King Philippe, Queen Mathilde and Family, General News, Part 2 (Sept. 2017 - present)

[Marchesina]

I love Mathilde's bright smile...she looks so happy to be back with her family after her visit in Ghana. And how lovely Philippe asking his wife to pose next to him <3

[HereditaryPrincess]

Thank you to those of you who answered my question about the language the family speak - that makes sense

[Princess Larisa]

Originally Posted by Hannelore

I believe at least Elisabeth has private classes German?

She is learning German and English. I assumed it was in school.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Princess Larisa

She is learning German and English. I assumed it was in school.

Her father got a master's degree in political science from Stanford University in the US. It is highly likely that attending a university in the UK or the US will also be part of Élisabeth's education at some point, so she will have plenty of opportunity to perfect her English language skills.

Right now, I would assume she is fully bilingual in Dutch (her school language) and French (her home language), whereas she probably has a limited command of English and German as foreign languages, which is already impressive for a 16-year-old.

[eya]

King Philippe, Queen Mathilde and their children are currently for a winter holidays in Verbier, Switzerland and every year they are the guests there of their close friends, Baron Guy Ullens de Schooten and his wife, baroness Mimi Ullens de Schooten.

Queen Mathilde: Residence: Swiss Chalet

According a belgian gossip magazine King Phillipe with family dining at the same restaurant and the next tables with Delphine Boel

Queen Mathilde: Private: A Dinner Surprise

The King Philippe accepted the invitation from the scouts to visit them the April 21! After all they made a long way to invite him!!

https://twitter.com/twitter/statuses/979757744067661825

[Hannelore]

Originally Posted by Princess Larisa

She is learning German and English. I assumed it was in school.

Depends on what she's actually studying. Her Dutch speaking school gives French and English to all secundary school pupils. German or Spanish can also be chosen extra if you're in a "languages" department.

So she's bilingual Dutch-French, and like most Belgian teenagers (at least the ones in Dutch speaking schools, and who watch Flemish TV where English is subtitled and never dubbed) she'll have a very good level of English.

I *think* the German could be a private class.

[Hannelore]

Mathilde gave an interview to MO Magazine, a Belgian left-wing magazine that reports on global developments. It's about her work as an SDG advocate, but at the same time she reveals things about her own youth, her background, her children etc.

Mathilde really is a woman of substance, and this is quite an intersting read IMO: Queen Mathilde: "2030 is tomorrow. Change has to happen today"

You can see all of her SDG activities at this link - at least the ones that have made it to the media: Queen Mathilde: SDG

[iceflower]

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Queen Mathilde and Princess Elisabeth attended the performance "Mitten wir im Leben sind/Bach6Cellosuiten" by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Jean-Guihen Queyras/Rosas at the 30CC/Schouwburg theatre in Leuven this evening, March 28:


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** fb gallery **

[Hannelore]

Mathilde & Elisabeth at a modern dance performance yesterday: https://queenmathilde.blogspot.be/20...ersmaeker.html

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by HereditaryPrincess

Nice to see the photos and video from the family's skiing holiday, it looks as if they are enjoying themselves - and it seems very snowy in Verbier! Were Philippe and Mathilde speaking French or Flemish in the video? I couldn't quite tell, but it sounded like French, which I was surprised by since I read that after they sent their children to Flemish speaking schools it was their first language at home (even though I am aware that most of the other Belgian royals are French speaking).

I believe they sent their children to a Flemish school precisely because they speak French at home - which is the best in terms of language development as French is both Philippe's as well as Mathilde's mother tongue. In this way the children will both learn French perfectly (from their parents) and Dutch (from their teachers whose mother tongue is Dutch). It is quite normal that the children will speak Dutch among themselves as bilingual children typically prefer speaking the language of their peers (classmates/friends) over the language of their parents.

[HereditaryPrincess]

Nice to see Elisabeth at the dance with her mother.

Originally Posted by Somebody

I believe they sent their children to a Flemish school precisely because they speak French at home - which is the best in terms of language development as French is both Philippe's as well as Mathilde's mother tongue. In this way the children will both learn French perfectly (from their parents) and Dutch (from their teachers whose mother tongue is Dutch). It is quite normal that the children will speak Dutch among themselves as bilingual children typically prefer speaking the language of their peers (classmates/friends) over the language of their parents.

Thank you, I had guessed that was the case too. I read that Flemish was always viewed as the more working-class language in Belgium whereas French is traditionally the language of the upper classes and aristocracy, so it's good that Philippe and Mathilde have tried to turn these assumptions around.

[polyesco]

How nice that the family takes part in this journey

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by HereditaryPrincess

Nice to see Elisabeth at the dance with her mother.



Thank you, I had guessed that was the case too. I read that Flemish was always viewed as the more working-class language in Belgium whereas French is traditionally the language of the upper classes and aristocracy, so it's good that Philippe and Mathilde have tried to turn these assumptions around.

The royal family knows that 2/3rd of the Belgians speak Dutch and that 3/4th of the money is earned in the Dutch speaking region and in the bilingual Brussels region. They know they can not go on with not mastering Dutch like a native.

[HereditaryPrincess]

Originally Posted by eya

King Philippe, Queen Mathilde and the children take part in St James' Way, a traditional pilgrimage, in Navarrete, Rioja, northern Spain, on 4 April as part of their family vacation.


Belga Image

Thank you eya for your tireless updates. Nice to see the family undertaking the pilgrimage during their holiday.

[leidi]

That's a beautiful part of my country and I remember walking the Way as well when I was much younger, it's a very nice experience.

I love that we always know where they are and what they are doing, they don't hide or go over their way to stop the press/people to know where they are.

[Somebody]

Any pictures of Emmanuel and Eleonore as well? It looks like Elisabeth walks with her mom and Gabriel with his dad...

We're still hoping to do the Camino at some point as well!

[Moonmaiden23]

Originally Posted by eya

King Philippe, Queen Mathilde and the children take part in St James' Way, a traditional pilgrimage, in Navarrete, Rioja, northern Spain, on 4 April as part of their family vacation.


Belga Image

I love this family. So close and loving and beautiful...and free of drama!

[Countessmeout]

I notice only the older 2 kids were on the hike. Was it too long for the younger two? Nice place for them to spend their holidays.

[Hannelore]

We don't know what the girls were doing, because there aren't any pictures to show... But it looks like they were walking in different groups. Mathilde & Philippe are there with a group of friends.

The blond woman who walks with Mathilde isn't Elisabeth BTW, as you can see here: Queen Mathilde: Semana Santa in Spain

[iceflower]

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Here are some Spanish press reports about the family's journey including some more information:


** lapatilla: Los reyes de Bélgica peregrinan el Camino de Santiago en España (fotos) ** translation **


** hola: ¡Como unos peregrinos más! Los reyes de Bélgica realizan el Camino de Santiago ** translation **