Europol

27 February 2024

King Philippe & Queen Mathilde visited Europol in The Hague, The Netherlands.

#BelgaVideo

Koning Filip en koningin Mathilde op bezoek bij @Europol in Den Haag vandaag#MakingEuropeSafer pic.twitter.com/l6ZUVl7j82

— Maarten Weynants (@MaartenWeynants) February 27, 2024

Europol is the EU's Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation.

Europol's director is Belgian Catherine De Bolle. Among the 1300 employees of the agency are some 50 Belgians.

Flashback: Brussels 2000

25 February 2000

Crown Prince Philippe & Princess Mathilde visited the European Parliament in Brussels to attend an academic session on the opening of "Brussels 2000".

They also visited the town hall for the official opening of the Cultural Year.

Jewels: Parrot Brooch

At one of the 2017 new year's receptions, Queen Mathilde wore a new diamond brooch depicting 2 parrots on a perch.

A closer view: 

Other appearances:

Royal jewel enthusiast Benjamin Vaesen discovered that this particular piece was bought at 1st Dibs.

Metal Health among the Elderly

22 February 2024

Queen Mathilde visited CHC Mativa, a residential care center in Liège where the elderly residents play an active role in the everyday running of the center.

Intergenerational activities are being actively encouraged as well.

Afterwards Mathilde attended Plate-forme Psychiatrique Liégeoise's colloquium about mental health among the elderly at the Opera in Liège where she gave a speech.

Mathilde: " Il est essentiel que les personnes âgées puissent bénéficier de soins en santé mentale disponibles là où ils résident, dans des modalités qui conviennent à leur mode de vie, à leurs capacités fonctionnelles, psychologiques et cognitives et ce, quelque soit leur culture, leur langue ou leur situation socioéconomique."

"Pour conclure, je voudrais souligner que la question de l’accès des séniors aux soins en santé mentale nous concerne tous, quelque soit notre âge. Et pas seulement parce qu’un certain nombre d’entre nous fera un jour partie de cette communauté mais parce que défendre leur accès aux soins en santé mentale, c’est reconnaître ce qu’ils nous ont apporté et transmis, c’est reconnaître qu’ils nous sont précieux et qu’ils contribuent à bâtir le monde de demain."

Queen Mathilde has been a very active defender of SDG3: health & mental health.

video: https://www.rtc.be/article/info/societe/la-sante-mentale-des-seniors-un-enjeu-societal-pour-la-reine-mathilde-_1518195_325.html

Observatoire du Climat Scolaire

21 February 2024

Queen Mathilde had a meeting with Simona Lastrego and Aurélie Deville of the Observatoire du Climat Scoliare, an organisation that helps schools in Wallonia and Brussels to tackle and prevent bullying/cyber bullying.

Mass for Deceased Family Members 2024

20 February 2024

Queen Mathilde & King Philippe were present, like each year, at the Notre Dame church of Laeken for a special mass dedicated to the memory of deceased family members.

King Albert II & Queen Paola.

Princess Delphine & Jim O'Hare.

Prince Laurent & Princess Claire.

🇧🇪 Belgian royal family arrive together at Notre-Dame church in Laeken, near Brussels.

🔔 Every year, a mass has been held on 17 February (this year on the 20th) to commemorate all deceased members of the royal family.

👑 17 Feb 1934 = death of King Albert I pic.twitter.com/mvW10ZZLre

— [Wim Dehandschutter] (@WDehandschutter) February 20, 2024