Queen Mathilde

woensdag 17 juni 2026

AI at Campus U

17 June 2026

Queen Mathilde visited Campus U of Charleroi University today.

She was informed about how francophone universities in Belgium are introducing AI in the training of healthcare professionals. Also the ethical problems that may arise when using artificial intelligence were discussed.

dinsdag 16 juni 2026

Zeepreventorium

16 June 2016

Queen Mathilde visited the Zeepreventorium in De Haan that celebrates it's 100th year of existence. The Zeepreventorium offers medical care and support to children with chronic conditions such as cystic fibrosis and obesity, eating disorders, psychological problems, and chronic pain.

The Zeepreventorium is located right by the sea, and also features two new studios for parental accommodation. It welcomes patients from all over Belgium.

video: https://focus-wtv.be/nieuws/koningin-mathilde-op-bezoek-bij-100-jarig-zeepreventorium-in-de-haan

This was the third visit Mathilde made to the preventorium.

maandag 15 juni 2026

Book: Achttien

A new book on Princess Elisabeth, albeit a fictional version of the real life Elisabeth ...

In his latest novel 'Achttien' (Eightteen), Belgian author Maarten Inghels intertwines his fictional adventures as author of a literary portrait on Princess Elisabeth, commissioned for her 18th birthday, with memories of himself at the same age, and reflections about the way his young daughter looks at the world, a vision populated with princess dresses and unicorns.

It's a highly entertaining novel, published in Dutch by Das Mag. Inghels has certainly done his homework, researching all there is to know about Elisabeth, even though in his version the Princess writes poetry that she wants to see published under an alias, she escapes her bodyguards to take part in climate protest marches and she has "Balance ton porc" (MeToo) tatooed on her lower abdomen.

The best part of the book however is where Inghels talks about his own time as a young poet and the surveys he performed about the hopes, fears and dreams of Belgian 18 year olds today.

Warmly recommended!

Achttien
Maarten Inghels
Das Mag, 2026
ISBN 9789493399709
https://dasmag.nl/product/achttien/
€ 22,99

zondag 14 juni 2026

Jewels: Kunzite Set

At the Armistice Concert of 2018 Queen Mathilde wore a gorgeous new pair of earrings with a large pink gemstone.

They were given a second outing at the Belgian state visit to South Korea in March 2019.

At this occasion she also wore a matching ring.

Thanks to a reader of this blog I was tipped the set was bought at Sotheby's London in 2018, at the same auction where the Confalonieri brooch was bought (this one: https://queenmathilde.blogspot.com/2022/10/jewels-diamond-medallion-brooch.html).

The set is described as:

"Each earring set with a pear-shaped kunzite framed by brilliant-cut and tapered baguette diamonds, suspended from a line of brilliant-cut and baguette diamonds, post fittings, British hallmarks; and a ring set with an oval kunzite, framed by brilliant-cut and tapered baguette diamonds, size L1/2, British hallmarks."