Earlier: At the Wedding of Friends

9 September 2023

Queen Mathilde was a guest at the wedding of friends when Baron Renaud van der Elst married Cynthia Wu. After a church blessing guests celebrated with a lavish garden party at the groom's family estate, castle Oostkerke in Damme.

Renaud van der Elst lives and works in Switzerland. It's his brother Robert who lives at the castle. 

The bride, Taiwanese Cynthia Wu was born in the US and later relocated to Taipei. She comes from a wealthy family of big bankers and politicians. Cynthia studied in the UK and worked as a financial analyst in London, she's been an MP in Taiwan and has worked for the Conservative Party in Britain.

Cynthia has been named as one of China’s 100 outstanding female entrepreneurs, and has been a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum. (Just like Mathilde!). She was married before (2010-2019) to Tommy Lin.

Although it doesn't show on these photos, Cynthia was pregnant on her wedding day. The couple's son was born in February 2024.

Mathilde was seen talking to Louis Van de Velde, a former gardener of the estate, who ended up in a wheelchair 20 years ago after a work accident. He thoroughly enjoyed his chat with the Queen and disclosed that he'd seen her and Philippe at the estate before their wedding. Locally it's no secret that both families have been close friends for generations.

Parents of the groom, Baron François & Baroness van der Elst.

Mathilde's lady-in-waiting Vicountess Laurence de Ghellinck & her husband Xavier van de Werve de Schilde (left) with chevalier Aloïs Alexandre Mencik von Zebinsky & Sibylle von Outryve d'Ydewalle (right).

The Countess de Lalaing (middle) with her son Count Jacques de Lalaing & his wife, and her daughter Countess Stéphanie de Tocqueville d'Hérouville, who used to be Prince Philippe's girlfriend.

Prince Jean & Princess Marie Séverine de Caraman-Chimay, née Hoare.

Elizabeth de Chambrun, Ann-Charlotte de Windisch-Graetz, née Le Sellier de Chezelles (middle) and the Prince zu Stolberg-Stolberg. 

Countess Louis du Chastel de La Howarderie and Baroness Anne van Gysel de Meise.

Vicount & Vicountess Geoffroy de Chabot-Tramecourt.
Céliane d'Audiffret-Pasquier & John Royall.

Entourage: Clotilde Boël at Art Galleries

Mathilde's lady-in-waiting Clotilde Boël was one of the guests at the vernissage of the exhibition "Ladakh Lointain" at La Moutarderie in Brussels, owned by Roland & Anne-Marie Gillion Crowet.

The photos from Ladakh, the region between Tibet and India, taken by Anne Marie Gillion are also published in a book, accompanied by texts written by Anne-Marie's daughter, Princess Nathalie de Merode.

Baroness Anne-Marie Gillion Crowet, with Countess Amélie d’Arschot Schoonhoven (left) and daughter Nathalie, Princesse Amaury de Merode (right).

Prince Charles-Louis & Princess Fiammetta d’Arenberg.

Prince Aurèle & Princess Estelle de Merode.

Prince Amaury de Merode and Mrs Charles de Fabribeckers de Cortils et Grâce, née Princess Anne de Ligne.

Countess Paul Buysse (left),  Baroness Nicole d’Huart and Vicountess Alain Berryer.

Archduchess Anna Gabriele von Habsburg, widow of Archduke Rodolphe.

Count Emmanuel & Countess de Marnix de Sainte-Aldegonde with Mrs Julien Tondreau.

Clotilde Boël.

Prince Félix & Princess Eleonora de Merode, expecting her first child.

Count François & Countess d'Ansembourg.

Director of Sotheby's Belgium, Emmanuel Van de Putte & his wife.

Princess de Ligne and her son, Prince Henri de Ligne.

The Prince & Princess de Chimay.

Mrs Boël was also among the guests at Wiels for a private dinner reuniting the patrons who donate money to the contemporary art museum.

Nicolas Orts, Clotilde Boël, Count Wolfgang de Limburg Stirum and Mrs Bruno Vande Vyvere.

Bertil Akesson and Countess Honorine d'Ursel, a close friend of Mathilde's sister Elisabeth.

Flashback: Tienen

13 February 2003

The day Court announced that Princess Mathilde was expecting her second child, Mathilde was scheduled to make a visit to the Psychiatric Hospital Broeders van Liefde Alexianen in Tienen. She took part in a round table on drug use, in the company of teenagers who were in treatment and their parents.

Mathilde was about 2,5 months pregnant. 

Private: Les Téméraires

11 February 2024

Mathilde went to see Bart Van Loo's show "Les Téméraires", about the lives of the Dukes of Burgundy, at Wolubilis in Woluwe.

She was incognito. 

Het tv-journaal van de RTBF kwam langs in Wolubilis, waar ik bezig ben met een reeks van 7 voorstellingen. "Une bête de scène", "une énergie folle" et "un public ravi"... als het journaal het zegt. Om het af te maken zat die avond koningin Mathilde incognito in de zaal. Vanavond… pic.twitter.com/hceFRXUU3r

— Bart Van Loo (@bartvanloo) February 12, 2024

Flashback: Le Relais Social

11 February 2014

Queen Mathilde visited the Relais Social, a center in Charleroi where homeless persons get help to reintegrate in society and find a stable home. 

video: https://www.rtbf.be/article/la-reine-mathilde-a-visite-le-relais-social-de-charleroi-8197982

Week Tegen Pesten 2024

9 February 2024

For the Week against Bullying, Queen Mathilde visited primary school "Salto" in Oud-Turnhout that won a prize for the efforts they make in preventing bullying. 

video: https://www.rtv.be/video-koningin-mathilde-op-bezoek-bij-basisschool-salto-voor-antipestprogramma