & Queen Mathilde.

Jewels: Diamond E Earrings

Around 2003 Mathilde received a pair of E shaped earrings from her husband, Crown Prince Philippe. They were bought at court jeweller Leysen in Brussels.

The earrings are made of diamonds and cognac diamonds.

The stones can be replaced. Mathilde has worn the earrings with green stones once.

In 2022 Crown Princess Elisabeth wore her mother's earrings when posing for a painted portrait.

King Carl Gustav's 80th Birthday Gala

30 April 2026

King Philippe & Queen Mathilde attended the gala dinner for King Carl Gustav's 80th birthday in Stockholm. 

During the day there had been other celebrations, which the Belgian King & Queen hadn't attended, because of other obligations. In the morning they had opened the Floraliën flower show in Ghent. 

King Carl Gustav & Queen Silvia.
Crown Princess Victoria & Prince Daniel of Sweden with their daughter, Princess Estelle (14).

Prince Carl Philipp & Princess Sophia of Sweden.
Princess Madeleine & Chris O'Neil with Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg.

King Philippe & Queen Mathilde.

King Frederik & Queen Mary of Denmark.
Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.

Grand Duke Guillaume & Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg.

Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein and her oldest son, Prince Wenzel (30).

Prince Alexander & Princess Katherine of Yugoslavia.
Prince Leopold & Princess Ursula von Bayern.

Prince Hubertus & Princess Kelly von Sachsen-Coburg.
Prince Philip & Princess Danica of Serbia.

Other royal guest, captured by the cameras as they left their hotel:

Princess Margareta & Prince Radu of Romania.
King Rama X & Queen Suthida of Thailand.

Queen Sofía of Spain.
Queen Sonja of Norway.

Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein was accompanied by her lady-in-waiting, Countess Sophie von Waldburg-Zeil.

For Mathilde, Baroness Patricia Vlerick was mentioned as lady-in-waiting.

A little Mix & Match for the Heads of States and foreign royalty.

🎥 SVT pic.twitter.com/KU8oqt12EX

— ChristinZ (@ChristinsQueens) April 30, 2026

Queen Margrethe of Denmark.
Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands.

Princess Benedikte of Denmark.

Baroness Christina Silfverschiöld, daughter of the late Princess Desiree of Sweden.

Mathilde spotting and greeting Princess Kelly von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha. 

At dinner Mathilde was seated between King Harald of Norway and King Frederik of Denmark.

King Philippe was seated between Queen Margrethe of Denmark and Queen Sylvia of Sweden.

This glorious group portrait was released.