25 Years Married!

4 December 2024

On the occasion of their silver wedding anniversary, Philippe & Mathilde shared these new photos taken by Vlad Vanderkelen.

Incoming state visit #12: Oman

On 3 and 4 December 2024, Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman is making a state visit to Belgium, responding tot the invitation of King Philippe & Queen Mathilde.

3 December 2024

Official welcome ceremony at the royal palace in Brussels.

State banquet at the Castle of Laeken.

🇧🇪🇴🇲 STATE VISIT OMAN TO BELGIUM

🍽️ State Banquet in honor of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman, organized by Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde

📍 Castle of Laeken, the residence of Philippe and Mathilde, Brussels pic.twitter.com/SRHFmq0F1Y

— [Wim Dehandschutter] (@WDehandschutter) December 3, 2024

4 December 2024

Lunch at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Waterloo. Themes to be discussed are: defence, bio pharmaceuticals and space. 

COMING UP Visiting Gabriel at Saint-Cyr

On 9 December 2024, King Philippe & Queen Mathilde will be visiting the prestigious military academy of Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan in Normandy, France where Prince Gabriel (21), a student-officer at the Royal Military Academy, is currently on a 6 months Erasmus exchange. 

The King and Queen will get an official tour of the Academy and visit the musée de l'Officier. They'll have lunch with the officers and visit the premises. Apart from their own son,they'll be meeting French and international students of the Academy.

The Wedding Day

4 December 1999

Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz and her father, Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz left the royal palace where Mathilde had been getting ready since 6:00.

Since midnight she'd been made a royal princess in her own right, and her father and siblings had received the title of count or countess. Before this day they had been untitled nobility.

Meanwile the guests to the civil wedding had arrived and were waiting for the bride.

Queen Fabiola of the Belgians.

Mathilde's brother, Count Charles-Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz and his uncle, Count Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz.

Prince Alexandre and Princess Esmeralda of Belgium with their spouses, Léa Wolman and Salvador Moncada.

Philippe's cousins: Grand Duke Henri & Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Princess Margaretha and Prince Jean of Luxembourg.

Mathilde's sister Countess Hélène d'Udekem d'Acoz, Prince Lorenz & Princess Astrid of Belgium. Behind them: their daughter, Princess Laura.

Arrival at Brussels city hall.

Princess Mathilde was wearing a sleeveless dress covered by a coat with a 5 meter train, designed by Edouard Vermeulen of Natan.

Her tiara and lace veil had been lent to her by Queen Paola. Her new diamond and pearl earrings were a gift of Crown Prince Philippe.

Mathilde and Philippe were officially married at the city hall. In Belgium only a civil wedding is valid, and a religious ceremony is optional but has no legal value. Therefore the civil ceremony has to precede the religious ceremony.

When the couple pronouced their yes in  French ("oui") and in Dutch and German ("ja"), they could hear the cheering of the crowd outside. 

Once the ceremony was concluded, the married couple appeared on the balcony.

After the ceremony, Mathilde's father escorted her back to the car. They were then driven to the cathedral for the religious wedding.

Guests arrive at the cathedral:

Austrian president Thomas Klestil & his wife.

Archduke Rodolphe & Archduchess Anna Gabriele von Habsburg.

Former King Constantine & Queen Anne Marie of Greece.

King Carl Gustav & Queen Silvia of Sweden.

Queen Margrethe II & Prince Henrik of Denmark.

Queen Beatrix and Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

King Harald & Queen Sonja of Norway.

Prince Laurent of Belgium with Mathilde's sister, Countess Elisabeth d'Udekem.

 

Mathilde's mother, Countess Anne Komorowska & Philippe's father, King Albert II of the Belgians.
Crown Prince Philippe with his mother, Queen Paola.

Inside the cathedral:

Duchess Hélène in Bayern with Princess Astrid of Belgium.

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Queen Sofia of Spain. Behind them: Polish President Komorowski. 

Prince Albert II of Monaco and the Prince of Wales.

Count Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz escorted his eldest daughter down the aisle at the Saints-Michel-et-Gudule Cathedral of Brussels while Bach's "Magnificat" resounded.

After the wedding ceremonies, Philippe and Mathilde returned to the royal palace.

Leaving the cathedral:

Philippe's uncle and aunt, Grand Duke Jean & Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg.

Princess Märtha Louise and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.

Princess Lalla Hasnaa of Morocco.

Crown Prince Naruhito & Princess Masako of Japan.

A group of young Belgian diplomats posed in church after the ceremony.

At the royal palace, the married couple greeted the public from the balcony.

At the Salle du Trône, lunch was served for the family and their guests.

After the lunch, official photos were made.

Princess Masako of Japan talking to Crown Prince Felipe of Spain.

Crown Prince Dipendra of Nepal; Archduke Christian of Austria-Este & Princess Marie-Astrid of Luxembourg.

The Polish presidential couple: Aleksander & Jolanta Kwasniewski.

Princess Marina of Savoie. 

For the final part of the wedding day, the evening reception, Mathilde had changed into a copy of her coat with a shorter train.

The Duke of Vendôme with Prince Eudes & Princess Marie-Liesse d'Orléans.