Entourage: Ladies-in-waiting

Queen Mathilde has 5 ladies-in-waiting. While their expenses are covered, the ladies-in-waiting receive no salary for their work.

Vicountess Laurence de Ghellinck d'Elseghem Vaernewijck (°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 Nethen (Grez-Doiceau) and have 3 children: Wauthier (°1996), Pierre (°1999) and Elodie (°2003).

Laurence's sons Wauthier van de Werve (on the right)...

...and Pierre van de Werve 

Laurence's daughter, Elodie van de Werve

Laurence grew up at castle Nieuwermolen in Dilbeek which is now owned by her brother Marc, who lives there with his family.

Laurence is the sister-in-law of Mathilde's close friend, Stéphanie de Radiguès de Chennevière, who was one of Mathilde's witnesses on her wedding day. Stéphanie's husband and Laurence's husband are brothers.

Laurence is also a reiki and reflexology therapist.

Melissa Maas: Melissa Maas-Van Waeyenberge owns two pharmacies, in Antwerpen en Wijnegem. When her brother Michael died of leukaemia she founded the "Jeugd Leukemie Fonds", a Foundation for children suffering from the disease. Melissa lives in Schoten.

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, married to Geoffroy Ghion). The Boël family are among the wealthiest and most powerful families of Belgium.

Clotilde's daughters: Agnès (left) and Charlotte Boël (right)

According to Clotilde the new job she was offered in 2013 came as a surprise, even though the Boël family is on good terms with the royal house. Clotilde & Mathilde had met at several occasions where they talked, but weren't personal friends yet when the job offer came. Mathilde rang Mrs Boël herself to ask if she would be her lady-in-waiting.

British born Lindsay Edwards studied Dutch in London and has been living in Belgium for over 30 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.

Baroness Patricia Vlerick: Patricia Bouckaert is the daughter of the late Léon Bouckaert, who founded the Waregem horse races. She's also an in-law 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 at 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).

Baroness Vlerick's last activities for Mathilde date back to 2022. It's safe to assume she left her function.

Since the end of 2023 Queen Mathilde has also been accompanied by Countess Véronique de Limburg Stirum (°1965).

Born as Véronique de Spot (daughter of Jean de Spot & Chantal t'Kint de Roodenbeke), she married Maximilien de Limburg Stirum in 1999.

Her husband is the Executive Chairman at SFI (Société Familiale d'Investissements) and closely linked with AB Inbev. Upon his marriage, Maximilien inherited the medieval Adornes estate in Bruges.  Véronique & Maximilien were the first to open the estate to the public for visits and private or artistic events. Véronique has been managing the premises. Previously she worked in the banking industry. She holds a degree in commercial engineering.

The couple has three sons: Hadrien (°2001), Gabriel (°2002) and Edgar (°2005) de Limburg-Stirum.