Belgian Royals celebrates The King’s Feast

On November 15, the Belgian Royal Family has celebrated The King’s Feast. Since 1886, celebrations take place in honour of the Belgian Monarch. Present were Crown Prince Philippe, Princess Mathilde, Princess Astrid, Prince Lorenz, Prince Laurent, Princess Claire and Queen Fabiola. King Albert and Queen Paola don’t usually attend at the Service as protocol decrees. Also present were the European Union President Herman Van Rompuy and Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme.

The Service was celebrated in the Saint Michael and Saint Gudula Cathedral in Brussels by Archbishop Leonard. It was the first time Leonard led the ceremony. In his homily Leonard pleaded for national unity. “We pray that our country prosper may know the legitimate diversity of regions, communities, languages and cultures. And also as a necessary national unity.”

The Service has been followed by another ceremony in parliament. The chairmen of the House and Senate chose a party where 300 children were invited. The Parliament show solidarity with the children, particularly those from Haiti and Pakistan, which this year have been badly hit by natural disasters. More than 300 children between nine and eleven years were invited at the ceremony in Parliament.

After the speeches of both Presidents and Prime Minister Yves Leterme resigns, takes place a statement of Yves Willemot, Managing Director of UNICEF Belgium, on the situation in Haiti and Pakistan and UNICEF’s operations in both countries. November 15 is the name day of Leopold and Albert. In 1951 King Bauduin decided to honor November 15, as did his brother King Albert II.

Filed under Austria-Hungary, Belgium
Tagged Albert II of Belgium, Children, House of Austria-Este, King Philippe of the Belgians, Prime Minister Leterme of Belgium, Prince Laurent of Belgium, Prince Lorenz of Belgium, Princess Astrid of Belgium, Princess Claire of Belgium, Queen Fabiola of Belgium, Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, Queen Paola of Belgium, The King's Feast.