The guests at the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria or at the Investiture of King Willem-Alexander all were, one by one, escorted by an Aide-de-Camp or a Hovdam (Swe) / Hofdame (NL) so that they would never have a moment of "what do I have to do now?"
In that aspect, this funeral indeed lacked organization but I must say that is eh... "Belgian" too: just do something and "in the end it will be good. Maybe. Hopefully. Life is too short. We will see. Don't worry."
There were personal attendants or aides attached to the most important guests, such as the Kings and Queens at this funeral too...they all wore uniforms of the Belgian military, officers in rank.
Blue, he did bow low before his aunt's open coffin when she was placed in the Royal Palace at Brussels for viewing Tuesday evening.
I'm sure he was not disrespectful. BTW, funerals are for those who were left alive in this world. They are about remembering and celebrating the life and work of the deceased. Of course, there is grief and everyone's feelings as natural in this case as sadness have to be expressed, but it's totally personal and individual thing.
There are some press reports here in Poland on the fact that our former Prime Minister and now the so-called President of the European Union, Donald Tusk, who is in his new post for almost two weeks now and who is meant to be the EU's highest representative on international level, didn't show up at the funeral. Some court etiquette expert says he was the right person to represent the EU there. Meanwhile, it was Jean-Claude Juncker, the new President of the European Commission, thus junior to Tusk in precedence, who was present. Maybe it was because of his naturally closer links to Belgium (he's Luxembourg's former and longtime Prime Minister) than Tusk's.
Another "controversy" is about our President, Bronislaw Komorowski. He comes from the very same family as Queen Mathilde's mother so he has personal and familial links to the RF and sometimes makes references to that. When Philippe and Mathilde were visiting Warsaw this year on his invitation, they really seemed cosy and familiar with each other. Yet, he did not show up or even send an official condolences and that's inappropriate. That's what the said "expert" says and what some tabloids and websites put on their articles.
However, I think he definitely didn't have to come to this funeral as he is surely not that close to Mathilde. Additionally, it was not a state funeral so he didn't have to do this also because of the protocol.
We don't expect our President to attend former queens consorts' funerals. It's national and maybe, pan-royal occassion really, of little international and diplomatic importance. For the same reason, I don't think the President had to issue any official condolences in his capacity as head of state. I would only expect our Ambassador in Brussels to attend, simply because it's his work to be present and represent Poland in important moments of Belgium and the Belgians' lives.
Immediately after the press articles I've mentioned were published, the President's official stated that Mr and Mrs Komorowski sent a personal letter to the Royal Family with their condolences immediately after the death of Queen Fabiola. And that's OK with me.
