National Day 2018

21 July 2018

In the morning the royal family attended the Te Deum at the Saints Michel et Gudule cathedral in Brussels.

Laurence de Ghellinck acted as lady-in-waiting.

Koning Filip en koningin Mathilde komen aan de kathedraal in Brussel aan voor het Te Deum, de start van de nationale feestdag. Vandaag is het ook dag op dag vijf jaar geleden dat Filip de troon besteeg. pic.twitter.com/fb1JSBplNR

— [Wim Dehandschutter] (@WDehandschutter) 21 juli 2018

During a walkabout they greeted the crowds.

In the afternoon the royal family, joined by Princess Astrid, Prince Lorenz, Prince Laurent & Princess Claire watched the military parade at the Place des palais in Brussels.

video: https://nieuws.vtm.be/vtm-nieuws/binnenland/zo-verliep-defile-op-nationale-feestdag

For the centenary of the first world war, Ozark Henry and Jo Lemaire sang songs.

videos: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2018/07/21/te-deum-en-festiviteiten-overal-voor-de-nationale-feestdag-van-b/

After the parade, the king & queen joined the festivities at the Parc royal.

Mathilde stopped at the stand of YouthStart, one of her patronages.

... and talked to Heidi De Pauw of Child Focus, another one of her patronages.

In the evening, the king, the queen, crown princess Elisabeth and prince Gabriel watched the fire works from the Place des palais.