State Visit from Austria to Belgium: 21-23 March 2022

[Marika86]

At the invitation the King and the Queen, Mr. Alexander Van der Bellen, President of Austria and Mrs. Doris Schmidauer will pay a state visit to Belgium from 21 to 23 March.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1503356658612936711

 

[An Ard Ri]

That's not too far away and some good news!

 

[Stefan]

And as it was only announced now it will hopefully take place and not be cancelled because of the Ukraine War.

 

[Tilia C.]

If they announce the SV now, they do intend to go ahead despite the war in Ukraine, I guess. Unless the war is escalating in some really terrible way, they will pull it through. But the war will probably one of the topics on the agenda of the two parties.

 

[iceflower]

The State Visit has started with a welcome ceremony in front of the Royal Palace today, March 21:


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** Pic 5 ** Pic 6 **


** rex gallery ** gettyimages gallery ** ppe gallery **

 

[eya]

Here informations about the program of the Austrian visit in Belgium


https://diplomatie.belgium.be/en/newsroom/news/2022/state_visit_republic_austria

 

[PrincessofEurope]

Princess Elizabeth is in Belgium (as per the weekend visit with her father to the crash site) will we see her participate in the banquet this evening - a visit from another European country would be a good introduction to these events for her

 

[Blog Real]

Will Princess Elizabeth attend the state banquet?

 

[Marchesina]

Princess Elizabeth is in Belgium (as per the weekend visit with her father to the crash site) will we see her participate in the banquet this evening - a visit from another European country would be a good introduction to these events for her

I was thinking about the coincidence as well. Fingers crossed.

 

[iceflower]

Will Princess Elizabeth attend the state banquet?

Judging from the first photos it doesn’t look like she attended:


** rex gallery banquet ** gettyimages gallery banquet **

 

[An Ard Ri]

And no tiaras/orders/gowns and business suits what a complete let down

some photos from the Belgian dinner at Laken
https://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=21-03-2022 Laken

 

[Stefan]

Judging from the first photos it doesn’t look like she attended:


** rex gallery banquet **

No white tie Banquet?. Disapointing

 

[mybags]

No white tie Banquet?. Disapointing

With the situation in Ukraine, I really didn't expect it.

 

[Blog Real]

I was disappointed that there were no tiaras and orders at the banquet.
Is Princess Elisabeth present?

 

[iceflower]

I was disappointed that there were no tiaras and orders at the banquet.
Is Princess Elisabeth present?

No, she would have arrived together with her parents and the presidential couple and she did not, nor can she be seen at the dinner table.

 

[Marchesina]

Totally disappointed by the dress code. But I understand this visit has been extremely scaled down.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

It looks like the Belgian defence has to scrape every Euro to have some ceremonial.
Not only somtehing simple as the dirty, faded colours on the flags of the lanciers of the Royal Mounted Escorte.


Also that the guard of honour (!) for a foreign head of state (!) is in camouflage battle dress. As if no Euro was left in the pocket to purchase proper ceremonial uniforms.

Guard of honour in Brussels


Imagine that on this picture (Philippe and Mathilde with the Mayor of Amsterdam) all ceremonial uniforms were replaced by green camouflage battle dress.

 

[An Ard Ri]

A rather lackluster State Visit even the white ceremonial dias looked cheap and like it was picked up in Ikea!

 

[Marchesina]

It looks like the Belgian defence has to scrape every Euro to have some ceremonial.
Not only somtehing simple as the dirty, faded colours on the flags of the lanciers of the Royal Mounted Escorte.


Also that the guard of honour (!) for a foreign head of state (!) is in camouflage battle dress. As if no Euro was left in the pocket to purchase proper ceremonial uniforms.

Guard of honour in Brussels


Imagine that on this picture (Philippe and Mathilde with the Mayor of Amsterdam) all ceremonial uniforms were replaced by green camouflage battle dress.

I agree. But that depends on the government or at least the Ministry of Defence that decided to remove all cerimonial uniforms. If you look at their National Day Parade it is extremely disappointing. I am not here to boast but the Parade we have in Italy on the 2nd of June every year, it looks more dignified and fit for a monarchy than theirs.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I agree. But that depends on the government or at least the Ministry of Defence that decided to remove all cerimonial uniforms. If you look at their National Day Parade it is extremely disappointing. I am not here to boast but the Parade we have in Italy on the 2nd of June every year, looks more dignified and fit for a monarchy than theirs.

Absolutely. I see it on RAI international and is most impressive.

 

[iceflower]

Day 2:

King Philippe, Queen Mathilde, President Alexander van der Bellen and First Lady Doris Schmidauer, Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz as well as Prince Laurent attended a performance at Tour & Taxis in Brussels this evening, March 22:


** rex gallery ** gettyimages gallery **

 

[An Ard Ri]

Nice to see the kings sister and brother in law this evening after a very uneventful/dismal 'state' visit.

 

[Somebody]

How nice to see the archduke of Austria-Este (and prince of Belgium) included in the state visit from Austria to Belgium.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

A state visit from Austria should be very special for Belgium: before the Napoleontic occupation, the Southern Netherlands were known as the Austrian Netherlands.

1384-1556
Bourgondische Nederlanden / Pays-Bas bourguignons under rule of the House of Bourgogne
1556-1715
Spaanse Nederlanden / Pays-Bas espagnols under rule of the Spanish House of Habsburg
1715-1795
Oostenrijkse Nederlanden / Pays-Bas autrichiens under rule of the Austrian House of Habsburg

But I missed any special spark in this Austrian visit to the former Austrian Netherlands.

 

[cdm]

Belgium isn’t a pomp and circumstance country.
And maybe that was even more scaled down due to the war in Ukraine.

 

[wartenberg7]

Belgium isn’t a pomp and circumstance country.
And maybe that was even more scaled down due to the war in Ukraine.

I´m sure that´s the reason why! Normally state visits in Belgium look very different. The banquet on the 1st day of a state visit is, like in any other monarchy, a bling-bling-event in Belgium also.

It looks like the Belgian defence has to scrape every Euro to have some ceremonial.
Not only somtehing simple as the dirty, faded colours on the flags of the lanciers of the Royal Mounted Escorte.


Also that the guard of honour (!) for a foreign head of state (!) is in camouflage battle dress. As if no Euro was left in the pocket to purchase proper ceremonial uniforms.

Guard of honour in Brussels


Imagine that on this picture (Philippe and Mathilde with the Mayor of Amsterdam) all ceremonial uniforms were replaced by green camouflage battle dress.

I guess this is rather a gesture of piety than of money.
No good times for pomp-addicted royal watchers. First Corona ruined many royal events, now we have this horrible war in europe...! But considering all this terror, suffering and hardship, it is only consequent to scale down everything to what is necessary.

 

[Marengo]

Indeed, usually they are wearing ceremonial uniforms with white plumes on their hats:

https://www.bing.com/images/blob?bcid=qPXFX3B6G.cDTb3jOwcsARyoJUPN.....3U.

The visit was scaled down due to the present circumstances.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Indeed, usually they are wearing ceremonial uniforms with white plumes on their hats:

https://www.bing.com/images/blob?bcid=qPXFX3B6G.cDTb3jOwcsARyoJUPN.....3U.

The visit was scaled down due to the present circumstances.

Those are cadets from the Royal Military School, the only detachment with proper uniforms. The other uniformed group is the mounted escort, impressive from a distance, but a closer look reveals the poor state of the uniforms: dirty epaulettes, missing buttons, worn out marks. A new round of uniforms would be a great investment for the representation of the country.

 

[Blog Real]

State visit photo gallery on the website of the Presidency of Austria.

https://www.bundespraesident.at/akt...r-bellen-appelliert-an-geschlossenheit-der-eu