Mathilde's father, Count Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz, in a critical condition


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I just read in the newspaper that Mathilde's father is in the hospital.
The palace confirmed, but didn't give more information because it's a private affair.
Here's the article:
Gazet van Antwerpen – online krant

Apparently the 71 year old Patrick,Count d'Udekem d'Acoz is in a irreversible coma since friday.

How very sad,especially as HRH the Crown Princess is due with her fourth child next month.
 
Oh, My God!:ohmy: It is a truly sad news for Crown Princess Mathilde... One can only imagine the level of stress she is under.
 
Does anyone know if he was ill before or if this is something completely unexpected?
 
Apparently the 71 year old Patrick,Count d'Udekem d'Acoz is in a irreversible coma since friday.

How very sad,especially as HRH the Crown Princess is due with her fourth child next month.

How horrible! And Mathilde's sister Elisabeth is expecting her first child as well.
 
Let's pray for him and his family, such a likeable man !
 
Count Raoul d'Udekem d'Acoz is saying that the situation of his brother is not as serious as some media are suggesting. He says it is not true that he can Count Patrick is on his deathbed.
 
Well, thats promising news I guess. I hope so.
 
I wish that he will wake up soon and is healthy enough welcome the second daughter of Mathilde and the first grandchild of Elisabeth.
 
I wish that he will wake up soon and is healthy enough welcome the second daughter of Mathilde and the first grandchild of Elisabeth.

How do you know it's a girl? Did Mathilde say that?
 
I hope he is ok and what his brother said is true
 
What an unfortunate situation. It sounds like he is in good hands and hopefully he will soon recover. How awful for the family though!
 
I really hope he gets better, i really dont want mathilda and elizabeth to go through what letizia went through when she was pregnant with sofia.
 
It isn't all that sure that Count Raoul is all that well informed, he was only 5 minutes at the bedside of his brother, a few days ago. The situation of Patrick was serious aenough to make his brothers Henri and Raoul forget about the feud and visit him, so..

La Derniere Heure says that Count Patrick has encephalitis, an acute inflammation of the brain, commonly caused by a viral infection.
 
It isn't all that sure that Count Raoul is all that well informed, he was only 5 minutes at the bedside of his brother, a few days ago. The situation of Patrick was serious aenough to make his brothers Henri and Raoul forget about the feud and visit him, so..


La Derniere Heure says that Count Patrick has encephalitis, an acute inflammation of the brain, commonly caused by a viral infection.

I´m under the impression Raoul is abusing the situation for yet another “PR stunt” or whatever you may call it. He admitted to have no clue what kind of illness hit his brother, so it´s a bit daring to say he will recover. Even if hope dies last.

Note: These are just rumours but today´s newspapers say it´s either thrombosis or a brain tumor and Mathilde´s father will pass away soon (a question of days according to the news). It seems it all started with signs of aphasia. Whatever it is, it seems there is not much hope for recovery, otherwise there would have been a statement by the family or the court IMO.
 
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I wouldn't know what kind of PR-stunt Count Raoul would need, he seems a likable man, from what I have seen of him on television thus far. But considering the reports in the media it is a bit curious.
 
My prayers are with the family, and I hope for the best.
 
I wouldn't know what kind of PR-stunt Count Raoul would need, he seems a likable man, from what I have seen of him on television thus far. But considering the reports in the media it is a bit curious.

Oh you obviously missed some of his statements last year. ;) Though Raoul sure isn´t as talkative as his brother Henri. And it would have been wiser, if Patrick would have skipped the TV Familie interview last year. Seems to be a family thing.

But honestly. The spokesman of the BRF explicitly asks to respect the privacy of the family, considering that Mathilde is about to give birth. And this seems to work: there are no pictures of family members entering or leaving the hospital for example (at least not that I know of). And while the close family prefers to be closed lipped, it´s Raoul who hastens to inform “Het Laatste Nieuws” about his hospital visit and talks with the newspaper “Gazet van Antwerpen” about Patrick´s state of health. :ermm: In my humble opinion this is a pretty disrespectful move and unnecessary publicity, especially since the whole situation seems to be painful enough. But this is just my opinion of course.
 
Has Mathilde to do any official tasks now or is she allowed to be at her fathers side all the time?
 
Well, maybe the count talked to the press on behalf of the family? I remember that both Henri as Raoul were interviewed by television before the wedding of Phillipe and Mathilde, with the blessing (and probably on the request) of the RF. Did he actually go and talk to the press or did the press come to him when he left the hospital, harrasing him with questions.

I agree with you on the Belgian press btw, the way they deal with this is respectful, no pictures at all!
 
Very Respectful my Best wishes to the Count
 
Has Mathilde to do any official tasks now or is she allowed to be at her fathers side all the time?

AFAIK the visit to the sheltered workplace in Oostende last Friday (March 21st) was her last official activity before maternity leave. Mathilde cancelled her attendance last minute, the official reason given was tiredness, but the newspapers speculate she already knew about her father´s condition and was at his bedside. Other than that it´s Easter break and her father is admitted to the Erasmus Hospital in Anderlecht, the clinic where Mathilde will give birth, so she has the opportunity to be near to him anyway.
 
Well, maybe the count talked to the press on behalf of the family? I remember that both Henri as Raoul were interviewed by television before the wedding of Phillipe and Mathilde, with the blessing (and probably on the request) of the RF. Did he actually go and talk to the press or did the press come to him when he left the hospital, harrasing him with questions.

I don´t think there´s press outside the hospital, my guess is they phoned him and he made his statement. And I very much doubt he is speaking on behalf of the family or with their blessing. Quite a lot unfortunate things happened since 1999 and Raoul´s statement is rather based on guesses than on knowledge, it´s quite vacuous. If Raoul was right and there would be justified hope for recovery the irreversible coma rumours would have been denied by the family/palace IMO. What have been denied unofficially by members of the entourage are all cancer, stroke and heart attack rumours, so it´s probably indeed encephalitis. It´s also known that Mathilde´s father was struggling with his health since the beginning of this year and the situation got worse two weeks ago.
 
After Mathilde´s uncle Raoul it´s now his brother Henri, who talks about the poor health of Mathilde´s father (to the newspaper Het Nieuwsblad/de Standaard this time).
According to him it´s still unknown which illness hit Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz exactly, even if he is under medical treatment of three experts. His actual condition seems to be stable, but there´s no hope he will get out of the coma again. Henri was at his bedside on Wednesday and Patrick appeared calm as if he was sleeping, Henri thinks he suffers no pain. Nobody told him explicitly, that his brother will die, but he feels it. At the time when he visited his brother he also met Mathilde at his bedside. “Mathilde didn´t look well. Fragile. And sad. Alas, it´s a terrible situation.“ He too mentions the entire royal family paid a visit to Patrick.
Henri also talks about the feud which kept the d'Udekem brothers busy these last years. He deeply regrets the wasted years full of quarrelling and says he and his brother reconciled. Though Henri hastens to add he did nothing wrong, when he declared Patrick´s house in Proven uninhabitable (note: there was a lawsuit and Henri was convicted for doing so).

Not sure if this interview happened with the blessing of Mathilde´s family, but Henri is very aware about the condition of his brother, so it seems to be a hopeless situation indeed. Well, at least the d'Udekem brothers seem to be reconciled.

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?articleID=KC1Q1153
 
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Now that is sad news, we can always count on Henri to give us the details, even in this case. But maybe the family agreed that he would talk to the press, to calm the wild guesses and as they are probably not in any condition to be faced with it themselves at the moment.

Het Laatste Nieuws has the same story, so for who can read dutch, read more here. Apparently Patrick became suddenly ill around new year, and the illness slowly led to this coma.

Henri also says he regrets the years of fighting as he realises now that he wasted many -what could have been nice- years with his brother.
 
I was hoping so much it had been exagerated by journalists. I like him very much
 
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