King Albert II & Queen Paola of Belgium

[Lucien]

TM King Albert II and Queen Paola hosted a reception for the Belgian authorithies and public figures.Royal Palace,Brussels.

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=24-01-2007%20Brussel

Courtesy PPE.

[Lucien]

By invitation of HM King Albert TRH The Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa will pay a State Visit to Belgium from march 20 till 22nd,
according to a statement issued by the Palace tonight.

[Lucien]

Albert and Paola received their cousin Henri and Maria Teresa for a 3 day state visit.

In his speech,Henri spoke of the land of his beloved late mother,who past her love for Belgium on to her children,and how,so many years younger,
he and his siblings spend so many wonderfull vacations in Albert and Paola's family.




Today,HM will host the Grand Ducal couple again at the extensive celebrations of 50 Years Europe that will take place in Brussels.

[Lucien]

Not just the Grand Ducal couple,also HM Queen Beatrix and many other Heads of State within the EU attended celebrations on occasion of 50 Years Treaty of Rome,the start of the present day EU,with just 6 member States at the time,the BeNeLux countries,France,Germany and Italy.

Events in Brussel started with a concert ay the Beaux-Arts palace,followed by a symposium hosted by HN King Albert II at the Royal Palace concluded with a dinner.

At present TM and the Belgian RF attends a open air concert at the Heisel,Brussels,in front of the Atomium with a host of European stars performing,famous in their day or/and even,today.There have been events all day throughout the EU capitols,all 27.

For our US friends,you can watch this concert now live at CBS!

[Lucien]

HM King Albert broke his leg this afternoon in a hallway of Laeken Castle and was admitted to St.Janshospital,Brussels where he is undergoing surgery.Queen Paola is at his side.More information concerning his health will be released later according to the Palace spokesman.

[Lucien]

HM King Albert broke his leg this afternoon in a hallway of Laeken Castle and was admitted to St.Janshospital,Brussels where he is undergoing surgery.Queen Paola is at his side.More information concerning his health will be released later according to the Palace spokesman.
http://www.monarchie.be/nl/index.php

http://www.monarchie.be/fr/index.php

The King had a total (right-) hip replacement last night.HM is doing well,considering circumstances,and Queen Paola stayed with him overnight.
Princess Astrid with daughter Princess Maria-Laura and son Prince Amedeo visited HM last night.

[Lucien]

More visitors for the King today.His Majesty's health is improving as can be expected in the circumstances,and he insists on working from his bed,so appointing the new flemish PM who took the oath at the Monarchs bedside was an unusual occasion.

[Lucien]

More visitors for HM.He's doing fine and started walking,little by little,around his room again yesterday.


Meanwhile Crown Prince Filip will take care of the scheduled functions of HM the coming week(s).Not sure if HM will be well enough to
recieve HM Queen Elisabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh on july 12th,as by invitation of TM they make a one day visit to the attend the
WWI Memorial Ceremonies in Ypres and the war cemetary Tyne Cot at Passendale.

HM QE II and the Duke will also visit GlaxoSmithKline in Wavel accompanied by TRH The Duke and Duchess of Brabant,and have lunch
with the Royal Family at Laeken Castle.

[Lucien]

Brussels this morning:
http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=12-07-2007%20Brussel

Courtesy PPE/Albert Nieboer.

[Lucien]

Laeken Castle today:
http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=12-07-2007%20laken

Courtesy PPE/Albert Nieboer.

[Lucien]

TM attended the Te Deum at the St.Michiel and St.Goedele cathedral,Brussels this morning on occasion of Belgiums National Day:
http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=21-07-2007%20Brussels

Courtesy PPE/Nieboer

Last night the RF attended the Preludium concert,Brussels.
http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=20-07-2007%20Concert

[Lucien]

The Royal Family:
http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=21-07-2007%20Parade

Courtesy PPE/Albert Nieboer.

[Lucien]

HM Queen Paola will celebrate her 70th birthday on september 11th.Ahead of that day there were 800 Belgians invited to the Palace today who are involved with care/protection of children either as professionals or volunteers,to celebrate with a vast program.

HM and the family today at Laeken Palace.
http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=02-09-2007%20Laken

Courtesy PPE/v/d Werf.

[Lucien]

By doctors orders King Albert has to tone down his work load.HM didn't sufficiently recuperate from his total hip operation a few months ago.Besides that his work load has increased immens with the ongoing problems forming a government since the elections months ago,in which HM is highly involved due to his Constitutional prerogatives.Trouble is the Flemish wish/want more independance.(.spoiled rotten brats) and the Wallone part doesn't wish any change.In the press Belgium has recently been referred to as "Absurdistan".HM meanwhile does/has done anything he can to reconcile and appointed a Royal scout to investigate the possibilities,but most unfortunately,that didn't work out either.

HM will perform the most nessecary of his duties,including receiving politicians,and the State Visit to Ireland in two weeks time will go ahead as planned as well.After that,and the forming of the new government,HM is ordered to tone done and take a long overdue rest for a considerable period of time.HM is also known with a heart condition,he had several bypasses some years ago.

The Palace anounced:

"Sur recommandation médicale le Roi doit réduire son programmes d'activités.Il se concentrera sur les audiences politiques,principalement celles liées à la formation du gouvernement,et sur certain activités de relation extérieur comme la visite d'Etat en Irlande et la remise du Lettres de créance.Dès la formation du Gouvernement,le Roi devra impérativement parfaire sa convalescence  de repos et de revalidation."

 

[Lucien]

Christmas concert at the Royal Palace,Brussels:
http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=20-12-2007%20Brussel

Courtesy PPE/v/d Werf