Belgian State Visit to Italy : 1-3 December 2021 [Cancelled]

[eya]

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde will pay a State Visit to Italy from 23 to 25 March as guests of president Sergio Mattarella.

https://www.monarchie.be/fr/agenda/v...etat-en-italie

[Tatiana Maria]

King Philippe clearly takes great pride in his family history; I wonder if he will discuss his half-Italian heritage on the trip.

[Biri]

I am sure he will.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Tatiana Maria

King Philippe clearly takes great pride in his family history; I wonder if he will discuss his half-Italian heritage on the trip.

It is not the King but the (still demissionary) Government which decides on State Visists. But indeed, he is a son of an Italian aristocrat and his great-aunt Maria-José was the last Queen of Italy.

But apart from that, in the former coal mining and steel works regions in Belgium there are a LOT of Belgians from Italian origin. The first wave of immigrants after WWII was mainly Italian. All flocking to the (then) thriving industrial regions in mainly Liège and to the coal mines in mainly Limbourg.

I am curious to see if the King will meet Prince Vittorio Emanuele (a full cousin of his father).

Royal link to the Italian royal family:

Philippe, Roi des Belges, prince de Belgique x la comtesse Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz
|
Albert II, Roi des Belges, prince de Belgique x Donna Paola dei principi Ruffo di Calabria
|
Léopold III, Roi des Belges, prince de Belgique x Princess Astrid of Sweden
|
Albert I, Roi des Belges , prince de Belgique, prince de Saxe-Cobourg et Gotha x Elisabeth Herzogin in Bayern
|
la princesse Marie-José de Belgique x Umberto II, Re d'Italia, Duca di Savoia
|
Vittorio Emanuele, Duca di Savoia x Marina Ricolfi Doria
|
Emanuele Filiberto, Principe di Savoia x Clotilde Courau

[maria-olivia]

A lot of italians left their Sunny Country to work in our Coal Mines until the Tragedy of le Bois du Cazier (more of 200 deads)
They married belgians and brought Joy in the poor Wallonie of that time.
Many of them never returned in Italy because they wanted to stay with their Children and Grandchildren.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by maria-olivia

A lot of italians left their Sunny Country to work in our Coal Mines until the Tragedy of le Bois du Cazier (more of 200 deads)
They married belgians and brought Joy in the poor Wallonie of that time.
Many of them never returned in Italy because they wanted to stay with their Children and Grandchildren.

I thought Wallonie was rich then? Cockerill, Usines Boël, Union Minière, Compagnie Maritime Belge, Société Générale... it was not for nothing that Italians went to Wallonie.

Expo 1958, the Atomium was a rich and booming country in the 1950's. (The immigrants were very poor indeed. I saw the movie "Marina" about young Rocco Granata. Pffff, very hard circumstances indeed.)

[maria-olivia]

Italian immigrants came after WW2 when the Glory of what you mentioned above were in decline.
Your Post is our of Topic.

[Mbruno]

I wonder if the president of the Italian Republic will invite the princes and princesses of the House of Savoy to the state dinner. After all, they are related by blood to the Belgian king.

[HereditaryPrincess]

As Philippe seems to be interested in his genealogy this would have been a good visit to bring Elisabeth to but I guess this would interrupt her studies. Either way it'll be a good visit to follow.

[maria-olivia]

He did not invite the Princes of Savoie for King Albert II State Visit.
For Princess Elisabeth , Sudies first !

[Marengo]

The state visit of king Albert II to Italy was in 1998. The prince of Piedmont was only allowed back in the country since November 2002.

Considering the controversies around the prince I would be very surprised if he would be attending the state dinner. If anybody is invited his son is a more likely guest.

[leidi]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

It is not the King but the (still demissionary) Government which decides on State Visists. But indeed, he is a son of an Italian aristocrat and his great-aunt Maria-José was the last Queen of Italy.

But apart from that, in the former coal mining and steel works regions in Belgium there are a LOT of Belgians from Italian origin. The first wave of immigrants after WWII was mainly Italian. All flocking to the (then) thriving industrial regions in mainly Liège and to the coal mines in mainly Limbourg.

I am curious to see if the King will meet Prince Vittorio Emanuele (a full cousin of his father).

Royal link to the Italian royal family:

Philippe, Roi des Belges, prince de Belgique x la comtesse Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz
|
Albert II, Roi des Belges, prince de Belgique x Donna Paola dei principi Ruffo di Calabria
|
Léopold III, Roi des Belges, prince de Belgique x Princess Astrid of Sweden
|
Albert I, Roi des Belges , prince de Belgique, prince de Saxe-Cobourg et Gotha x Elisabeth Herzogin in Bayern
|
la princesse Marie-José de Belgique x Umberto II, Re d'Italia, Duca di Savoia
|
Vittorio Emanuele, Duca di Savoia x Marina Ricolfi Doria
|
Emanuele Filiberto, Principe di Savoia x Clotilde Courau

Elio di Rupo (the former Prime Minister of Belgium) is a son of one of these Italian immigrant families.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by leidi

Elio di Rupo (the former Prime Minister of Belgium) is a son of one of these Italian immigrant families.

Indeed, but also the actor Matteo Simoni, the singer Lara Fabian, the F1 coureur Jérôme d'Ambrosio or even the Eurovision Song Contest winner Sandra Kim (real name: Sandra Caldarone).

A great community in Belgium.

[maria-olivia]

And the most popular the Singer Adamo !

[eya]

The Belgian state visit by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde to Italy is canceled (at the request of the Italian president because of the coronavirus ) and postponed to a later date

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ESR__wbX...g&name=900x900

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by eya

The Belgian state visit by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde to Italy is canceled (at the request of the Italian president because of the coronavirus ) and postponed to a later date

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ESR__wbX...g&name=900x900

Ow, what a pity. But understandable. More than 100 Corona deaths is no décor for a State Visit.

[Moonmaiden23]

I completely understand, but it is indeed disappointing. I've a feeling Mathilde would have pulled out the fashion stops in Italy.

[Mbruno]

Apparently there will be a Belgian state visit to Italy on December 1-3, 2021. I am not sure if that has already been discussed on TRF.

https://monarchie.be/fr/agenda/visite-detat-en-italie

[iceflower]

The state visit has been reduced: Only King Philippe and a reduced delegation will visit Italy on one day, December 1, 2021.



** lalibre article: La visite d'Etat du Roi en Italie reportée à cause de la situation sanitaire **

[eya]

And again not visit in Italy!

" State visit of Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde to Italy is cancelled.

Decision taken "in the light of the suddenly very quickly deteriorating health situation in Belgium and Europe", the palace in Brussels says.

Trip was planned from next Wednesday to Friday."

https://mobile.twitter.com/WDehandsc...108230/photo/1