Flashback: Expo "De Schoonheid en de Waanzin"

30 January 2007 

Crown Prince Philippe & Princess Mathilde officially opened the exhibition "The Beauty and the Madness" at the church of Our Lady in Bruges, an exhibition on the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Fair & his wife Joan of Navarre.

Private: Before Mathilde

King Philippe of Belgium is 13 years older than his wife. Before meeting her in 1996 he had a number of serious relationships.

His first real girlfriend was Barbara Maselis whom he met while studying at the abbeyschool of Zevenkerken. They started seeing each other after Philippe had graduated from the school, in the early 1980s. They were a serious couple for over 3 years. When it became clear Philippe's family (especially his father, prince Albert) didn't want Barbara as a royal bride because of her commoner background - even though her father was a succesful businessman - the young couple realized they had no future and eventually split up, but always remained on good terms. Barbara married their mutual friend, diamond trader Daniël De Belder. The family now lives in Essen and remain good friends of Philippe & Mathilde. Their children were personal guests at the enthronement of king Philippe in 2013.

After Barbara, Philippe was heartbroken en remained single for a long time.

His first real love after Barbara Maselis was Spanish aristocrat, Adriana Torres de Silva, the daughter of the marchioness de Casa Ulloa. Philippe travelled back and forth between Brussels and Sevilla a lot between 1987 and 1993... And Adriana got the royal approval of his family. However the pair didn't make it to the altar. Nowadays Adriana is known as an artist.

French Anna Plater-Syberg and Philippe had a short relationship in 1994. After Philippe split up with her, Anna decided to join a religious order.

Belgian aristocrat Stéphanie de Lalaing was the last one Philippe dated before meeting Mathilde in 1996.

In 2003 Stéphanie married French count Jean-Guillaume Le Boucher d'Herouville, a descendant of Alexis de Toqueville. Crown prince Philippe was a guest at their religious wedding.

They have four children: Marguerite, Alexandre, Eléonore and Melchior Clérel de Toqueville d'Hérouville and use the ancestral château de Toqueville in Normandy, France as their holiday home.

Flashback: Queen Sonja's 70th Birthday

3 July 2007

Crown Prince Philippe & Princess Mathilde arrived in Norway for the 70th birthday celebrations of Queen Sonja.

4 July 2007

Start of a cruise aboard the Norge, from Stavanger to the King and Queen's summer residence in Vestfold. During the journey which took several days, there were stops in Lindesnes and Arendal.

First the royals had a private dinner at restaurant Flor og Fjaere:
Princess Maxima of the Netherlands.

Crown Prince Philippe & Princess Mathilde of Belgium with Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

Arrivals at the ship:
Crown Prince Haakon & Crown Princess Mette Marit of Norway.

Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark.

Princess Märtha Louise of Norway.
Queen Silvia of Sweden.

Party on board.

Group photos.

5 July 2007

The Norwegian Royals and their guests arrived at the Spangereid Canal which was officially opened by Queen Sonja. 

The entire group visited Lindesnes lighthouse, the southernmost point of the Norwegian mainland. In the late afternoon they arrived at Ny Hellesund.

 

After this visit Philippe & Mathilde left the cruise, while the rest of the party sailed on to Arendal.