Visit to the Vatican

14 September 2023

King Philippe & Queen Mathilde are at Vatican City, Rome, Italy to have a private audience with Pope Francis.

They were welcomed by their friend, Mariano Hugo Fürst zu Windisch-Graetz, a member of the Grand Magisterium of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Hugo is the husband of Archduchess Sophie von Habsburg. Both couples have been on holiday together in the past.

Together in Portofino, back in 2006.

The audience lasted 20 minutes. They talked about the war in Ukraine, Congo and Belgium's new archbishop, Mgr Terlinden.

At the end of their meeting, the Pope asked Mathilde "Priez pour moi". She answered "Certainement". 

Pope Francis today received in private audience King Philippe of the Belgians and Queen Mathilde. As a Catholic queen, Her Majesty exercised the ‘privilège du blanc’ and wore white rather than the traditional black. pic.twitter.com/wA5g4w6K6O

— Michael Kelly ن (@MichaelKellyIC) September 14, 2023

video: https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2023/09/15/royals-zondag-17-september-2023/