Due to the Covid-19 pandemic this year's National Day celebration will be different.
For starters the traditional classical concert "Prelude to the National Day" at Bozar will take place on the 15th of July instead of the 20th. King Philippe & queen Mathilde will be there.
On the 21st of July, the Te Deum at the Saints Michel et Gudule cathedral will go ahead as planned in the morning.
In the afternoon there will be no military parade, instead the royal family and their 4 children will attend a special ceremony to pay tribute to frontline workers. There will be a historic motor parade and king Philippe will pronounce a speech.
At her 1999 engagement to crown prince Philippe, Mathilde d'Udekem received a gold ring with diamonds and an impressive dark ruby from Birma. Philippe had it commissioned at Wolfers jewellers in Brussels.
Ten years later, in July 2009 princess Mathilde received an equally impressive diamond and sapphire ring, also commissioned at Wolfers.
Apart from her wedding band, these are the only two rings Mathilde usually wears.
King Philippe and queen Mathilde were in Rome, Italy to attend the wedding of ther nephew, prince Amedeo of Belgium and Lili Rosboch von Wolkenstein.
Philippe is Amedeo's godfather. Amedeo in turn is crown princess Elisabeth's godfather.
Amedeo's grandmother, Margherita de Savoie-Aoste with her son, archduke Martin of Austria-Este and his wife, princess Katharina von Isenburg-Birstein.
Count Riprand von und zu Arco-Zinneberg & wife, archduchess Marie Beatrice of Austria-Este (Lorenz's sister)
Their daughters: countesses Marie Gabrielle, Giorgiana, Olympia, Maximiliana and Anna von Arco-Zinneberg...
... and countess Margherita von Arco-Zinneberg
Crown princess Elisabeth was a flower girl just like her cousins, princess Louise and princess Laetitia.
Queen Paola & King Albert.
Princes Claire and prince Laurent of Belgium with their twin sons, princes Aymeric and Nicolas.
Princess Laura & prince Joachim of Belgium.
Princess Margaretha of Luxembourg & prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein with their daughters, princess Astrid and princess Anunciata of Liechtenstein.
The family of archduke Carl Christian of Habsburg & princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg.
Prince Jean of Luxemboug & Diane de Guerre with prince Guillaume of Luxembourg
Lavinia Borromeo & John Elkann.
Ginevra Elkann & Giovanni Gaetani dell’Aquila d’Aragona with their son Pietro.
Countesses Tatiana, Anna & Sofia de Pahlen
Prince Edouard de Merode & wife Silvia Steisel
Prince Hadrien de Croÿ-Roeulx & wife Jacqueline Desmarais
Prince Philipp and princess Isabelle von Liechtenstein
Princess Beatrice of York
Count Giberto Arrivabene & wife, princess Bianca di Savoia
Princess Anna Gabriele von Wrede with her stepson, archuke Simeon of Austria & his wife, princess Maria de Borbon-Two Sicilies.
Princess Thera von Liechtenstein.
Prince Lorenz and countess Lilia de Smecchia, Lili's mother.
Princess Astrid and her son, Amedeo.
Arrival of Lili and her father, Ettore Rosboch, accompanied by princess Luisa who was the bridesmaid.
Lili's gown and veil were designed by Valentino.
She wore the Belgian "art deco" tiara, designed by Cartier in 1925. The same Mathilde d'Udekem wore on her wedding day.
Entering the church
Leaving the church
Guests leaving the church:
Princess Laura & prince Joachim, followed by countess Olympia von Arco-Zinneberg, Frédéric Giscard d'Estaing (former room mate of Amedeo in NY and grandson of the French president) and prince Hadrien de Croÿ-Roelx. In the right hand corner: Olympia's boyfriend, prince Jean-Christophe Napoléon.
Lorenz's sister Isabella and her husband, count Andrea Czarnocki-Lucheschi.
Princess Astrid & princess Anunciata von Liechtenstein, princess Louise zu Stolberg-Stolberg and princess Alix de Ligne.
The wedding dinner and party was held at the Villa Medicis in Rome.
Prince Josef von Liechtenstein, Fannina Bauer-Grung, Cosima Bucarelli & princess Anunciata von Liechtenstein
