King Philippe, Q. Mathilde and Family, General News, Part 1 (July 2013 - Sept. 2017)

[*Mara*]

The Palace tries to save the Situation .
The whole Government was still working on new laws and the King and his Staff knew about the Documents to sign before the end of the year!

Thanks for your post Blue, foreigners don't know our political situation. ea the Parlament's fault...
I think at Belvedere Castle and at Villa Clémentine they must laugh !

The palace is giving their input, and rightly so. If they put up with all the things coming from the N-VA especially they soon will have zero room to manoeuvre. Point in case the misleading statements of the minister of defence Vandeput.
And Belvedere Castle is of course empty, Albert and Paola are in Italy again. But you are sadly right, it would be totally their style to laugh.

 

[leidi]

Why can't he spend his Christmas vacation abroad? I don't get it... it's not like any other royals don't go on vacation abroad?


Not ours, the newspapers, the politics. The minister who started the polemic admitted he agreed with the King leaving. (because the King also has no choice...) And I don't think this counts as a faux-pas

Exactly, some people are under the impression that he has to stay cooped within 1 hour of Belgium for the situation to work

 

[maria-olivia]

Why Bali and then India ???

 

[*Mara*]

They never were in Bali. The spokesperson of the defense union got that wrong and the media picked it up without checking the facts.

 

[tommy100]

I don't understand why this reflects badly on the King, is he suppose to spend the rest of his life in Belgium, never leaving in case some sudden legislation comes up and needs him to sign it? If so that would make him the only monarch in the world to do so. All of his counterparts in Europe at least are able to leave the country for at least a few days if they need to.
To me its Parliament / the government who have made an error, if anyone has, by not knowing this might happen. I assume the Belgian Parliament doesn't shut down for weeks over Christmas like ours here in the UK does?

 

[Blue_]

To me its Parliament / the government who have made an error, if anyone has, by not knowing this might happen. I assume the Belgian Parliament doesn't shut down for weeks over Christmas like ours here in the UK does?

The government made a mistake by raising a polemic (the costs of the vacation) only they can change (by allowing the King to fly with commercial airlines). The minister of defensy has admitted now it was his fault, but it's too late now for apologies, the polemic's already here...
The Parliament does shut down normally, but we are dealing with really important financial matters here, and that's why it was so difficult to come to an agreement... (Belgium has not the easiest political system in the world, at least we have a government now, touching wood for it to stay a little longer )

 

[stephanievl]

New family photoshoot:

La Monarchie belge: Accueil - Actualités - Photos - Photos de famille - Leurs Majestés le Roi et la Reine et Leurs enfants (décembre 2014)

They look as if they were taken straight away from a model catalog, what a good looking family!

Lovely pictures. Lovely family
I also very much like the family picture posted on Twitter.

 

[wartenberg7]

I agree. But much too small...

 

[Andrew 24]

I know it is probably not the correct poll to ask but do Belgian Royal Ladies (especially Queen Mathilde) have ladies-in-waiting? If so do we know their personalities?

 

[*Mara*]

Update on the flight cost topic:
Philippe was given a flight budget of 240.000€ for 2014. Basis for this calculation were the flight expenses Albert caused during the last years of his reign. In 2014 Philippe used the plane 28 times, this comes down to expenses of 218.000€. The criticised trip to India had a price tag of 40.500€, which is of course much less than the 200.000€ mentioned by the press.
In 2015 the flight budget will be reduced by 20%, so Philippe is (or seems to be) entitled to spend 192.000€ on flights.
Note: The press or the minister of defence labelled all 28 flights booked by Philippe as private flights, but the list obviously includes many official trips such as the introduction visits, and other work-related visits to Poland, Germany, the UK. Not sure why these got the label private at all, but it sure serves a purpose.
And given the current security situation there seem to be no plans to change the no-commercial flights rule for the king.

 

[*Mara*]

I know it is probably not the correct poll to ask but do Belgian Royal Ladies (especially Queen Mathilde) have ladies-in-waiting? If so do we know their personalities?

Mathilde has 5 ladies-in-waiting. They accompany her during visits and get a financial compensation for their expenses. This in contrast to Fabiola and Paola's ladies-in-waiting who got a salary and some of them even moved in with Fabiola or Paola IIRC.
Mathilde's ladies-in-waiting:
* Clotilde Boël: studied Archaeology and is now involved in modern art projects at the University of Brussels.
* Lindsay Edwards: born in Great Britain, studied Dutch in London and lives in Belgium since 15 years. She runs a translation services company in Brussels and her husband is a diplomat.
* Laurence De Ghellinck d’Elseghem Vaernewijck: studied economics and international relations.
* Melissa Maas-Van Waeyenberge: pharmacist, runs her own pharmacy in Antwerp, her brother died of leukaemia and she is now raising money for leukaemia research and therapy.
* Patricia Vlerick, studied law and is active in the cultural sector. Her husband is a successful manager and was ennobled by King Albert.
With the exception of Lindsay Edwards they are all members of the nobility. All of them are accomplished women in their own right.

Paola has 2 ladies-in-waiting/"assistants": Princess Nathalie de Merode and Baroness Charlotte de Moffarts.

 

[maria-olivia]

Attending Queen Fabiola's Funerals I was surprised to see Royal Ladies such as Princess Beatrix entering the Cathedral and behind them a lady-in-Waiting with their Order;

Never in Belgium a Lady in Waiting wore the Queen's Order.

The then Princess Paola of Liege's Mother wore at her daughter's wedding a diamond Brooch with the letter E. She was Queen Elena of Italy former lady-in-waiting.

 

[MAfan]

So, if many of the flights of 2014 were due to the introductory visits, it's likely that in 2015 the King will have to do less travels by plane.

 

[maria-olivia]

Exact Mara , I read it in the newspaper this morning.
The actual Royal Family went very often on Holiday in 2014.

 

[*Mara*]

Exact Mara , I read it in the newspaper this morning.
The actual Royal Family went very often on Holiday in 2014.

Compared to the average Belgian yes, but compared to the former King Albert and Queen Paola not so much, this was mentioned in the article too.

 

[*Mara*]

Attending Queen Fabiola's Funerals I was surprised to see Royal Ladies such as Princess Beatrix entering the Cathedral and behind them a lady-in-Waiting with their Order;

Never in Belgium a Lady in Waiting wore the Queen's Order.

This badge?
Image Upper.com - Free Image Hosting - View Image
It's the combined monogram of Philippe and Mathilde and usually worn by their staff to make it easier to identify them.

 

[leanne]

I was wondering which of one of Queen Mathilde's ladies-in-waiting accompanied her on the visit on the 28 January? There is a photo of her in one of the links posted above?

 

[*Mara*]

I was wondering which of one of Queen Mathilde's ladies-in-waiting accompanied her on the visit on the 28 January? There is a photo of her in one of the links posted above?

It was Melissa Maas-Van Waeyenberge who accompanied Mathilde in Neerpelt.

Koningin Mathilde bezoekt Sint-Oda, 28 jan '15 (Marc Faes)/20150128_Mathilde_8440

* Clotilde Boël
Matron of honor of Queen Mathilde Of Belgium Clotilde Boel and... Nachrichtenfoto 467355653 | Getty Images


* Lindsay Edwards
Image Upper.com - Free Image Hosting - View Image


* Laurence De Ghellinck d’Elseghem Vaernewijck
Queen Mathilde visits Rubens Exhibiton in Brussels - Monarchy Press Europe


* Patricia Vlerick
Image Upper.com - Free Image Hosting - View Image

 

[leanne]

Thank you Mara

 

[maria-olivia]

Thank you Mara for your sharp eyes. In fact they are wearing the Queen's Order.
Thanks for correcting. MO

 

[*Mara*]

You're welcome, Leanne and Maria-Olivia.

Thank you Mara for your sharp eyes. In fact they are wearing the Queen's Order.
Thanks for correcting. MO

I wouldn't call it order though. Its no special sign of merit but just a badge to make it easier for everyone around to recognise the members of the court. Here for ex worn by Jef Van den Put (head of the military department) and Valerie Boels (Philippe's advisor).
Van den Put & Boels

It's no new invention either. Here's Paolas former secretary Hubert Roisin with the badge of Albert and Paola.
Hubert Roisin
IIRC even King Albert's personal physician wore it during state visits.

 

[maria-olivia]

Mara, I just looked at Place Royale and saw how the King's New Year Speech was prepared in the Royal Palace biggest Room.
The Head of the Protocole wore his badge. I never paid attention before your post !
Thanks a lot. MO

 

[An Ard Ri]

Maria Olivia whats the Queen's Order?

 

[maria-olivia]

It is a badge with M and P, her ladies in waiting are wearing , see Mara's posts.
I never paid attention on it.

 

[An Ard Ri]

It is a badge with M and P, her ladies in waiting are wearing , see Mara's posts.
I never paid attention on it.

I've never seen or heard of it before but I will read up on the queen's order.

 

[maria-olivia]

It is not an Order but a badge.
We have no Royal Order to wear for State Visits and no Collar of the Order of Leopold.

 

[Marengo]

A winter holiday photoshoot was apparently planned for this weekend in Verbier, Switzerland. However, the photo shoot was cancelled due to safety measures.

It was already noted earlier this week that the secutrity measures at public events of the king, queen and the RF were more tight than usual and the security staff seemed more nervous. Policemen were even carrying machine guns in public.

Belgische fotouurtje afgelast - Royalty Online

 

[stephanievl]

Mathilde (on Thurseday) and Philippe (on Friday) attended a dance performance of Princess Elisabeth last week.


Some pics:
Koning duikt onverwacht op in De Ploter

 

[leidi]

Mathilde (on Thurseday) and Philippe (on Friday) attended a dance performance of Princess Elisabeth last week.


Some pics:
Koning duikt onverwacht op in De Ploter

Elisabeth looks so graceful, she's becoming a teen in front of our eyes!

 

[dbarn67]

Picture (the link above give me a fee schedule):

http://imageshack.com/a/img909/7343/NNMTeJ.jpg
http://imageshack.com/a/img908/9777/5VqI43.jpg