Prince Laurent of Belgium & Claire Coombs 2003


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Matthew Coombs winking at his sister Claire ;)
He's seated next to his brother-in-law (Steve Grant) and prince Lorenz.
 

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Princess Mathilde of Belgium (expecting her second child, prince Gabriel), Joanna Coombs (Claire's sister) and prince Joachim of Belgium.
 

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Claire, the new princess of Belgium looking at the crowd.
 

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A rather shy prince Amedeo greeting the crowd, next to his great-aunt queen Fabiola of the Belgians.
 

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A very cheerful bridesmaid: princess Luisa Maria of Belgium (daughter of princess Astrid).
 

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Cardinal Danneels and father Guy Gilbert

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Mathildes hat was not the greatest hat I have seen, it's a bit of a spaceship feeling over it
 
How beautiful pictures. Thank you for posting them, Cathérine Bergeyck :flower:

Princess Claire is very beautiful, and also her dress and veil... These are great pics!
 
I'm glad you like them!

Her veil belonged from queen Paola' s grandmother, and it was also worn by Paola and Mathilde.

The gown was designed by the Begian couturier Edouard Vermeulen of the house of Natan, he also designed princess Mathilde's and princess Laurentien's wedding dress.
 
Thenk you for your explanation about her dress and veil, Cathérine Bergeyck :flower:

Reading your explanation, I like her veil much more.

And as for the dress, princess Mathilde's, princess Laurentien's and princess Claire's. My most favorite dress is princess Clare's dress.
 
Anne Monfils, Claire's best friend, and one of her witnesses.

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prince Joachim and princess Maria Laura

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the brides maids

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Sibilla is looking gorgeous!!

1.Jean, Sibilla and Guillaume of Luxemburg
2.Mathilde and Filip
 

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It was a very emotional service, where everybody shed some tears, even king Albert II!

King Albert blowing his nose, with a huge hankerchief.
 

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1.Filip and his beautiful Mathilde
2.Waving to the crowd
3.Claire getting out of the car
4.Princess Laurentien of Holland waving
5.Laurentien with Madeleine and Victoria of Sweden
 

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1.Claire's elegant mother with king Albert II
2.Claire shaking hands with the mayor of Brussels.
 

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I translated priest Guy Gilbert's impression of the wedding, that I found on his website:


For seven years now I've had a long and discreet friendship with Laurent of Belgium, the son of Paola and Albert, queen and king of Belgium.
It was something new for me to marry a royal prince. I couldn't imagine that one day I would be standing next to a cardinal to be the witness of the love between two royal highnesses.

In the cathedral of Brussels, where 1500 guests were present, I had to give the final meditation, after the exchange of the rings.

The night before I left for this wedding, a 'troublemaker' , Abdel, bursted into my place in Paris. He had come out of prison, where I had guided him, step by step, during a year. I stayed with him untill 3 AM. Strangely enough, it was him who gave me enough inspiration to talk about love to an audiance of kings and queens, princes and nobles from all the European courts, a few hours later. I had no fear, or stress, before those crowned heads.

What a joy to cheer love, the most beautiful human adventure, for the most noble and the most modest, thanks to the television, that broadcasted the princely wedding in the entire kingdom!

During the two meals that followed the official ceremony, there were beautiful and intense meetings. Certain dispairs I heard about missed love, the wounds of split up couples, immense fortunes or distroyed sumptuous palaces made a big impression on me.
I went from table to table, as I had been asked to do. I saw how protocol dissapears for the great of the earth, when they abandon their titles and show themselves naked.
It are persons that are strangely alike to some of mine (the 'loubards'). With the difference that the latter have no official function whatsoever, to hide themselves behind a brilliant appearence that allows you to pretend to exist.

Exciting moments. The discovery of exceptional persons between the personnalities of the royal gotha. Especially, a future queen of a wonderful authenticity. She was for me a breath of joy and peace in that mass of people, with whom the first meeting learned me a lot.

When I showed, in each palace, the pass with royal arms, I had to think of Abdel who came out of prison. He arrived at midnight, without a pass. Without an appointment. He had come as a poor man, simply knocking at my door.

Certain of the prestigious guests at this wedding, who had gotten hold of the royal invitation who allowed them the so desired 'way in' were also poor people.

I loved being next to this beings of light, so eager for a listening ear and mercy.
 
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I think Victoria looked great in white
 

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the brideschildren were: Luisa Maria, princess of Belgium & archduchess of Austria-Este (niece of Laurent), Emma Grant (niece of Claire) and Clothilde de Meulenaere (daughter of friends of Laurent).

the witnesses were:

*Civil wedding:
- Barones Janine Ghobert, wife of Baron Jacques Delruelle, governor of the
prince Laurent foundation.
- Alain Declève, friend of Laurent,
- Joanna Coombs, sister of Claire Coombs
- Ann Monfils, Claire's best friend.

*Church wedding:

- Princess Mathilde, duchess of Brabant,
- Pieter van Vollenhoven, husband of princess Margriet of Holland.
- Prof. Dr. Rik Van Aerschot
- Prof. Raymond Antoine, honorary professor at the U.C.L.
- Jean-Paul Malingreau
- Prince Kardam de Tirnovo
- Marie-Claude Boulin, wife of Jonkheer Jacques Solvay.
- Joanna Coombs
- Ann Monfils
 
Here are two photos from the wedding that somebody capped from TV.
 

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Just finished watching "The Princess Diaries: The Royal Engagement" and I noticed that the dress Princess Mia (Anne Hathaway) wore in the movie is incredibly similar to that of Princess Claire. I have posted pics of both the dresses below. Decide for yourself!!!

It seems Claire's gown was also loved by the filmmakers.:)
 

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You are right pdas1, these dresses indeed look similar, although Claire´s one is far more sophisticated one. Also, I don´t think that that particular dress style was flattering on Mia. Unlike Claire, she doesn´t look elegant in it. It must be a different body type.
 
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