Borrowed Jewellery: Ruby Earrings

These beautiful diamond and ruby earrings were only seen once on princess Mathilde, at the Polish state visit to Belgium in 2004. It's safe to assume they were lent to her by a jeweller's.

Wedding: Elisabeth d'Udekem & Alfonso Pallavicini

22 July 2006

Mathilde's sister, Countess Elisabeth d'Udekem d'Acoz (29) married Marquis Alfonso Pallavicini (42) at the Saint-Pierre parish church of her home town, Bastogne.

Elisabeth arrived with her father, Count Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz.

The bride wore a d'Udekem family veil that dates from the mid 19th century. It was restored for the wedding. 

Witnesses at the religious ceremony were: Count Charles-Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz, Countess Honorine d’Ursel, Marquis Edouardo Pallavicini, Prince Hugo von Liechtenstein, Hervé Thibaut de Maisières and Alexandra Olsufief.

The mass was in French, Italian and German.

Duchess Honorine d'Ursel (in blue).

Countess Hélène d'Udekem d'Acoz (in pink) & Alexandra Olsufief (in orange).

Elisabeth wore an ancient diamond tiara. Her wedding gown was by Natan.

Princess Elisabeth & Prince Gabriel acted as bridesmaid and pageboy.

 

With their nanny.

Parents of the bride & groom: Countess Anna Komorowska, Margravine Pallavicini, Count Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz

Princess Mathilde, Crwon Prince Philippe & Queen Fabiola.

Prince Maximilian & Princess Angela von und zu Liechtenstein.

Duchess Helena in Bayern.

Duchess Maria Anna & duchess Elizabeth in Bayern.

Countess Fleur von Goëss and her cousin Prince Charles-Philippe d'Orléans. Charles-Philippe was Elisabeth's former boyfriend.

Prince Laurent, Princess Claire & their daughter, Princess Louise of Belgium

Princess Sonia Poniatowski with Count Louis de Limburg Stirum and his wife, Belén López y Montero.

Baroness Priscilla de Broqueville and her sister, Baroness Astrid de Broqueville.

National Day 2020

21 July 2020

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic this year's National Day celebration is different.

In the morning the Te Deum at the Saints Michel et Gudule cathedral went ahead as planned.

Laurence de Ghelinck acted as lady-in-waiting.

In the afternoon there was no military parade, instead the royal family and their 4 children attended a special ceremony to pay tribute to frontline workers.

King Philippe pronounced a speech, there was an ode to the liberators of 1945 and a moving artistic homage to all those who took care of the population during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the end of the ceremony the king and his family went to the invited gathering of frontline workers to applaud them.

videos: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2020/07/21/boodschap-koning/

Then the family visited two care homes that have been hit hard by the corona virus. First stop was residential care home Cecilia in Alken.

video: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2020/07/21/koninklijke-familie-bezoekt-woonzorgcentrum-cecilia-in-alken/

And they ended the day at the second care home, Maison Mariemont in Morlanwelz.

In spite of social distancing rules this National Day was a very impressive and moving one, with a diverse program showing both some of Belgium's artistic potential and king Philippe's personal, very human take on kingship. A break in the routine can lead to wonderful things... I woudn't be surprised if small changes will be part of the National Day program in the years to come.