Queen Mathilde: State visit #12: Lithuania

King Philippe & Queen Mathilde made a three-day state visit to Lithuania.
The Royal Couple and their delegation visited Vilnius and Kaunas.

Monday 24 October 2022

Departure at Melsbroek Airport.

Arrival at Vilnius.

The Royal Couple is staying at Grand Hotel Kempinski.

Welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace by President Gitanas Nausèda and First Lady Diana Nausèdiené.

🇧🇪 Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde arrived in Lithuania for a 3-day State Visit.

🫱 Official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Vilnius.

🇱🇹 The monarchs are welcomed by Lithuanian president Gitanas Nausėda and First Lady Diana Nausėdienė. #BelLtu2022 pic.twitter.com/xuKomL0ElE
— [Wim Dehandschutter] (@WDehandschutter) October 24, 2022

Mathilde's wearing a new diamond brooch!

Visit to the Vilna Gaon Museum of Jewish History.

Wreath laying Ceremony at the Memorial to those killed in the struggle for the Lithuanian Independence.

🇧🇪🇱🇹 Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde - paying a 3-day State Visit to Lithuania - attend the ceremony of wreath laying at the Memorial to those killed in the struggle for the Lithuanian Independence, in the capital Vilnius. pic.twitter.com/sFpttypYlF
— [Wim Dehandschutter] (@WDehandschutter) October 24, 2022

Photo opp.

State Dinner.

video: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnu/a-z/vrt-nws-journaal/2022/vrt-nws-journaal-vrt-nws-journaal-19u-20221024/?starttime=1895

Tuesday 25 October 2022

Meeting with Belgian and Lithuanian companies at the town hall of Vilnius.

Business Meeting "Transition to a sustainable economy".

Visit to the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology.

Visit to the Vilnius University Life Sciences Center.

Lunch at Stikliai Restaurant, hosted by the Speaker of the Seimas, Ms Viktorija Čmilyté-Nielsen.

Guided visit of the Old Town of Vilnius.

Visit of St. Michael’s Church Heritage Museum where the Royal Couple visisted the Sapieha necropolis. Mathilde's Polish grandmother, Princess Zofia Sapieha ( 1919-1997) was a member of the princely Sapieha family who were very influential and powerful in Poland and Lithuania.

video: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2022/10/25/mathilde-voorouders/

At the Biblioteca Sapiehana. It consists of a donation of ancient books and documents the Sapieha family made to the University of Vilnius.

Guided visit to the historical campus of Vilnius University and informal encounter with students.

Return event hosted by King Philippe & Queen Mathilde at the Philharmonic Institute of Vilnius.

Wednesday 26 October 2022

Visit to the Center of Ukraine in Vilnius. Meanwhile King Philippe visited the Belgian soldiers who are part of an enhanced international batallion.

Visit to the social restaurant Pirmas Blynas.

Private lunch.

Official welcome by the Mayor of Kaunas.

Visit to the National Čiurlionis museum. Belgian former radio presenter Kurt Van Eeghem wrote a book about the artist, and one about Lithuania. Before the state visit he was invited to the royal palace to talk with King Philippe about Čiurlionis.