Royal Family of Belgium: Currents Events, Part 3

[Mathilde1286]

Does anyone know what the agenda is going to be like this year for National Day?

 

[Alexandria]

I have merged all the posts from the June 22, 2005 photoshoot of the Belgian royal family into one thread, which can be found here: http://www.theroyalforums.com/forum...read.php?t=6299.

 

[rchainho]

King's 'lovechild banned from gala dinner' javascript:void window.open('http:/...=640,height=480,directories=no,location=no'); Sunday, 26 June 2005

The out-of-wedlock daughter of King Albert, 37-year-old Delphine Boël was not welcome at a gala dinner of the Belgian employers association VBO on Thursday night.

In reaction, Belgian press were intensely speculating that her absence was due to the fact Boël's half-brother Crown Prince Filip was to attend the event with his wife Princess Mathilde.

The presence of Boël was reportedly thought to be too provocative, prompting Boël's mother to give an angry interview with French-language news service RTBF.


Sybille de Selys-Longchamps was also critical of the fact one of her daughter's artworks had almost been banned from an exhibition to celebrate 175 years of Belgian independence. The event is being held at the Heizel centre in Brussels.

A Charleroi-based business was told that it might not be appropriate to use at its exhibition stand an artwork made by the king's out-of-wedlock daughter.

The company also invited Boël to attend the VBO gala dinner at the Heizel. She was to be one of 2,250 guests attending the event.

But the firm was also told Boël's presence would be too provocative, due to the attendance of Prince Filip and his wife.

De Selys-Longchamps said her daughter is being discriminated against and claimed it was not the first time either.

She had an affair with King Albert between 1966 and 1984 and Boël was born in 1968, some eight years after Prince Filip.

Expatica News 24 June 2005

 

[rchainho]

King Albert opens massive
Deurganck Dock in Antwerp

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=24&story_id=21722&name=King+Albert+opens+Deurganck+Dock+in+Antwerp

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

King Albert opens massive
Deurganck Dock in Antwerp

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=24&story_id=21722&name=King+Albert+opens+Deurganck+Dock+in+Antwerp

King Albert attends the inauguration of the Deurganckdok July 6, 2005 in Antwerp, Belgium. The Deurganckdok at the port of Antwerp is the largest dock of the European ports, with a capacity that goes up to 68 million tons of goods in container traffic.

 

[Danielle]

I hope these photos haven't been posted yet. Most of them look fairly similar. From Belga

ZEEBRUGGE, BELGIUM: King Albert II and Defence Minister Andre Flahaut (R) attend the naval parade of the Belgian army, Friday 08 July 2005.

 

[Danielle]

Some more:

 

[mandyy]

From Gettyimages
King Albert and Queen Paola visit historic farms involved in the "Art at the Farm" project, in Heers on Flemish Community Day July 11, 2005 in Limburg, Belgium.

 

[mandyy]

More photos from gettyimages

 

[Alisa]

Did the King and the Queen speak Dutch in Limburg?

 

[maxima88]

I think the Queen is getting less glamoures since she is older, I don't know how to say. But her outfit like for to day is not really Queen style. I mean I don't really like the style of Queen Beatrix and Queen Elisabeth. But it's not what normal people are wearing.
As for instance I really like the style of Queen Sofia and Queen Silvia. It's not over done, but it's chic.

 

[princess gertrude]

I love the fact that Queen Paola is wearing what "normal" people wear. I think she looks wonderful in her outfit, very fitting for her outing. IMO she just keeps getting better with age, let's face it, how many women her age look that good? Also, the fact that she isn't dressing up would seem to me to make her that much more approachable to the "normal" people at the event. Also, I know that some days I just don't feel like getting all dressed up, I just want to feel comfortable, maybe this is what she felt comfortable in that day.

 

[rchainho]

Belgian king honours Dardenne brothers after Cannes movie success

http://www.mytelus.com/news/article.do?pageID=cp_entertainment_home&articleID=1976856

 

[GrandDuchess]

I think Queen Paola looks great, very summery and natural. Yummie cakes they got to nibble on there!

 

[dianafan]

Did the King and the Queen speak Dutch in Limburg?

yes the queen speaks Dutch in limburg that she nevertheless tries!
I have her nevertheless already Dutch hear talk on the news!I speak myself Dutch I can it therefore know!

 

[dianafan]

in limburg they speak Dutch! And the king speaks complete well Dutch without French emphasis!

 

[Alisa]

Thanks dianafan. I have read that the Queen's Dutch isn't that great, so I was curious if she still made the attempt to try to speak it in Limburg.

 

[dianafan]

Prince I have already met Filip and he seekt I have also already met Dutch without French emphasis, princess Astrid but she speaks with a French emphasis but queen Paola I have not yet met but her have I already Dutch hear talk on the news! She has once extra Dutch lessons learned but Dutch easy or write are not learn speak!

 

[Mette2]

King Albert and Queen Paola visit historic farms involved in the "Art at the Farm" project, in Heers on Flemish Community Day July 11, 2005 in Limburg, Belgium.

From Belga.

More pictures from their visit.

 

[Mette2]

From Belga.

More pictures from their visit.

From Belga.

And more pictures.

 

[Alexandria]

The Belgian royals seem to be keeping up a schedule of royal engagements (Albert and Paola yesterday and Phillippe and Mathilde today), while it seems the Norwegian royals are on holiday already and the Swedish royals have also enjoyed some time off already peppered with royal engagements now and then, though less frequently.

When are the Belgian royals taking off on their holidays? And what might they be doing? Do they go somewhere annually? Do they have a summer home somewhere?

 

[dianafan]

When are the Belgian royals taking off on their holidays? And what might they be doing? Do they go somewhere annually? Do they have a summer home somewhere?

King Albert and queen Paola has somewhere in France a stay, queen Fabiola does not sit generally in Spain at its family, the rest of the royal family weet I it! generally we can that do not know! Filip and Mathilde visit Paola and Albert in their summer stay, but on 21 July we have firstly still a holiday and afterwards leave the royal family on travel!

 

[dianafan]

On 21 July we have a holiday, CELEBRATE firstly OF the DYNASTY and then come all soldiers pulp veins for the king in Brussels! With planes, tanks, red cross, everything with the army what to do has! Afterwards the Belgian royal family on holiday leaves!

 

[Hannelore]

The Belgian royals seem to be keeping up a schedule of royal engagements (Albert and Paola yesterday and Phillippe and Mathilde today), while it seems the Norwegian royals are on holiday already and the Swedish royals have also enjoyed some time off already peppered with royal engagements now and then, though less frequently.

When are the Belgian royals taking off on their holidays? And what might they be doing? Do they go somewhere annually? Do they have a summer home somewhere?

Traditionnally the family leaves on holiday after teh national day (July 21st).

Paola & Albert have a residence in the South of France, Fabiola in Spain (Motril).

I expect Filip & Mathilde to stay in Belgium, because of her advanced pregnancy.

 

[Hannelore]

Thanks dianafan. I have read that the Queen's Dutch isn't that great, so I was curious if she still made the attempt to try to speak it in Limburg.

Limburg is a province in Flanders. No-one in the RF would ever get it in their head to talk French in Flanders. Ever. That would be a total lack of respect towards 60 % of the Belgian population.

Paola's Dutch is bad, she knows it and even though she's done several attempts to improve it (lessons etc.) it hasn't altered much. You notice that when she speaks it, she's aware that it's not good and it makes her shy and hesitant.

The rest of the RF speaks Dutch very well. Astrid & Mathilde have a French accent but that's inevitable when you were raised in French, and IMO it isn't important (Fabiola has a spanish accent, queen Astrid had a Swedish one etc. - I expect princess Mary has an English accent in Danish too etc.)

The only one I've never heard speaking Dutch is Claire (except at the engagement, a few words). When in Flanders, Laurent always does the talking, and she just stands behind him, I have no idea wether her Dutch is bad or good ...

 

[aliocha]

does prince Lorenz speak dutch ??

 

[Hannelore]

does prince Lorenz speak dutch ??

Yes. With a German accent

He gave an interview in Dutch to Flemish tv at the beatification of his grandfather last year.

He gave me a pleasant surprise, very nice man. Very down to earth.

 

[Mette2]

Some older pictures: new year reception at the royal palace, January 9th, 2003:

Thank you for the pictures Jelka. Nice to see some old pictures. A really beautiful brooch Paola is wearing.

 

[dianafan]

I expect Filip & Mathilde to stay in Belgium, because of her advanced pregnancy.

When princess Mathilde was pregnant from Gabriël visits Prince Filip and Mathilde the
residence in the South of France with the parents of Prince Filip! Why wouldn't they go now then? Only to rests to come for the labour! They have their holiday well deserves after all that work of a complete year!

 

[Hannelore]

No, that was when she was expecting Elisabeth, she hadn't been working much (I mean royal duties) during that pregnancy because she was studying to finish her exams (psychology), and the doctor ordered her some rest.


Of course it's well posible they go somewhere - I'm just guessing.