Fashion Flashback: Elisabeth's Purses

Clutches

Purses

Handbags

Tote bags

Gala

Jewels: Silver Bracelet

In March 2000 Princess Mathilde received this silver bracelet as a gift on her joyeuse entrée in Namur.

It's a creation by Alice Pirson from Annevoie who designs and sculpts contemporary "dinanderie".

Mathilde has actually been using it, so she must like the design.

Private: Holidays in Yeu

Philippe & Mathilde have been spending the past few weeks at their home on the île d'Yeu, in de French Vendée region. 

King Philippe has had to fly back now and then for political meetings, as the formation of a new government is still in process. Two days ago, on 19 August, the Falcon X airplane of the Belgian military picked up Philippe in Nantes at 10:37. Less than an hour later the King arrived in Brussels, in time for his meeting with Bart De Wever at 14:00. At 16:18 the airplane took off in Brussels to bring Philippe back to France. 

The perks of a holiday home in a neighbouring country!

Mathilde's brother Charles-Henri & sister-in-law Caroline have also been spending their holidays on the island, with their 1 year old son Paul. 

Gabriel Turns 21 Today + Erasmus in France

20 August 2024

Happy birthday to Prince Gabriel who turns 21 today! 

Court released this new picture of the Prince, taken by Vlad Vanderkelen.

And this one, by Loan Silvestre of the ERM. 

With it came the announcement that Gabriel will be an Erasmus exchange student for 5 months, starting this August.

Gabriel will be incorporating the Académie militaire de Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan in Bretagne, France. This very respected institution forms officers of the ground force. The prince will be studying geopolitics in English. 

We were also informed that Gabriel has taken part in the ERM's annual Summer Camp in Leopoldsburg in July. Some curriculum the students of the Military Academy have! 

This means that for the rest of the year, Eléonore will be the only one of Philippe & Mathilde's children still living at home with her parents. Elisabeth will move to Harvard in the US, Emmanuel will spend at least a year abroad and Gabriel will be off to France until early 2025. 

Flashback: Antwerpse Zomerschool

17 July 2009

For its 10 year jubilee, the Antwerp Summer School, where immigrant children spend their summer holidays learning Dutch, received a visit of Princess Mathilde.

The visit took place in Schoten. 

Emmanuel Will Be Studying Abroad

14 August 2024

Court has informed various journalists that Prince Emmanuel (18) will be starting his academic career abroad at the end of the summer.

Philippe & Mathilde's third child will be studying languages and sports.

No country, school or study program will be further specified, thus respecting Emmanuel's wish for privacy. Let's not forget that certain press outlets treated him as "dumb" and "slow" based on the fact he attended the Eureka school for children with learning difficulties during part of his childhood. It's rumoured Emmanuel is dyslectic. 

Earlier this year he obtained his international baccalaureate from the International School of Brussels, where he studied in English. 

All the best to this handsome & intelligent young man! And let's hope to see him back in Belgium now and then in the near future! 

Flashback: Mauritshuis

19 October 2006

Crown Prince Willem-Alexander & Princess Maxima of the Netherlands were joined by Crown Prince Philippe & Princess Mathilde to open the new exhibition "Rubens & Brueghel Together" at Museum Mauritshuis in The Hague, Netherlands.

Entourage: Ladies-in-waiting

Queen Mathilde has 6 ladies-in-waiting. While their expenses are covered, the ladies-in-waiting receive no salary for their work.

Vicountess Laurence de Ghellinck d'Elseghem Vaernewijck (°1970) studied economics and international relations.

She's married to Xavier van de Werve de Schilde, a major in the Belgian army. They live in Nethen (Grez-Doiceau) and have 3 children: Wauthier (°1996), Pierre (°1999) and Elodie (°2003).

Laurence's sons Wauthier van de Werve (on the right)...

...and Pierre van de Werve 

Laurence's daughter, Elodie van de Werve

Laurence grew up at castle Nieuwermolen in Dilbeek which is now owned by her brother Marc, who lives there with his family.

Laurence is the sister-in-law of Mathilde's close friend, Stéphanie de Radiguès de Chennevière, who was one of Mathilde's witnesses on her wedding day. Stéphanie's husband and Laurence's husband are brothers.

Laurence is also a reiki and reflexology therapist.

Melissa Maas: Melissa Maas-Van Waeyenberge owns two pharmacies, in Antwerpen en Wijnegem. When her brother Michael died of leukaemia she founded the "Jeugd Leukemie Fonds", a Foundation for children suffering from the disease. Melissa lives in Schoten.

Clotilde Boël: Clotilde de Peñaranda de Franchimont (°1968) studied art history.

She is married to Harold Boël, CEO of financial holding Sofina. They have two daughters, Agnès Boël (°1997) and Charlotte Boël (°1995, married to Geoffroy Ghion). The Boël family are among the wealthiest and most powerful families of Belgium.

Clotilde's daughters: Agnès (left) and Charlotte Boël (right)

According to Clotilde the new job she was offered in 2013 came as a surprise, even though the Boël family is on good terms with the royal house. Clotilde & Mathilde had met at several occasions where they talked, but weren't personal friends yet when the job offer came. Mathilde rang Mrs Boël herself to ask if she would be her lady-in-waiting.

British born Lindsay Edwards studied Dutch in London and has been living in Belgium for over 30 years. She runs a translation company in Schaerbeek that's employed by court and by the Belgian embassy in London. Lindsay's husband is a diplomat.

Baroness Patricia Vlerick: Patricia Bouckaert is the daughter of the late Léon Bouckaert, who founded the Waregem horse races. She's also an in-law of the wealthy Beaulieu textile group. Patricia's husband, Philippe Vlerick is a major real estate owner, a succesful manager in the textile industry and a director of KBC group. He's also an advisor at Belgian Foreign Trade. Philippe Vlerick was ennobled by King Albert in 2009. Patricia carries her husband's title as well.
Patricia and Philippe Vlerick have 4 children: Michael, David, Elisa and Barbara (married to Alexandre Cardon).

Since the end of 2023 Queen Mathilde has also been accompanied by Countess Véronique de Limburg Stirum (°1965).

Born as Véronique de Spot (daughter of Jean de Spot & Chantal t'Kint de Roodenbeke), she married Maximilien de Limburg Stirum in 1999.

Her husband is the Executive Chairman at SFI (Société Familiale d'Investissements) and closely linked with AB Inbev. Upon his marriage, Maximilien inherited the medieval Adornes estate in Bruges.  Véronique & Maximilien were the first to open the estate to the public for visits and private or artistic events. Véronique has been managing the premises. Previously she worked in the banking industry. She holds a degree in commercial engineering.

The couple has three sons: Hadrien (°2001), Gabriel (°2002) and Edgar (°2005) de Limburg-Stirum.