Belgium's National Day 2005 - Page 4

Cathérine Bergeyck · #61 07-21-2005, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emily

Catherine,
Do you have any idea why Claire isn't present? Do you think it has to do with being pregnant with twins (understandable) or do rumors persist that she is unhappy in the marriage? Just curious.

I have no idea why she wasn't there. BTW Laurent was absent as well, which i can't appreciate very much, he isn't pregnant (although he does look that way

) so is it too mmuch effort to show up ?

I'm very certain they do have a good mariage. It wasn't Claire who was absent, but both of them, so rumors in that direction make no sense at all. I find it even frustrating to have to hear those lies all the time. If someone goes somewhere without his wife / her husband, or visits his parents alone - does that mean they're having problems? I think the only problem here are newspapers who desparately want to sell more and have lost all respect for other people :(

Maybe she has a bad day, who knows ? Mathilde was absent of the national day in 2001, when she was expecting Elisabeth.

Cathérine Bergeyck · #62 07-21-2005, 03:04 PM

A few more from this morning

mandyy · #63 07-21-2005, 03:04 PM

Belgium's Prince Philippe, with Prince Gabriel on his arm, Princess Mathilde and Princess Elisabeth (2ndL) tour the center of Brussels on Belgium's National Day, 21 July 2005.
Getty images

Emily · #64 07-21-2005, 03:08 PM

Thanks for your response, Catherine. I didn't realize Laurent wasn't at today's activities, and I am glad the rumors are apparently without substance.

Cathérine Bergeyck · #65 07-21-2005, 03:09 PM

Astrid and her children went for a walk through the park and all its games and activities too. I hope we'll get to see pictures...

Cathérine Bergeyck · #66 07-21-2005, 03:34 PM

after the te deum

Cathérine Bergeyck · #67 07-21-2005, 03:35 PM

during the military parade

Cathérine Bergeyck · #68 07-21-2005, 03:36 PM

After the parade:

1. Philippe and Elisabeth
2. Joachim

Jelka · #69 07-21-2005, 04:18 PM

More pictures of Filip, Mathilde, Elisabeth and Gabriel during their walk trough Brussels:

Margreet · #70 07-21-2005, 04:49 PM

Weren't prince Laurent and princess Claire supposed to have attended a Te Deum mass this morning? Was that cancelled as well? Sorry, but this is about the most important day of the year in Belgium, so they should have gone at great lengths to put duty first. If Claire felt too sick to attend and had to stay at home that's fair enough and most understandable, but why prince Laurent had to skip this event as well is a different matter. It is not uncommon for princes to excuse their pregnant wife at a public engagement they were supposed to have attended together, but they usually make it a solo appearance instead. Let's hope there are no very serious medical reasons which forced prince Laurent to stay with his wife!

Jelka · #71 07-21-2005, 04:51 PM

More pictures of Prince Amedeo in the parade:

Jelka · #72 07-21-2005, 04:53 PM

Pictures of Princess Astrid, Prince Lorenz, Prince Joachim and Princess Laetitia Maria:

Cathérine Bergeyck · #73 07-21-2005, 04:56 PM

Beautiful pictures Jelka!

I loved to see Amedeo parade this afternoon, Astrid was so proud! And you could see Amedeo tried to keep a serious look on his face but he had to smile when he saw his family. Wonderful moment :)

Jelka · #74 07-21-2005, 04:57 PM

This morning Prince Joachim, son of Princess Astrid inaugured the Olympic-nic:

selminha · #75 07-21-2005, 05:00 PM

Great pictures thanks.

Mette2 · #76 07-21-2005, 05:13 PM

Thank you all very much for all these wonderful pictures.:) The pictures of Philippe, Mathilde and their children as well as the pictures of Astrid, Lorenz and their children are absolutely adorable.:)
When I watched the military parade I thought it was strange that Laurent and Claire weren't there, but thought that Laurent had yet again chosen a less than pretty outfit for Claire, and that she refused to wear it and decided to stay home.

Just kidding. I do hope like Margreet that nothing seriously is wrong with Claire's health or the twins. It looked a bit empty where Astrid, Lorenz, and Joachim were sitting. Weren't the rest of Astrid and Lorenz's children also at the military parade last year? Any reason why there weren't there this year? Also why is Fabiola sitting between Philippe and Mathilde? I think I remember pictures from one year where Philippe and Mathilde were sitting next to each other, and that Fabiola was sitting next to Mathilde, but I've only seen that one year.
As I think I said earlier I really like Paola's outfit and it's really great she's wearing such a bright color, because I keep thinking it's Philippe in the pictures from Te Deum, but when I see Paola I know it's Albert and not Philippe.

Philippe wore that uniform when he got married, wears the uniform at the military parade on the National Day, and also wears the uniform at other events, which is why I think I keep confusing the two of them.

Mette2 · #77 07-21-2005, 06:33 PM

Go to:
http://www.vtm.be/nieuws/index_bekijkonline.htm
Donderdag 21/07: 19u: and then about 17.45 minutes into the news

There's a piece from the military parade, the royal family at Te Deum, Joachim inuagureding the Olypic-nic, and Philippe, Mathilde, Elisabeth, and Gabriel at their walk through Brussels.

Mette2 · #78 07-21-2005, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hannelore

July 20th :

"Prelude to the National Day"

From picturedesk/contrast.

More pictures.

Mette2 · #79 07-21-2005, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mette2

From picturedesk/contrast.

More pictures.

Two pictures more.

Danielle · #80 07-21-2005, 08:05 PM

Thank you everyone for the wonderful photos. Everyone looked great. The pink outfit Mathilde wore looks so pretty. Aww, how sweet about Amedeo and Astrid. She must be very proud. I love this photo: http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=171445 Oh, and this one is … nice as well. :p http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=171550 She’s adorable though. Although Paola's green outfit was a little too 'bright' for my liking, she looked lovely.