State Visit From Finland To Belgium

[karolinabraganza]

http://cache.gettyimages.com/comp/3157777....7DEADF10CFDD4C1

how on earth can the queen and the king of belgium be in belgium to receive the finnish head of state and at the same time be in delft for the funeral of princess juliana?????? ia m confused....

pictures from day 1, 30th march 2004: queen paola (in black and bright red), king albert, cp philippe and cp mathilde (in dark blue)

http://editorial.gettyimages.com/source/CF...09|0|0|0|0|&p=7

beautiful princess mathilde

http://www.hello-magazine.com/royalty/2004...hilde-dop2a.jpg

*Image changed to link by administrator.*

[karolinabraganza]

picturfes from state banquet in the evening, 30th march
http://editorial.gettyimages.com/source/CF...09|0|0|0|0|&p=3

[Alexandria]

What does everybody think of Mathilde's robin's egg/Tiffany box blue evening gown? I read on another MB where the members hated or abhorred the colour and the cut as well as the dangly earrings. Someone said the earrings made it look like she was playing 'dress up' in her mother's jewellery box from the seventies! I myself thought the colour looked beautiful on Mathilde with her fair complexion, and nice to see her in such a bright, spring-like colour.

[Alexandra]

Originally posted by karolinabraganza@Mar 30th, 2004 - 1:56 pm
http://cache.gettyimages.com/comp/3157777....7DEADF10CFDD4C1

how on earth can the queen and the king of belgium be in belgium to receive the finnish head of state and at the same time be in delft for the funeral of princess juliana?????? ia m confused....

On another thread I got an answer to the same question.

Alexandria answered me:"Crown Prince Phillippe and Crown Princess Mathilde could've "entertained" the Finnish president. Or the couple could very well have been resting up for the gala that night. I doubt that with state visits like this the King and Queen are expected to "entertain" the visiting head of state and his/her wife/husband every second of the visit." :flower:

That might be true. The "Heads" see each other in negotiations or galas or something and then they perhaps have "free", the guests as well as the hosts.

Nice to see pictures of our president on this site, too, although she is not royal.

[Jelka]

Originally posted by Alexandria@Mar 31st, 2004 - 3:15 pm
What does everybody think of Mathilde's robin's egg/Tiffany box blue evening gown? I read on another MB where the members hated or abhorred the colour and the cut as well as the dangly earrings. Someone said the earrings made it look like she was playing 'dress up' in her mother's jewellery box from the seventies! I myself thought the colour looked beautiful on Mathilde with her fair complexion, and nice to see her in such a bright, spring-like colour.

I've read that too!! And I don't understand why they hate her dress so much! I think it's absolutely gorgeous. Maybe it's because Mathilde doesn't wear this colour very often, maybe it's something else, but I think she made a good choice wearing this dress, espacially since Mathilde's only 31. Every woman her age weares that kind of stuff, like the earrings.

[Jacqueline]

Can someone post a link to a picture of the dress. I am assuming that it was one of the pictures in the first part of this page of the thread. I can't get any of those links to work, so I guess that the pics are no longer up or have been moved.

I am very interested in seeing what everyone is talking about.

[Jacqueline]

Thanks for the pictures Dennism.

I don't get it. What's wrong with the gown? I can understand that the color may not be for everyone, but Mathilde looks wonderful in it.

BTW, Doesn't Princess Claire look absolutely stunning in the photo in which she and Laurent are standing side by side?

[Dennism]

Originally posted by Jacqueline@Mar 31st, 2004 - 5:27 pm
Thanks for the pictures Dennism.

I don't get it. What's wrong with the gown? I can understand that the color may not be for everyone, but Mathilde looks wonderful in it.

BTW, Doesn't Princess Claire look absolutely stunning in the photo in which she and Laurent are standing side by side?

She does look wonderful. Perhaps the color. Claire did but I wish she had smiled though.

[Gabriella]

Claire does look wonderful, as usual. It looks like Laurent has lost some weight. His face looks thinner. If he has, good for him.

I wasn't too crazy about Mathilde's dress. It wasn't horrible, and I liked it ok, but I don't think that the color was really for her. It would have been nicer if it was a different color. Or, even if her shawl was a different color. It looked as if it all ran together. But it wasn't horrible. Certainly not one for the Most Terrible thread. :P

[Alexandria]

FLANDERS, BELGIUM - MARCH 31: King Albert of Belgium, Queen Paola of Beligum and Finnish President Tarja Halonen, Dr. Arajarvi arrive at the Town Hall in Gent on March 31, 2004 in Gent, Belgium. President Halonen and her husband Dr. Arajarvi are visiting Gent in Flanders on the second day of their three-day state visit to Belgium. (Photo by Mark Renders/Getty Images)

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FLANDERS, BELGIUM - MARCH 31: Queen Paola and King Albert visit the Stora Enzo factory on March 31, 2004 in Gent, Belgium. The visit to Gent in Flanders, Belgium is part of the second day of a three-day state visit to Belgium by Finnish President Tarja Halonen and her husband Dr. Arajarvi. (Photo by Mark Renders/Getty Images)

King and Queen

Paola


FLANDERS, BELGIUM - MARCH 31: King Albert and Queen Paola visit the St Baafs Cathedral on March 31, 2004 in Gent, Belgium. Finnish President Tarja Halonen and her husband Dr. Arajarvi are in Gent on the second day of their three-day state visit to Belgium. (Photo by Mark Renders/Getty Images)

Paola

Loving gesture by the King to his wife

[Gabriella]

The last picture of the King with his arm around the Queen is inteed very sweet. When I first started reading these boards, I had the impression that the two of them didn't like each other very much. But, I have since seen some very sweet photos of them.

[beebee]

Originally posted by Alexandria@Mar 31st, 2004 - 9:15 am
What does everybody think of Mathilde's robin's egg/Tiffany box blue evening gown? I read on another MB where the members hated or abhorred the colour and the cut as well as the dangly earrings. Someone said the earrings made it look like she was playing 'dress up' in her mother's jewellery box from the seventies! I myself thought the colour looked beautiful on Mathilde with her fair complexion, and nice to see her in such a bright, spring-like colour.

You do mean the dress in the images posted above your post, and not the lighter blue gown Mathilde wore in the images posted a bit after? To me, the latter is more "Tiffany box" blue than the first, but it doesn't make sense that you would talk about a dress before it's been shown!! In any case, I thought they were both perfect and lovely on her. Blue is a wonderful color on her, with her fair skin and blonde hair. I'm really growing to look forward to Mathilde's photos because she's always so elegantly turned out!! She is a very classy-looking woman.

[Alexandria]

Originally posted by beebee@Apr 1st, 2004 - 1:00 am
You do mean the dress in the images posted above your post, and not the lighter blue gown Mathilde wore in the images posted a bit after? To me, the latter is more "Tiffany box" blue than the first, but it doesn't make sense that you would talk about a dress before it's been shown!! In any case, I thought they were both perfect and lovely on her.

I was talking about the lighter blue for the gala dinner to welcome the Finnish president, not the darker blue (practically navy, I think) that Mathilde wore to greet the Finnish president at the aiport (?) where the inspection of the guards took place with King Albert.

I saw them at another board before they were posted here, hence asking people if they liked it or abhorred it as much as I had read elsewhere.

I liked the Tiffany blue/robin's egg blue dress on Mathilde very much. I find it to be a very bright and youthful colour. Because Mathilde has a maturity about her, I forget sometimes how young she really is, and this colour brings it out on her. And also because she is so fair, it has a certain illumination on her.

[TODOI]

how come the ladies aren't wearing Tiara's?....

[martha-louise]

I think it's because tiara's are mostly a gift to a royal. Some are given by the people of the country to their queen. Than it becomes a family possesion.
The Finish first lady, has in fact no role, she is first lady for only a couple of years. So I think it's because the Finish vistitors doesn't have a tiara that she can't were one.
It would be impolied of our royal ladies to wear one in this case.

[Hannelore]

I adored Mathilde's dress too! (And it's great she wore the same blue for her dress, stole,shoes, and handbag; in stead of combining colors). It looked so sweet and fresh on her. Elegant as always!

Did you notice how queen Fabiola looked pretty as well?

[Hannelore]

A visit to the Folon Fondation at the domaine of La Hulpe

[Dennism]

Nice shades, Paola!

[Hannelore]

At the gala dinner