Earlier: Running into Philippe & Mathilde

On 23 July 2026 a group of girl scouts from Hasselt ran into Philippe & Mathilde who had gone for a forest walk, hand in hand, at Han-sur-Lesse.

The girls started screaming and once their initial shock was over, they were able to have a talk with the king & queen who came across as "quite normal and very kind". The surprise encounter ended with this snapshot. 

Han-sur-Lesse is close to Ciergnon where Philippe & Mathilde must have been staying in the days after 21 July (National Day). Normally they leave Belgium for a holiday straight after the 21st, but this year they must have stayed at Ciergnon for a couple of days before leaving for Vienna, where they attended the wedding of Archduchess Isabel of Austria.