CONTACT Any questions or suggestions? Feel free to email me at: Sonjapearl@royaltyinthenews.com - and my real name is Megan :)
|
Belgium’s Princess Mathilde spent Tuesday visiting a primary school in Wezemaal as part of the UNICEF project, the ‘Day of Change’. Mathilde is the honorary president of the Belgian branch of UNICEF, so it is her position to attend its events.
 See more photos here at Daylife.com The communal primary school’s teachers and students were very excited by the Princess’ visit, as were local officials. Governor Lode Dewitte, Mayor Dirk Claes, director Marc Didden, and vice president Ingrid Van Boven welcomed her in the morning. Several students acted as honor guards and Mathilde chatted with them for a few minutes.
Inside, Her Royal Highness took interest in the drawings, lectures and dances of the students. But she especially appeared to enjoy her time with the sixth graders, who were free to ask her any question they wanted.
“It previously said that we could draw no questions,” said a student named Julie. “But the Princess insisted. I asked her why she supports UNICEF. She replied that she is interested in everything to do with children.”
When Mathilde left at the end of the day, she was given a basket of local produce. She even stopped to chat with some local residents who waited outside the school to see her. Wezemaal had not seen a royal visit in 50 years.
The school has been taking part in UNICEF projects for a few years, which is why the Princess came specifically to it on Tuesday.
Source: Nieuwsblad
Belgium’s Princess Mathilde arrived in Albania Wednesday to begin a two day visit to the Eastern European nation for her role as the WHO’s Special Representative for Immunization. That role is for her to focus on health care workers and if people are receiving their immunizations against diseases.
 Click here for more photos Her Royal Highness arrived in Tirana and was greeted by Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha and Health Minister Petrit Vasili. Mathilde sat with them in a round table discussion about the country’s health issues. She told the leaders that she is highly committed to support the best practices of immunization, and spreading better information about developments in the immunization system in Albania, especially, to be met by health care workers.
In the evening, the Princess was a guest of honor at a reception by the Belgian Embassy at the Rogner Hotel.
The next day, Mathilde went to the town of Bushat, north of Tirana where she toured a health clinic.
She then went to nearby Shkodra and met with the employees of the local health system. She also learned more about the Albanian healthcare system and how it is focusing on immunizing its population.
Sources: Time.Ikub.al
The Crown Princely couple of Belgium are currently on a six day economic mission to Vietnam. Crown Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde, along with a Belgian delegation numbering 230, are in the country to tighten the economic relations between the two countries.
 Click here for photos at Daylife.com Their Royal Highnesses arrived in Hanoi Sunday, and made a brief stop at Hoan Kiem Lake Hanoi.
The next day, Monday, really began their visit. They attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, the late Vietnamese leader, and went on to visit the Vietnam National University.
Afterward, Philippe went to meet with Vietnam’s President Truong Tan Sangat and its Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan at the Presidential Palace. The two discussed ways Belgium and Vietnam could become closer in bilateral and economic links.
Vietnam takes the high regard the strengthening of its friendship and its multifaceted cooperation with Belgium, one of its major partners within the European Union, said Vice President Nguyen Thi Doan.
The Crown Prince himself said he was impressed by the significant achievements of Vietnam which has helped to raise the status of the country on both regional and global scene.
Meanwhile, Mathilde was visiting a health center and attended a meeting with several Belgian businesswomen at the Sheraton Hanoi Hotel.
Later in the evening, the royals were guests of honor at a state banquet.
Their Vietnamese economic mission concludes Friday.
Source: Vietnam Plus, Royal Forums
 Click here for more photos The future King and Queen of Belgium were in the town of Turnhout Monday, to visit Sint Pietersinstituut, to learn more about the school’s anti-bullying project.
The 96 pre-schoolers and 181 elementary students were very excited to see Crown Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde close up.
“The kids are obviously very excited,” director Paul Proost said yesterday. “They count the days. It is a very special event that they may never forget. There’s not every day a prince comes along to school.”
When the couple came to the school the following morning, the students gathered outside to see them. Some wore hats made out of red, yellow and black paper – the colors of the Belgian flag.
Inside, Philippe and Mathilde sat through a panel discussion, then went to the gymnasium where all the students were. The children sang songs and four of them led a discussion about bullying.
After two hours spent at the school, the royals received an official farewell in the school playground.
The students’ parents were not allowed on the site for security purposes, but outside the school, many of them came to get a glimpse of Philippe and Mathilde.
Source: Het Nieuwsblad
With the 42nd World Economic Forum taking place in Davos, Switzerland, many of the world’s who’s who are gathering there to discuss ways to make the world a better place. Among them are a few of Europe’s royals – the Norwegian Crown Princely couple, Belgium’s Princess Mathilde and Dutch Princess Mabel.
 Click here to view gallery Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit are in Davos mainly to promote Haakon’s Young Global Leaders (YGL), which he has been involved in since it’s beginnings in 2005. But Mette-Marit took the time to chat with the press and explain to them why she recently set up her own Twitter account.
“I think Twitter is a fantastic opportunity to spread information about the exciting projects taking place around the world, especially driven by young people,” she said.
The Crown Prince does not yet have his own Twitter account, but said he might start one. “I think I’m quite active as I am. We’ll see if I get my own account. We have the joint account. Maybe I have my own later if I want.”
In addition, Mette-Marit praised Microsoft founder Bill Gates for donating nearly $1 billion to the GAVI Alliance, which gives vaccines to people in sub-Saharan Africa.
“We’re very concerned about global health. And now, Bill Gates once again placed a very good focus on this health care,” said Mette-Marit.
She also mentioned how exciting Davos can be as it draws people from all over the world to participate. “It was incredibly exciting to hear their perspectives on the world situation today. And I could have the opportunity to give them advice on how to use the World Economic Forum to promote their projects.”
Meanwhile, Princess Mathilde of Belgium is at Davos. She sat alongside the Norwegian royals during Angela Merkel’s speech Wednesday.
Also at Davos is Princess Mabel, the wife of Holland’s Prince Friso. She also has a Twitter account and has been tweeting her experiences at WEF. Among them, listening to U.N. Secretary General Ban ki-Moon point out that thousands of women still die in childbirth worldwide. Mabel voiced her dismay over that, saying “These are unacceptable, unnecessary deaths.”
Sources: BT.no, NRK
Crown Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium were in Liege Tuesday for a memorial for those who were killed in last week’s grenade and shooting attack. Six people were killed, including the prepatrator, Nordine Amrani. 125 people were also injured.
 View more photos from the event here Their Royal Highnesses laid a wreath at the Place Lambert, where photos of the victims were placed. They joined several politicians, including Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, and about three thousand people for three minutes of silence.
Philippe and Mathilde then met with the crowds and families of the victims.
At one point during the ceremony, emergency services arrived and played the Irish song “Danny Boy”.
The motive for Amrani’s attack is still not clear, though it is believed he was afraid to face drug offense charges. He had already spent time in jail for previous offenses.
Sources: Nieuwsblad, BBC News
 Click here for more pics It’s that time of year again, when the European royal houses release their Christmas portraits.
The Belgian Crown Princely family released theirs Thursday. The photos were done back in October, around the time of Princess Elisabeth’s pictures for her 10th birthday.
Each of the four children – Elisabeth, Gabriel, Emmanuel and Eleonore – were photographed doing individual things. Elisabeth is seen painting, 8 year old Gabriel is playing soccer, while 6 year old Emmanuel is driving a child’s car. Little Eleonore, age 3, is seen running on the grounds of the Palace.
November 15th marks King’s Day in Belgium and the celebrations include certain members of the Belgian royal family attending the Te Deum mass at the Saint Michael and St Gudula Cathedral in Brussels. As per tradition, King Albert II and Queen Paola did not attend.
 Click here to check out more photos But their youngest child, and the enfant terrible of the Belgian royals, Prince Laurent did. The Prince was at the mass with his wife Princess Claire. It was the first time the couple took part in an official royal event since Laurent was suspended from them back in May. He was banned after traveling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo – a former Belgian colony – without the permission of government officials earlier this year.
But all seemed well for Laurent and Claire as they mingled with their family and the Belgian people after the service.
Unfortunately, there were some protests against the royals by members of the Flemish right-wing party (N-VA). Several people were arrested after shouting anti-monarchy slogans outside the cathedral.
Source: Daylife
On Tuesday, Belgium’s Princess Mathilde stopped by two separate organizations which are connected to a national prize named after her. Both places were related to needy mothers and child care.
 Click here to see gallery of Peruwelz visit The first, La maison de la Parentalité, in Péruwelz, is a a pilot project focusing on early childhood education. The maison, set up three years ago, encourages the process of co-education among parents of children, newborn up to the age of three.
“Our goal is to help the woman not to feel alone in raising her child,” said social worker Bruno Humbeek.”We’re not going to just raise them and make them grow together, but we participate in their [the children] development.”
The Princess received a tour of the maison and chatted with the mothers who use the facility.
Next was De Bakermat in Leuven. This one helps underprivileged mothers and their young. At one point, Mathilde sat on the floor with the mothers and their babies to talk to them.
Source: L’Avenir, Nieuwsblad, RTBF
In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Belgian organization that brought equality for women farm workers, Princess Mathilde visited three farms in the West Flanders region of the country. She was invited to those farms because the women’s organization, KVLV, to show her the gender equality at those places.
 View gallery of Princess Mathilde at the farms at Zimbio.com The first farm Mathilde saw was a hop house run by the Desmyter family in Poperinge. There, she was briefed on how hops are grown and how they are dried. She also learned about hop shoots, and the difference between aromatic smell and bitter hops. Mathilde was so interested in what she was learning, she spent 20 minutes overtime.
Later, the Princess went to see a rhubarb farm owned by the Louwagie family in Alveringem.
Finally, Mathilde stopped by a dairy farm in Veurne run by the Dequeecker family. Anne-Marie Dequeecker told reporters that Her Royal Highness showed visible interest in how her farm was operated and what they produced. “The princess was very interested in the life of the women she met. I’m glad I was able to show her a lot, but I am also aware that there are many women who work in the shadow of the company and will never be seen.”
To see video of the Princess in Poperinge – and her speaking Dutch - click here.
Source: Knack.be, Landbouwleven
|
|
Recent Comments