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.