Belgian National Day - 21 July 2011

[maria-olivia]

Renata , yes he looked tired and upset !

[Renata4711]

Maria-Olivia, has the King ever had serious health problems?

[Kasumi]

Originally Posted by Al_bina

What branch of the Belgian military forces does Princess Astrid represent?

The princess is a colonel in the Medical Component of the Belgian Armed Forces.

[Lina RdC]

Originally Posted by iceflower

PPE has added an extra gallery for the military parade:
** ppe gallery - military parade **

Spanish Hola has an article:
** La Familia Real belga celebra su Fiesta Nacional ** gallery **

And Swedish svenskdam a gallery with pics from yesterday:
** Bildspel: Belgiska kungafamiljen på konsert i Bryssel **

An extra gallery from nieuwsblad.be focussing on Mathilde and Philippe in Leuven:
** FOTOSPECIAL. Prins Filip en Prinses Mathilde wonen Te Deum bij in Leuven **

And a gallery from purepeople:
** La princesse Mathilde, joli coin de ciel bleu d'une Fête nationale bien sinistre **

Pics from lalibre.be:
** Fête Nationale 2011 **

7sur7.be:
** Fête nationale à Bruxelles **

Thank you so much for your searching effort -here are several belated annexations:
1a. Royalportraits
1b. Royal Press Europe - Royal Photoagency - © Albert Nieboer & Albert Philip van der Werf
1c. Belgian Royals attend concert prelude to the National Day 2011 - Dutch Photo Press (concert on July 20)
2a. Le Roi, Leterme et Di Rupo applaudis au Te Deum - L'Avenir
2b. Royal Press Europe - Royal Photoagency - © Albert Nieboer & Albert Philip van der Werf (July 21)
3. Prince Filip and Princess Mathilde at National Day 2011 - Dutch Photo Press (Te Deum in Leuven on July 21)
4. King Albert,Queen Paola and Queen Fabiola attend Te Deum mass at National Day 2011 - Dutch Photo Press (Te Deum in Brussels on July 21)
5a. Belgian Royals attend military parade at National Day 2011 - Dutch Photo Press
5b. Belgium's National Day - Pictures - Zimbio
5c. Belgian National Day Celebration - Pictures - Zimbio (military parade on July 21)

[Al_bina]

Originally Posted by Kasumi

The princess is a colonel in the Medical Component of the Belgian Armed Forces.

Thanks for the information!

[olebabs]

I believe she is a colonel in the Army Medical Corps. Please correct me if I'm wrong

[Lumutqueen]

May I ask, why is Laurent 'banned'?

[Renata4711]

I'm certain he is not "banned", though sometimes he does not seem "the brightest spark in the box"

Wikipedia has some info:
Prince Laurent of Belgium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[annie02]

As I understand it, Prince Laurent was in fact "banned," at least from the official events of National Day this year. He attended street party with his family, but I think that was as a private citizen and not in an official capacity. He was banned from National Day because King Albert told him to cancel a planned visit in Congo in March of this year, and Laurent ignored him and went anyway. But he still receives money from the government and performs official duties; he hasn't been cut off completely from the royal family.