Queen Elisabeth Music Competition, 2008-2023


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:previous: Nice to see Emmanuel there. Philippe and Mathilde always seem to make sure either one of their children experiences the competition each year which is lovely.
 
Queen Mathilde with Princess Eleonore last night 22 May at the competition.

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Picture by the Palace

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7Qlc5hXoAA4DfY.jpg

Queen Mathilde with Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein attended another finale session of the Queen Elisabeth Competition last night 23 May

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Queen Mathilde gave an interview focused on her passion for music and the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition.

https://www.rtbf.be/culture/musique...nneur-du-concours-reine-elisabeth?id=10229351

Queen Mathilde: INTERVIEW: Mathilde talks about the Queen Elisabeth Competition
 
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eya said:
Queen Mathilde with Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein attended another finale session of the Queen Elisabeth Competition last night 23 May

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https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6QV3838T...As/s1600/Schermafdruk+2019-05-24+10.18.50.png
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I am absolutely delighted to see Mathilde and Margaretha together, as they both were extremely close to Queen Fabiola, and Fabiola was fond of the "Concours".
 
Marchesina said:
I am absolutely delighted to see Mathilde and Margaretha together, as they both were extremely close to Queen Fabiola, and Fabiola was fond of the "Concours".
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Interesting; I had no idea Princess Margaretha was so close to Queen Fabiola so it's lovely to see her at the competition.
 
Yes, Fabiola took Margretha to her and Baudouin's holiday Villa Astrida in Spain and personally nursed her back to health after the death of Margretha's newborn son Leopold in 1985.

The two women were very close.
 
Marchesina said:
I read somewhere that Fabiola supported a lot Margaretha when she lost her first child, since Fabiola had several miscarriages.
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Yes Margaretha and bher husband lived in Brussels at that time. And her son who died the day of his birth is buried in a Side Chapel of the Royal Crypt in Laeken.
 
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The King and the Queen of the Belgians attend her late husband Funerals.
 
I hardly even recognized Prince Gabriel, he has grown and changed so much!

He never seems to enjoy this event.....
 
Moonmaiden23 said:
I hardly even recognized Prince Gabriel, he has grown and changed so much!

He never seems to enjoy this event.....
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Well, for me it is rather surprising that they manage to get a young man of that age (in a suit and tie!) to an event like this at all....! It isn´t something people normally do at 15, 16.
But, to be honest, to me he doesn´t look like hating it. I guess he somewhat likes classical music, too, unlike mist of his age companions, otherwise he would not have attended at all.
 
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Wow! Gabriel has become really tall!!! He is taller than his mum and I bet she is wearing heels! And he is only turning 16 in August.
 
Marchesina said:
Wow! Gabriel has become really tall!!! He is taller than his mum and I bet she is wearing heels! And he is only turning 16 in August.
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I don´t think that is so unusual for middle and northern european adolescents who have rather tall parents.
 
wartenberg7 said:
I don´t think that is so unusual for middle and northern european adolescents who have rather tall parents.
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My father is 1.90m and my brother and I are respectively 1.90/1.75. Of course not Gabriel's height doesn't come as a surprise, but it all happened so quickly...it's just that!
 
Marchesina said:
I read somewhere that Fabiola supported a lot Margaretha when she lost her first child, since Fabiola had several miscarriages.
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Princess Margaretha's visit to the music competition seems more clear now. And after Wikipedia-ing her (I don't really follow the Liechtenstein family much), it seems that her children were all born in Brussels so I can imagine she's very close to the BRF.
 
Marchesina said:
My father is 1.90m and my brother and I are respectively 1.90/1.75. Of course not Gabriel's height doesn't come as a surprise, but it all happened so quickly...it's just that!
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Yes, I agree it's the seemingly sudden growth spurt that is astonishing. The same thing happened with his sister Elisabeth.

Given the height of their parents and their forebears in general, I am expecting all the BRF to be amazons lol!
 
I never heard of Queen Mathilde having a passion for music and I presume it's just PR. Decades ago, the propagandists pretended that Queen Elizabeth II had a passion for music and she never did.
 
Susan D said:
I never heard of Queen Mathilde having a passion for music and I presume it's just PR. Decades ago, the propagandists pretended that Queen Elizabeth II had a passion for music and she never did.
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LOL no PR involved here.
Mathilde has been a regular attendee of the competition together with Queen Fabiola since entering the family and she is pianist herself (there are pictures). She has regularly attended concerts, musical theater and opera. If I remember correctly couple of years ago during the summer the family attended the Salzburg Musikfestspiele for the Aida premiere with Anna Netrebko in the leading role. Moreover, since she has become Queen, taking on the patronage of the Competition, she took musicology/history of music classes, and proof is a documentary the Belgian tv aired after the first 500 days of Philippe's reign.
 
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I agree, I don't think that Mathilde is "pretending" at all.

Toward the end of Queen Fabiola's life Mathilde regularly accompanied her to this event. Mathilde might have developed an appreciation for music under the late queen's guidance, if she didn't have it already.

I have also read on this very Forum that she insisted that music lessons be a part of the educations of each of her four children.
 
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What would they gain from Mathilde lying about her passion for music :whistling: There is no value in 'propaganda'. She could simply be there as she is expected as the queen and its an important event, and no one would think anything wrong with that.

She enjoys the concerts and attending them every year. Has fond memories of attending with Fabiola, and now going with her children. Her children studying music is well known. None of this seems fake or ungenuine. Nothing over the top. Its not like she was saying she dreamed of being a musician for years and imagines herself on stage or something.

According to her official bio she plays the piano, and is a fan of art and music.

Elisabeth and Gabriel play the piano, Emmanuel the flute and Eleanor the violin.

The family at the Salzburg festival to see Aida in 2017

https://www.newmyroyals.com/2017/08/belgian-royal-family-at-salzburg-opera.html
 
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Susan D said:
I never heard of Queen Mathilde having a passion for music and I presume it's just PR. Decades ago, the propagandists pretended that Queen Elizabeth II had a passion for music and she never did.
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She actually plays the piano herself and made a point that all her children learned to play instruments themselves. I think that suggests a passion for music.

In any case, as Queen she is a patron of the competition , so she has to attend it anyway. I do think she genuinely enjoys it however.
 
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The President of the Jury thanks her for what she is doing for the Competition.
The Queen received a standing Ovation .
Before her Queen Elisabeth who gave her name to the Competition , Queen Fabiola who did it during 49 years and now Queen Mathilde.
It was fine she invited the Duchess Marie of Wurtenberg and her daughter for the Finale.
Queen Paola was never involved in the Competition .
 
:previous:
Yes that is true Queen Paola has never been the patron of the Queen Elisabeth Contest. But she did attend concerts and as far as I know not reluctantly. Her major interests lay in other areas, for example modern art. Well, everyone has their own passions.?
And in addition, when Queen Paola was the Queen of the Belgians, Queen Fabiola was still alive and a very passionate patron of the Queen Elisabeth Competition. Just like Queen Mathilde now.:flowers:

Below a link to the website of the Queen Elisabeth Competition. Interesting to read if you want to know more.


All personalities
 
I agree with those who have said that the music competition isn't a PR move with Mathilde at all. She has always seemed, for as long as I have been following the BRF, genuinely interested in music and as has been pointed out, is keen for her children to follow her passion. When Elisabeth was younger we saw her playing the piano and a couple of years ago we saw Eleonore playing the violin for her father's birthday. I'm not sure about Emmanuel and Gabriel but given the fact they've been exposed to music for a good part of their lives, I wouldn't be surprised if they take up an instrument or sing too.
 
HereditaryPrincess said:
I agree with those who have said that the music competition isn't a PR move with Mathilde at all. She has always seemed, for as long as I have been following the BRF, genuinely interested in music and as has been pointed out, is keen for her children to follow her passion. When Elisabeth was younger we saw her playing the piano and a couple of years ago we saw Eleonore playing the violin for her father's birthday. I'm not sure about Emmanuel and Gabriel but given the fact they've been exposed to music for a good part of their lives, I wouldn't be surprised if they take up an instrument or sing too.
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As far as I know Gabriel and Emmanuel both plays an instrument. Gabriel plays the piano, whereas Emmanuel has opted for the flute. In the latest interview Mathilde gave during the Competition to RTBF she said that all her children play an instrument, and also mentioned the saxophone. My guess is that Gabriel is the one who picked the saxophone, given how "displeased" he looks when attending the concerts :lol:
 
The saxofone was actually designed by a Belgian (Adolphe Sax) so it is a nice instrument for a Belgian prince(ss) to play ;).
 
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