Flashback: Dinner for Government

10 November 2003

Crown Prince Philippe & Princess Mathilde participated in a dinner for the members of Government, at Laeken Castle. 

Jewels: Diamond Medallion Brooch

During the Belgian state visit to Lithuania this week (October 2022) Mathilde was seen wearing a beautiful new brooch. 

 

New to her collection that is, because it wasn't made yesterday. The medallion style diamond brooch has a central sapphire and dates from around 1910. 

It was sold at auction at Sotheby's London in 2018. Designed as a ribbon bow with suspending laurel wreaths and set with rose diamonds and an oval sapphire, it is signed Confalonieri, in a case stamped Confalonieri. It used to belong to the Countess Lanza di Mazzarino.

This brooch is the latest in a series of new jewellery acquisitions for Queen Mathilde (and no doubt for her daughters, and one day also for her daughters-in-law) that was long overdue. For twenty years Mathilde had been repeating the same meagre jewellery set, the poorest of all royal families.

So glad the royal family is finally investing in a larger collection. Now let's hope for a family foundation that keeps all these beauties safely together for the good of generations to come!

In 2023 Crown Princess Elisabeth wore this brooch for the first time.

Flashback: Christian of Denmark's Christening

21 January 2006

Crown Prince Philippe & Princess Mathilde were among the 321 guests at Christiansborg Slotskirke in Copenhagen for the christening of the first born child of Crown Prince Frederik & Crown Princess Mary of Denmark.

Frederik's cousin, Princess Alexandra von Sayn-Wittegenstein-Berleburg & Count Jefferson von Pfeil und Klein Elgutt.
Prince Constantijn & Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands.

Princess Märtha Louisa of Norway & Ari Behn.

Crown Prince Philippe & Princess Mathilde of Belgium.

Princess Theodora of Greece.

Frederik's aunts, Former Queen Anne Marie of Greece and Princess Benedikte von Sayn-Wittegenstein-Berleburg.

Princes Nikolai and Felix of Denmark with their mother, Countess Alexandra of Frederiksborg.

The grandparents.

More guests and their hats:

Parents and child arriving at the church.

The boy's name was kept secret until the ceremony. A royal tradition in Denmark.

During the one hour ceremony that began at 11:00 the baby was officially named Christian Valdemar Henri John, very much to everyone's expectation, as the Danish kings have been named alternatively Frederik or Christian for centuries.

Little Christian was given eight sponsors:
- Mary's sister, Jane Stephens
- Prince Joachim of Denmark
- Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway
- Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden
- Prince Pavlos of Greece
- Danish friend Jeppe Handwerk
- Australian friend Hamish Campbell

 

After the christening, a reception was held at Christiansborg's guest hall.

The Crown Prince Couple only made a brief stop at the reception. After a break it was time for official photos.