Mathilde and Máxima on joint ribbon cutting mission

Yesterday afternoon, Princess Máxima of the Netherlands and Princess Mathilde of Belgium opened a new museum in the Belgian city of Leuven, M. In the museum visitors can find art pieces that are inspired by the city of Leuven and its rich history. Mathilde and Máxima were also the first two people to visit the exhibition ‘Passion of a Master’ where works of the Flemish medieval painter Rogier van der Weyden are one display.

While both wearing a creation by their favourite fashion designer Edouard Vermeulen, the princesses joined hands to cut the ribbon, which marked the symbolic opening of the museum. A movie of the opening can be seen here and here, for pictures of the event, click here and here.

Mathilde visits reading and homework project

Today, a leopard spotted Mathilde followed Laurentien’s footsteps and visited two schools in Blankenberge, the Sint-Pieterscollege and the Sint-Jozefshandelschool. The princess was there to participate in the reading project ‘Vijf voor vijf’. This project is about the elder students taking care of the younger ones,  helping them with their homework and reading to them. Princess Mathilde is the patron of this project.

According to this article in Dutch, the princess attended a reading of the story ‘Pepijn en het duistere parfum’ by Flemish author Katie Velghe. The story is about an angel who visits earth and gets mixed up in all kind of adventures. After that the princess visited a place called ‘het Jolletje’ where the elder students are helping the younger ones out with their homework.

Pictures of princess Mathilde in Blankenberge can be found here.

Astrid and Mathilde out and about

Today, the Belgian princesses Astrid and Mathilde were both out and about in their country. Princess Astrid visited several social projects focussing on poverty in the province of Limburg, where she went to the towns of Maasmechelen and Hasselt. Princess Mathilde attended an international colloquium on Women and sustainable development at the university of Louvain-la-Neuve.
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Princess Mathilde visits hospital

Today princess Mathilde of Belgium made a visit to the university hospital “Léonard de Vinci” in Montigny-le-Tilleul, close to the city of Charleroi. Mathilde visited the revalidation ward of the hospital, which has 150 beds for people who need to revalidate. According to the website of the Belgian royal family, princess Mathilde was really interested learning more about the care program of this program, also because of her background as a speech therapist and psychologist.
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Belgium honours their King

This past Saturday the annual flag- and celebration day of the monarch took place in Belgium, the so called Fête du Roi (King’s Feast). This day falls on 15 November each year. This time almost the whole Royal Family attended, only Queen Paola was absent as it was reported that she was at home with a flu.

King Albert instead escorted the widow-Queen Fabiola up the stairs to the St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral in Brussels where the day was started with a Te Deum led by Cardinal Danneels, Archbishop of Brussels-Mechelen. At his side the King also had his children Crown Prince Philippe with wife Mathilde, Prince Laurent with wife Claire and Princess Astrid with husband Lorenz. Usually King Albert does not attend the mass, but since he celebrates 15 years on the throne this year, he made an exception.
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