Dutch King and Queen Begin State Visit to Belgium

At the invitation of His Majesty the King of the Belgian, Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima started today, Tuesday June 20, a three-day state visit to Belgium.
Following the arrival at the Brussels-South railway station, the King and the Queen were officially welcomed by Their Majesties King Philippe and Queen Mathilde with a ceremony held in the courtyard in front of the Royal Palace in Brussels.
During the welcoming ceremony King Willem-Alexander and King Philippe inspected a guard of honour and the national anthems were played.
Inside the Palace the Royal Couples posed for the official photos and the guest book was signed by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima.
Afterwards King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Congress Column, in Brussels.
At lunchtime King Philippe and Queen Mathilde hosted a private lunch.
In early afternoon King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima had several institutional meetings. At the Federal Parliament the Royal Couple toured the parliament building and met with Eliane Tillieux, President of the Chamber of Representatives and Stephanie D’Hose, President of the Senate.
Then the Kinga and the Queen were received by Prime Minister Alexander de Croo in the Lambermont, the Prime Minister’s official residence.
Later the Royal Couples were reunited for a visit at the Brussels Town Hall where they were received by the Mayor of the city, Philippe Close.
After the visit at the Town Hall King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde took a walk across the Grote Markt greeted the people gathered outside.
In the evening the King and the Queen hosted a state dinner for King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima at the Castle of Laeken. Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz were among the present.
In his speech King Willem-Alexander stated that for the Netherlands “friendship with Belgium is an anchor in a world full of uncertainties”, while King Philippe stated that “the Netherlands has one of the most open, advanced and innovative economies in the world”, adding that Belgium and the Netherlands “as neighboring countries, together we wrote hundreds of fascinating pages of world history – culturally, economically and socially”.

De eerste dag van het staatsbezoek aan België wordt afgesloten met een staatsbanket in het Kasteel van Laken. Beide staatshoofden houden een toespraak. De toespraak van Koning Willem-Alexander: https://t.co/FcUZyCNnwv pic.twitter.com/Iz0QFzOQNE

— Koninklijk Huis (@koninklijkhuis) June 20, 2023

Filed under Belgium, The Netherlands
Tagged King Philippe of the Belgians, King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands, Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, State Visit.