King Albert & Queen Paola : Current Events Part 1

[johann]

And King Albert, who is well known for his passion for cars and motor-bikes, had a good time at the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the “Autoworld " motorcar museum on Tuesday. (Belga)

 

[fanletizia]

King Albert II of Belgium listens to a speech of OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht during an OSCE meeting in Vienna September 28, 2006

from yahoo/reuters

 

[Marengo]

And King Albert, who is well known for his passion for cars and motor-bikes, had a good time at the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the “Autoworld " motorcar museum on Tuesday. (Belga)

Thanks johann, where is the motormuseum?

The king must have had the time of his life btw. As you said, he is known for his passion for cars.
Does anybody know what car he drives himself? I know Paola drives a Smart. What about the other familymembers? They borrowed the Maybachs they used for the wedding of Laurent and Claire, right?
What happened to all the royal carriages btw? I noticed that during the funeral of Queen Astrid they were still used. WHen did they stop using them? Immediately after WWII?

 

[johann]

Thanks johann, where is the motormuseum?

The king must have had the time of his life btw. As you said, he is known for his passion for cars.
Does anybody know what car he drives himself? I know Paola drives a Smart. What about the other familymembers? They borrowed the Maybachs they used for the wedding of Laurent and Claire, right?
What happened to all the royal carriages btw? I noticed that during the funeral of Queen Astrid they were still used. WHen did they stop using them? Immediately after WWII?

Sorry forgot to mention it: the Autoworld museum is located in Brussels.

IIRC Albert sticks to Mercedes cars – in private as well as on duty. And the Maybach´s were indeed borrowed.
Laurent definitely inherited his father’s passion for fast cars. His motor pool is considered to be large (including some motor bikes, a Smart, a Mercedes van and a Porsche and presumably a Ferrari). He often drives with his Smart to official duties. But if you ask me this is more about creating a green or independant image than loving this tiny car (looks quite awkward when he crawls out of it …)
(belga)

BTW for those who understand Dutch, here’s a clip about his driving skills (highlight: Laurent tries to assure that he respects the speed limit whilst the reporter notes that Laurent didn’t fasten his seat belt). Philippe drove a Porsche during his engagement period; lately you could see him driving vans (Chrysler Voyager, Mercedes Viano).
Don’t know what happened to the carriages. The Autoworld museum displays a state coach of Napoleon III., maybe thy have some Belgian carriages there as well.

 

[johann]

The Belgian broadcaster VTM covered King Albert´s visit in Vienna (this thursday) in their evening news. Follow this link and go to Vrijdag 29/09, 19u, the clip starts at 19:30 min run time.
Topics: Meeting at the OSCE, where Albert demanded more activities against human trafficking , meeting with Austria´s president Fischer and visit at the Liechtenstein museum, where the world’s most expensive piece of furniture (27,5 million Euro) can be admired.
Slightly off topic: The following clip mentions a private visit of Queen Fabiola and Princess Mathilde at the Royal Museum for Art and History today, the prevoius clip feautures the Prince Louis´wedding.

[Belga]

 

[johann]

King Albert received the Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga at the Royal Palace in Brussels today. Miss Vike-Freiberga flew to Brussels for a working visit. She competes for the succession of Kofi Annan as UN secretary general. So she is quite busy these days ;-)
Credit: Getty, Belga, president.lv

 

[Marengo]

Thanks Johann, good to see Vaira, one of the politicians I like best in Europe. And together on a picture with my favourite king, merci. The Queen is still having troubles with her arm I presume (hence the absence).

 

[johann]

Thanks Johann, good to see Vaira, one of the politicians I like best in Europe. And together on a picture with my favourite king, merci. The Queen is still having troubles with her arm I presume (hence the absence).

I guess this was just a work meeting of two heads of state. So no need of spouses and Imants Freibergs was left at home as well
Paola seems to have recovered well. She looked relaxed last Wednesday (see post 150).

 

[johann]

King Albert paid a visit to the Lotus Bakery in Lembeke today (Oct. 11th). Casadaimagen/isopix

 

[johann]

Meanwhile his wife Paola visited a school for handicapped children in Louvain-la-Neuve. This school is sponsored by the Queen Paola Foundation. Casadaimagen/isopix

 

[Royal Fan]

awww how sweet of her (as a person in a wheelchair , I Find this very heart warming

 

[lucien]

Last wednesday I watched the Belgian equivelent of what we know here as the "lintjesregen",allthough the belgian version is "slightly" different,people were bestowed with nobel titles and knighthoods,(personal titles,not hereditary)by HM King Albert,with Queen Paola in
attendance at the Royal Palace,Brussels.

Would someone be so kind to post pictures,video's or links to, here please?
Thanks in advance.

 

[johann]

Last wednesday I watched the Belgian equivelent of what we know here as the "lintjesregen",allthough the belgian version is "slightly" different,people were bestowed with nobel titles and knighthoods,(personal titles,not hereditary)by HM King Albert,with Queen Paola in
attendance at the Royal Palace,Brussels.

Would someone be so kind to post pictures,video's or links to, here please?
Thanks in advance.

Voila, here are the pics: Albert and Paola meeting Belgians, who received a peerage in 2005. This reception was held at LaekenCastle on Thursday (Oct. 12). (casadaimagem)

This is Paola admiring Salvatore Adamo´s coat of arms. Adamo wrote the famous song “Dolce Paola” back in the sixties.

 

[johann]

Some additions (belga)

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]

 

[johann]

And Queen Paola opened the 20th international Interior Biennale in Kortrijk today (Oct. 13).

 

[johann]

Queen Paola visited the “Royal Institute for deaf and blind persons” in Uccle today (Oct. 24). She went there to see the play “Emilie Jolie” given by the “Compagnie de la Taupinière”. The actors are pupils and alumni of the Institute and they studied this play from Philip Chatel two years. They surely felt honoured to have Queen Paola in the audience. (casadaimagem/isopix)

 

[johann]

King Albert and Queen Paola attended the opening concert of the Brussels All Saints 2006 religious congress yesterday (Oct. 29th) (belga)

 

[adelaide]

Since my youth I had been very impressive bey the beauty of Poala.

It's a little bit funny because I allways said Paola but now she is Queen of Belgium since more ten years I have some difficulties to speak about her by her surmane.

She is doing a good job as a Queen, may be that nobody are going to think that she is abble to do it.

That I don't know very well is the intensitiy of the links of her children and thethe their husband/wifes.

And is she a very involve Grand Mother as the Queen of Spain for example?

 

[flcty]

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM:
Queen Paola of Belgium holds her glasses as she visits the arts exhibition of the Senate, Tuesday 12 December 2006, in Brussels.
BELGA PHOTO HERWIG VERGULT

http://img148.imageshack.us/my.php?image=poalaglassespk3.jpg
http://img148.imageshack.us/my.php?image=poalalookingtb3.jpg

Poala, looking smart with glasses .

 

[fanletizia]

Jolanta Kwasniewska, wife of the former Polish president; U.S. First Lady Laura Bush; Suzanne Mubarak, wife of the Egyptian president; Queen Silvia of Sweden; Bernadette Chirac, wife of the French president; Belgium Queen Paola; Liudmila Putin, wife of the Russian presiden; Margarida Sousa Uva-Barroso, wife of the European commissioner and St Petersburg Governor Valentina Matvienko pose for a family picture at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Wednesday 17 January 2007. The female VIPs formed a committee for the defense of lost or exploited children

from anp

http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?page=1&ShowPicture=4536197&pos=8
http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?page=2&ShowPicture=4535759&pos=11
http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?page=2&ShowPicture=4535350&pos=12
http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?page=2&ShowPicture=4535348&pos=13
http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?page=2&ShowPicture=4536136&pos=18

 

[Marengo]

The Queen is looking very good IMO, he seems to have lost some weight to. She still is a great beauty IMO, and looks much better then a certain botoxed first lady who sat next to her during the meeting (and I do not mean Madame Chirac).

Has Paola always been involved in this cause or only since she became Queen?

 

[flcty]

King Albert II visits RTL Studios

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
Friday 26th January 2007
King Albert II of Belgium jokes with journalist Laurent Haulotte in the television journal studio during a visit to the new RTL Group Headquarters in Brussels.
ImageShack - Hosting :: jokeingalbertvo7.jpg
BELGA PHOTO
VIRGINIE LEFOUR

More photos can be found here...
BelgaPicture

 

[flcty]

Liege Royals Star Apic Albert

LIEGE, BELGIUM
Tuesday 30th January 2007
King Albert II of Belgium listens to explanations of director Alan Phillips during a visit to the Star Apic geographic information company.
BELGA PHOTO
MICHEL KRAKOWSKI
Photos can be found here...
BelgaPicture

 

[sara1981]

No Money from Paola
No Money from Paola, Belgian News, Belgium, Expatica

 

[sara1981]

King not to visit Congo
King not to visit Congo, Belgian News, Belgium, Expatica

King Albert II will not make it to the Democratic Republic of Congo before the end of the summer, is the expectation in political and diplomatic circles

 

[Henri M.]

Municipality of Mortsel to remove portraits of the King and Queen

The municipal council in Mortsel (near Antwerp) has decided to remove the portraits of the King and Queen from the city hall.

Vlaams Belang fraction leader Mark Schampaert, following suit from a colleague Main reason: municipalities no longer fall under jurisdiction of the federal government but under the Flemish, Walloon and Brussels regional governments. Vlaams Belang (the biggest fraction) is a separatistic and anti-monarchistic party which dreams of an independent republic of Flanders.

The green party Groen! Abstained from voting and Vlaams Belang voted in favour. Votes of the other parties were divided. In the final vote 11 voted in favour, seven against, and nine abstained.

Ingrid Pira, the Mayor of Mortsel, has removed the portraits and decided to hang it in her own cabinet.

 

[Marengo]

Out of curiosity, what parties voted against as well? Or has Vlaams Belang 11 votes?

Rather significant and emerging affair IMHO.

 

[fanletizia]

King Albert II (R) meets with the secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Angel Gurria (L), 13 March 2007 in Brussels.

http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?page=2&ShowPicture=5153904&pos=19

 

[flcty]

King Albert II (R) meets with the secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Angel Gurria (L), 13 March 2007 in Brussels.

ANP Beeldbank

Another link for photos of the event:
BelgaPicture

 

[mandyy]

Belgium's King Albert (L), Jordan's Prince Hassan Bin Talal (2nd L), Jordan's Princess Sarvath El Hassan (2nd R) and Belgium's Queen Paola pose for a photo in Brussels March 15, 2007. REUTERS/Thierry Roge (BELGIUM)
Photos via Yahoo

1
2