Queen Mathilde's Family - d'Udekem d'Acoz

[Snoepy]

When will Elisabeth marry ??

 

[Emily]

Thanks for the great photos, Catherine. Any ideas about Helene's character? She seems quite "spunky" from the photos posted and in the recent Royalty program video was the talkative one when out to lunch with her sisters!

 

[Bevinda]

Helen d'udekem d'akoz

Hello,

Does anyone know what Princess Mathilde's sister Helen does? Where does she work? And does she have a boyfriend? Not much is known about her.

 

[Mathilde1286]

I think it was said that she also is a speech therapist...

I'm not 100% sure, though.

 

[Snoepy]

She studies rights, Elisabeth is a speech therapist..

 

[sara1981]

I think it was said that she also is a speech therapist...

I'm not 100% sure, though.

yeah she is speech therapist before she got married to CP Phillipe in December 4th 1999 its 100%

 

[Hannelore]

Mathilde's sister's name is Hélène,not Helen, she's a lawyer. The other sister, Elisabeth is a speech therapist and took over Mathilde's cabinet when she got married.

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

A few months ago Mathilde's youngest sister Hélène was one of the witnesses at the wedding of Isabel Pessanha de Quevedo and Cédric Misonne.

Some more photos from this wedding : Isabel Pessanha de Quevedo-Crespo and Cédric Misonne got married in the Saint-Rémy church in Ittre. After the religious ceremony, the reception and dinner took place in Haut-Ittre, on the estate of the groom's parents.

(photos : Violaine le Hardÿ de Beaulieu in l'Eventail)

I think that in these photos Hélène looks a lot like Mathilde!

1. the married couple
2. the witnesses: Sophie de Brouchoven de Bergeyck, countess Hélène
d'Udekem d'Acoz, Aude de la Roche and Gwendoline Franqui
3. Mr and Mrs Robert Misonne, the groom's parents
4. the married couple with the ladies

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

1. Emmanuèle Claeys (with the same hat that princess Máxima has worn,
from Fabienne Delvigne) and baronness Priscilla de Broqueville.
2. Francisco Pessanha de Quevedo-Crespo (father of the bride) with the
pageboys: viscounts Paul, Guillaume and Henry de Spoelberch
3. Countess Hélène d'Udekem d'Acoz and princess Marie Séverine de Chimay

 

[Emily]

Wonderful photos, Catherine! Thank you for these. I agree that Helene looks alot like Mathilde -- especially in that last photo. What fancy outfits they all have on!

 

[Maxie]

Yes, Helene and Mathilde definitely related, one can tell that by just looking at the pictures. Thanks Catherine!

(I'm quite 'shocked' by the fact that there apparently are more people who bought the giant big hat that Maxima wore last summer. It really is huge! )

 

[crisiñaki]

Yes, Helene and Mathilde definitely related, one can tell that by just looking at the pictures. Thanks Catherine!

Well yes, but I honestly believe that Mathilde is the most beautiful one of the sisters

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

From this week's point de vue.

At the magnificent castle of Ooidonk the engagement was celebrated of the baron 't Kint de Roodebeke with Coralie Waucquez. The baron is the eldest son of the count 't Kint de Roodebake who's the master of the castle. There was a dining buffet to celebrate, one of the guests was prince Philippe (no Mathilde), Mathilde's sister countess Elisabeth d'Udekem d'Acoz was also present with her fiancé markgraf Pallavicini (named "prince Pallavicini in point de vue ).

Here are the pictures. I also add some of the castle (ooidonk.be, castles.nl)

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

from point de vue:

1. Prince Philippe with the engaged couple, baron t' Kint de Roodebeke and Coralie Waucquez
2. countess Elisabeth d'Udekem d'Acoz and her fiancé markgraf Pallavicini
3. father of the fiancé, the count t'Kint de Roodebeke and the mother of the fiancée, Nicole Wargnies.
4. John-Alexandre Bogaerts and countess Jeanne d'Ansembourg
5. Mrs Etienne de Waut de Trixhe de Jeanne and Mrs Gérald de Changy
6. Mrs Loic Waucquez and Mrs Gaëtan Waucquez
7. Mr and Mrs Arnaud Janssen and count and countess Philippe d'Arschot Schoonhoven

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

This is an old photo (point de vue) of Elisabeth and her former boyfriend, prince Charles Philippe d'Orléans celebrating new year at the opera in Ukrain.

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

point de vue

Countess Elisabeth with her friend countess Honorine d'Ursel at the antiques fair Eurantica in Brussels, and at the 30th birthday of (her ex boyfriend) prince Charles-Philippe d'Orléans

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

point de vue

Mathilde's parents, countess Anne Komorowska and count Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz

 

[Emily]

The photo of Mathilde's parents is lovely. It is one of the only photos I recall of her father smiling so broadly. Has there been any news about Countess Elisabeth's fiance? From the photo above his face looks rather pinched but his eyes sparkle as though he may have a dry wit! Any idea when the wedding will be -- and where?

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

I hope he has dry wit, I love that kind of humor

I know nothing about the wedding date, but my guess is it will be this summer.

 

[Emily]

....one other question -- will Elisabeth become "princess" Pallavicini on her marriage?

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

well I think her futur husband is "markgraf" Pallavicini (and not prince, a mistake from point de vue), so I guess she'll become "markgrafin Pallavicini".

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Mathilde's family in 2001, at Elisabeth's birth (2001, IBL)

 

[Emily]

What is the name of the village Mathilde's family lives in? I am curious to know what it looks like? Does anyone have a picture or know the name?

 

[rominet09]

They live in....

... the Château de Losange (Losange castel) in Villers la Bonne Eau (meaning Villers the good water)

 

[Emily]

Thank you rominet -- I'll google it and see what I find!

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

From this week's Royalty episode: an interview with Mathilde's father and a look around the castle where she grew up:

The castle of Losange was built in the 18th century. It lies in a park, surrounded by 4 big lakes and near to a forest. It isn't built in the typical style of the region (the Ardennes).

Coincidence of history; it was in this castle that princess Marie José of Belgium celebrated her engagement to crown prince Umberto of Italy. King Albert I also regularly visited the castle when he was in the neighbourhood driving his motor.

Mathilde's family bought the castle in 1958. It was put up for sale, abandoned and in a terrible state. Count Patrick d'Udekem and his wife, countess Anna Komorowska (married in 1971) completely restaured it.

Mathilde's father shows a portrait of an ancestor who was mayor of the city Leuven in the 18th century. Most of the family portraits perished in a fire just after the second world war.

In another building on the estate apartments are installed and rented. Mathilde's father explains that -like for most castle owners- it has become necessary to cover the huge expenses of such an estate. The roofing has to be replaced this summer and the castle needs a new layer of paint. As he says "Nowadays you don't notice the difference anymore between the landlord and the gardener. You will find the landlord more often in his garden and his forest than in his home. It's our duty, and a heavy one, to maintain all of this. But we make the most of it because it's a very nice life and we love living in the country".

He adds "A lot of people think that being noble comes with a lot of priviledges, but that's completely wrong. We have a lot of duties and no special rights. The feudal times are long past and everybody's equal by law. Our heritage comes with a lot of duties that we take pride in fulfilling and our only right is to respect others."

http://www.vtm.be/tv/index_programma_royalty_multimedia.htm

bekijk deel 2 -> right at the beginning

 

[magnik]

Thanks Cathérine Bergeyck.
I have a question, maybe I miss it: how is Mathilde's family financiall condition?

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

They don't seem to have financial problems, but they're certainly not among the richest noble families of Belgium.

 

[Emily]

Catherine thank you for that translation. I don't understand spoken French so it was very useful to be able to read what he said. What a beautiful setting to live in!

 

[purple_platinum]

All the news & pictures of Countess Elisabeth d'Udekem d'Acoz & Marquis Alfonso Pallavicini's Wedding have been moved into the Old, New, Royal, and Blue forum.
The thread can be found here