King Albert II & Queen Paola of Belgium

[Lucien]

King Albert II and Queen Paola arrived in Berlin this morning at the start of a two day State Visit to Germany.
Tomorrow wednesday march 30th the Royal Couple will visit Bavaria.

http://picture.belga.be/belgapicture/editorial/all/coverage/3045364.html

courtesy Belga

[Lucien]

Today,july 21st,is the National Day in Belgium.It is 180 years to the day King Leopold I took the Oath as Monarch of the Belgians.

The National Day events started off with a concert at the the Palais des Beaux Art's last night:

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=20-07-2011%20Concert

Prince Laurent and Princess Claire attended the Ball at thew Marollen neighbourhood,Brussels.

Te Deum this morning at the Cathedral of St.Gudele & St.Michiel,Brussels:

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=21-07-2011%20Brussels

TRH Crown Prince Filip and Crown Princess Mathilde attended the Te Deum in Leuven/Louvain
while TI & RH Prince Lorenz and Princess Astrid attended the Te Deum in Waver.

Military Parade this afternoon:

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=21-07-2011%20Defile

courtesy PPE

[Lucien]

Almost the entire Belgian Royal Family was out and about at the opening of the Europalia Brasil Festival in Brussels on tuesday:

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=04-10-2011%20Brasil

courtesy PPE

[Lucien]

November 15th was King's Day in Belgium.The RF attended a Te Deum at the St.Michiel & St.Gudele in Brussels,but without
TM King Albert and Queen Paola as the Monarch does never attend the Te Deum in his honour.

The RF was otherwise complete,including Prince Laurent and dear Princess Clair:

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=15-11-2011%20Brussel

Courtesy PPE

On thursday HM King Albert was successfully operated due to skincancer on the side of his nose
as was announced by the Court last night.

[Lucien]

Finally,after 547 days Belgium has a new government!HM King Albert II took the Oath from the cabinet members on Tuesday
at Laeken Castle.The new PM is Elio di Rupo.I wish him success!!

http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?eventid=915308

courtesy Marcel van Hoorn


 

[Lucien]

Christmas concert at the Palace,Brussels:

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=14-12-2011%20Brussels

courtesy ppe

[Lucien]

TM visited a secundary school in the city of Aalst this morning and observed a minute silence.The visit was cut short due to the accident
that happened last night in Sierre,Switserland and the Monarch and Queen went to the military airbase Melsbroek,Brussels
to comfort parents of the children involved in last nights tragedy.A Belgian bus with school children returning from a skiing
holiday crashed in a tunnel killing 28 people,22 of them children aged about 12.

All parents have been flown over to Switserland by government aircrafts this afternoon.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17362643

From the 28 people who lost their lives,22 were children,15 of which were Belgian and 7 Dutch.All from Lommel,a town
that is a Dutch enclave just over the border near Eindhoven.6 Adults also lost their lives,they accompanied the children,
four were from Lommel and two from Heverlee.

The bus was the last of three busses with children,the other two had already passed the tunnel.That is one of the main
reasons it took so long for Swiss authorities to find out who was who and what happened to whom before they could call
for any parents really.24 Children are wounded,ranging from sheer shock to coma for three of them,their parents are with them
now.Many of the wounded and their parents,as well as the victims and their loved ones,will be flown home to Belgium today
by the Belgian Airforce.

Belgian PM Elio di Rupo,who is in Switserland talking to authorities and visiting victims and their loved ones,called for a day of
National mourning but it is not yet sure when this will take place.All over Belgium are books of condolences and churches were
full last night for vigils.One in the St.Peter in Leuven/Louvain was lead by the Archbishop Mgr.Leonárd while 1000 gathered there.
The Papal Nuntius to Belgium read a message from HH the Pontiff.

HM Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands has send a telegram of condolences to TM King Albert and Queen Paola as well as to the
berieved,the wounded and their loved ones.If anyone,then it is she who knows all to well what these poor poor people have to
go through.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17376620

[Lucien]

TM visited a secundary school in the city of Aalst this morning and observed a minute silence.The visit was cut short due to the accident
that happened last night in Sierre,Switserland and the Monarch and Queen went to the military airbase Melsbroek,Brussels
to comfort parents of the children involved in last nights tragedy.A Belgian bus with school children returning from a skiing
holiday crashed in a tunnel killing 28 people,22 of them children aged about 12.

All parents have been flown over to Switserland by government aircrafts this afternoon.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17362643

From the 28 people who lost their lives,22 were children,15 of which were Belgian and 7 Dutch.All from Lommel,a town
that is a Dutch enclave just over the border near Eindhoven.6 Adults also lost their lives,they accompanied the children,
four were from Lommel and two from Heverlee.

The bus was the last of three busses with children,the other two had already passed the tunnel.That is one of the main
reasons it took so long for Swiss authorities to find out who was who and what happened to whom before they could call
for any parents really.24 Children are wounded,ranging from sheer shock to coma for three of them,their parents are with them
now.Many of the wounded and their parents,as well as the victims and their loved ones,will be flown home to Belgium today
by the Belgian Airforce.

Belgian PM Elio di Rupo,who is in Switserland talking to authorities and visiting victims and their loved ones,called for a day of
National mourning but it is not yet sure when this will take place.All over Belgium are books of condolences and churches were
full last night for vigils.One in the St.Peter in Leuven/Louvain was lead by the Archbishop Mgr.Leonárd while 1000 gathered there.
The Papal Nuntius to Belgium read a message from HH the Pontiff.

HM Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands has send a telegram of condolences to TM King Albert and Queen Paola as well as to the
berieved,the wounded and their loved ones.If anyone,then it is she who knows all to well what these poor poor people have to
go through.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17376620

Tomorrow,friday march 16th,will be a National day of mourning in Belgium.At 11.00AM a minute silence will be observed.

On wednesday march 21st will be the day of Remembrance throughout the country and especially in Lommel and Heverlee
where most of the victims were from.HM King Albert II will be in attendance and the Dutch Royal House will be represented
as well alltho not by HM Queen Beatrix as she will be on a State Visit to Luxembourg at the time.

All bodies have been flown in to Melsbroek Airforce base yesterday morning.

[Lucien]

The Belgian Royal Family will attend the Memorial Service in Lommel this wednesday for the children and teachers that died in the Swiss crash.
Most of them were from Lommel,15 of the children,6 of whom Dutch,1 of German origine,one from Poland and one originally from GB.

On thursday the RF will attend the ceremonies for the children and teachers from Heverlee/Leuven/Louvain,there are 7 victims there.

On both wednesday (Lommel) and thursday (Heverlee) TRH The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima will be in attendance as well as Dutch PM Mark Rutte.

[Lucien]

It was a most impressive ans solemn & sad ceremony this morning on the town of Lommel.
TM King Albert II and Queen Paola as well as HE The President of Swiserland and TRH The
Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima of The Netherlands were in attendance.

http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?eventid=951169

courtesy anp

http://www.daylife.com/search?q=lommel+march+21%2C+2012

God have mercy on all the families & loved ones.Too cruel.

Tomorrow will be the ceremony for the children and teachers from Heverlee/Louvain/Leuven.
TM and TRH will be in attendance there also.

[Lucien]

It was a most impressive ans solemn & sad ceremony this morning on the town of Lommel.
TM King Albert II and Queen Paola as well as HE The President of Swiserland and TRH The
Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima of The Netherlands were in attendance.

http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?eventid=951169

courtesy anp

http://www.daylife.com/search?q=lommel+march+21%2C+2012

God have mercy on all the families & loved ones.Too cruel.

Tomorrow will be the ceremony for the children and teachers from Heverlee/Louvain/Leuven.
TM and TRH will be in attendance there also.

Today was the Requiem for the 7 children from Heverlee/Louvain/Leuven at the St.Pieter in Leuven.
A most impressive and emotional occasion.

http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?eventid=952991

TM King Albert II and Queen Paola as well as TRH Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima of The Netherlands
were in attendance again,like they were yesterday in Lommel as was the President of Switserland,Mrs. Widmer.

Like yesterday,TM took their time with greeting and comforting each parent and sibling personally before Holy Mass
started as well as when before they left again.They also greeted and met with the Swiss aidworkers who were at the
crash site and had done their utmost to help and assist wherever they could

http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?eventid=952405

courtesy anp

[Lucien]

Belgium celebrated its National Day last saturday,starting with a concert at the Bojar on friday evening:

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=20-07-2012%20Brussels

Followed by a Te Deum at the St.Michel and St.Gudele Cathedral on saturday:

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=21-07-2012%20Brussels

And a parade in the afternoon:

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=21-07-2012%20Defile

courtesy ppe

[Lucien]

Belgium celebrated the Kings Day onthursday november 15th,ao, with a Te Deum at the St.Michiel & St.Goedel Cathedral in Brussels.

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=15-11-2012%20Brussel

courtesy ppe

[Lucien]

Christmas concert at the Royal Palace,Brussels.HM King Albert II didn't attend as he had a bad bout of the flue.

http://www.ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=19-12-2012%20Brussels

courtesy ppe

[Marie Valerie]

I've heard that both King Albert II & Queen Paola had lovers and wanted to divorce...
Is that true?