Crown Prince Philippe and Crown Princess Mathilde Current Events: Mar 2005-May 2005

[Hannelore]

-What do you think, another one?

<Mmm...why not

 

[kwanfan]

What Wonderful News! Congrats to Phillipe, Mathilde, Elisabeth, and Gabriel along with the rest of the family!

 

[Dennism]

-What do you think, another one?

"Yes, sure. But let´s hope ours won´t have lips like that guy with the microphone."

 

[Danielle]

-What do you think, another one?

<Mmm...why not

Nice photo of Philippe and Mathilde, except for those scary clowns. Thanks for posting it.

 

[didem]

Happy news

Cogratulations Crown Prince and Princes and
Princess Elizabeth - Prince Gabriel
very happy news for Belgian Royal Familie

I think new baby is a boy 2. Prince for happy family
may be name is Prince Bauidion Albert Phillipe

 

[samitude]

If they do have another boy will this be another Josephine-Charlotte, Baudowin and Albert?

 

[Mette2]

What wonderful news that they're having another baby - congratulations to them and their entire family .

Also happy birthday to Philippe .

 

[agisele]

A very happy 45th birthday to Philippe. How is it that these Royals manage to coincide everything with a special date?
ie. this birth announcement of the expectance of a third child a day before the 45th birthday of Prince Philippe...the birth of Prince Hashem of Jordan on the birthday of King Abdullah and the birth of Prince Sebastian of Luxembourg on the birthday of Grand Duke (then Crown Prince) Henri.

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Philippe & Mathilde visiting Limburg (old photos)

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Last summer at the olympics

 

[Hannelore]

Photos from last week, the family on holiday in Switzerland. Filip & Elisabeth on the swing, seems like they both enjoyed it...never too old to play

 

[sara1981]

Photos from last week, the family on holiday in Switzerland. Filip & Elisabeth on the swing, seems like they both enjoyed it...never too old to play

i like Phillipe push Elisabeth by swing he very caring father

Sara Boyce

 

[Hannelore]

Belgian Crown Prince awards highest medal to Sherpa

By Our Correspondent,
KATHMANDU, Mar. 27: President of Nepal Mountaineering Association Ang Tshering Sherpa has been awarded the “Knight in the Order of Leopold”, by the highest medal of Belgium.

The Nepal Mountaineering Association in a press statement said that His Royal Highness Crown Prince Philip of Belgium, on behalf of His Royal Highness King Albert II, presented the medal at an investiture function held for the Belgian community in New Delhi, India, on March 13.

Sherpa has also received the ‘Suprabal Gorkhadakshin Bahu’.

Born in 1953 in Khumjung village of Solukhumbu district, Sherpa has also received several prestigious national an international honours related to mountaineering and tourism.

Presently he is the chairman of several companies including Skyline Airways, Asian Helicopter, Himalayan Chain Resorts and Asian Trekking.

 

[Mette2]

Just before their marriage, the launch of the website of the prince Filip fund, at the royal palace. Of course very little attention went to the website, and everyone focused on Mathilde and her engagement ring, which was seen in public for the first time. The central stone, a ruby, is Mathilde's favorite gem and this specific ruby was bought for her by Filip himself in Birma.

I'm just a little curious, but does anyone know why this was the first time she wore her engagement ring, and why she didn't wear it the first time she was presented to the press?

 

[Hannelore]

Upcoming events

Next sunday, Filip & Mathilde will be in Rome for the inauguration of pope Benedict XVI

Príncipes Felipe y Mathilden irán a ceremonia inicio Pontificado

El príncipe heredero de la Corona belga, Felipe, y su esposa, la princesa Mathilde asistirán el próximo domingo a la ceremonia de inicio de Pontificado del papa Benedicto XVI.


Una portavoz del Palacio real belga confirmó a EFE que los príncipes estarán en la capital italiana con ocasión de la ceremonia, aunque no precisó el día en que viajarán a Roma.

El cardenal alemán Joseph Ratzinger, el hasta ahora prefecto de la Congregación para la Doctrina de la Fe (ex Santo Oficio), fue elegido el pasado martes como sucesor de Juan Pablo

 

[Hannelore]

Upcoming events

April 25th : Prince Filip

He will hand out the certificats of the 'laureate of the prince Albert fund' at the seat of the Belgian enterprises in Brussels.

April 26th : prince Filip & princess Mathilde

Première of the opera die Zauberflöte (Mozart) at the Muntschouwburg in Brussels

April 27th : prince Filip

Visit to the company Verhaert in Kruibeke, that develops materials for industry and space travel. Working meeting and visit to the company.

April 30th : prince Filip & princess Mathilde

Participation in Korbeek-Lo to a remembrance day of parents and family of children who died in trafic.

May 12th : princess Mathilde

Hands out the anual Interbrew Baillet Latour medical prize, this year's theme is "genetics and cardiovascular diseases"

May 27th : princess Mathilde

Hands out the honorary doctorate to Mrs. Carol Bellamy as representant of Unicef Antwerp.

 

[Hannelore]

Upcoming travels

A rough translation from an article in this week's Story:

"In October Laeken will be celebrating again. Filip and Mathilde are expecting their third child. The princess will have to take things a bit easier the coming months, because with another royal baby she and Filip will be busier than ever!

In our India report a few weeks ago, we already reported the specualtions about a third pregnancy for Mathilde. But it wasn't untill last week that the news was made official. the princely couple always stated they wanted several children. Elisabeth will soon be 4, and Gabriël will be 2 in August so there's obviously a regularity in their familyplanning! The sooner their little family is complete, the longer the couple will be able to enjoy their children without being burdened by the heavy task of kingship.

Although Filip and Mathilde already have an overloaded agenda. Apart from the many obligations to do with 175 years of Belgium, there are a few foreign journeys awaiting them in the next months. In June there's an important economic mission to Japan. That probably won't be a problem yet for Mathilde, but for the missions to Canada (in October) and Brazil (later in the year) she will of course stay at home. The question is wether Filip will be wanting to leave his wife alone in that period. He certainly doesn't want to miss the birth!

So far, Mathilde has always succeeded in combining her official tasks with the care for her family. Even though this gets harder and harder because the princess refuses to hire a full time nanny. Filip takes his daughter to school in the morning. Mathilde tries to be home when school finishes. their weekends are reserved for the children and the holidays are sacred. These past Easter holidays were spent in Verbier, their favorite skiing station in Switzerland, at the foot of the Mont Blanc. Filip skied as often as he could, and now we understand why Mathilde left her skis at home.

In October, Mathilde shall undoubtedly want to give birth in a natural way again. It will be a few nervous and exciting hours in the Erasmusclinic in Brussels..."

 

[sara1981]

A rough translation from an article in this week's Story:

"In October Laeken will be celebrating again. Filip and Mathilde are expecting their third child. The princess will have to take things a bit easier the coming months, because with another royal baby she and Filip will be busier than ever!

In our India report a few weeks ago, we already reported the specualtions about a third pregnancy for Mathilde. But it wasn't untill last week that the news was made official. the princely couple always stated they wanted several children. Elisabeth will soon be 4, and Gabriël will be 2 in August so there's obviously a regularity in their familyplanning! The sooner their little family is complete, the longer the couple will be able to enjoy their children without being burdened by the heavy task of kingship.

Although Filip and Mathilde already have an overloaded agenda. Apart from the many obligations to do with 175 years of Belgium, there are a few foreign journeys awaiting them in the next months. In June there's an important economic mission to Japan. That probably won't be a problem yet for Mathilde, but for the missions to Canada (in October) and Brazil (later in the year) she will of course stay at home. The question is wether Filip will be wanting to leave his wife alone in that period. He certainly doesn't want to miss the birth!

So far, Mathilde has always succeeded in combining her official tasks with the care for her family. Even though this gets harder and harder because the princess refuses to hire a full time nanny. Filip takes his daughter to school in the morning. Mathilde tries to be home when school finishes. their weekends are reserved for the children and the holidays are sacred. These past Easter holidays were spent in Verbier, their favorite skiing station in Switzerland, at the foot of the Mont Blanc. Filip skied as often as he could, and now we understand why Mathilde left her skis at home.

In October, Mathilde shall undoubtedly want to give birth in a natural way again. It will be a few nervous and exciting hours in the Erasmusclinic in Brussels..."

thanks for articles!

i understand he wont misses Mathilde's birth like Prince Edward who misses his wife the Countess of Wessex's birth when Prince Edward away in trip they he got happened his wife got early birth!

IF phiilipe will leave Mathilde after birth makes sure alright or before birth wait and see whats happened if he can come for birth.

Sara Boyce

 

[Mette2]

Yes, thanks indeed for taking the time to translate the article Hannelore .

 

[Alisa]

Thank you for translating Hannelore


I have a question, if the couple does not have a full time nanny for their children, who takes care of them when the couple is away?

 

[moosey60]

Thank you for translating Hannelore


I have a question, if the couple does not have a full time nanny for their children, who takes care of them when the couple is away?

When Gabriel was born, Mathilde's parents took care of Elisabeth. I understand Elisabeth spends/spent a lot of time with her maternal grandparents when her parents aren't there. I assume Gabriel does the same.

 

[Alexandria]

When Gabriel was born, Mathilde's parents took care of Elisabeth. I understand Elisabeth spends/spent a lot of time with her maternal grandparents when her parents aren't there. I assume Gabriel does the same.

I've heard this, too (I think here! ). I think Phillippe and Mathilde have a similar arrangement with her parents that Haakon and Mette-Marit have with her mother: that when these respective couples are away on trips abroad the kids say with their maternal grandparents.

 

[Alisa]

When Gabriel was born, Mathilde's parents took care of Elisabeth. I understand Elisabeth spends/spent a lot of time with her maternal grandparents when her parents aren't there. I assume Gabriel does the same.

Thanks. I read that as well before Gabriel was born. I was just wondering if the arrangement changed because of Gabriel's birth and the fact that Elisabeth now attends school.

I guess whatever the grandparents can't do, that's when Elisabeth's nanny steps in...?

 

[Hannelore]

They do employ nannies, but only during the daytime, when they are on a royal duty or at the office. They pick the children up from school and bring them themselves. In the evening they are without staff and cook themselves. What the article means is that it isn't like before, when nannies raised your children, lived permanently with the family and were the ones who had to get up at night when the baby cried (mind you, this may seem prehistorical, but it's how Filip, Astrid & Laurent were still raised - untill the 60's and 70's this was very normal in high class circles)

When they are abroad this is different of course. In the past, when Elisabeth didn't go to school yet, she stayed at Losange, the castle of Mathilde's parents, where she has her own room. I suppose the same goes for Gabriel. But now Elisabeth has to go to school, I can imagine Mathilde's mother, countess Anne Komorowska staying at Laeken to be with the children.

I also wonder wether Mathilde's parents don't have a place to stay in Brussels. They're often at gatherings of the Belgian aristocracy (which mostely take place in Brussels), and three of their children live there while the fourth is at boarding school. From heir castle in the Ardennes to Brussels it's a few hours drive, so I guess they have a place in Brussels to ... which also makes it easier to help out with their grandchildren now and then.

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Visiting Hainault

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

at the te deum this year

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

Visiting the sacred heart school for handicapped children

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

at the remembrance mass for Joséphine-Charlotte

 

[marezdote]

Philippe and Mathilde at the Vatican today.

 

[Cathérine Bergeyck]

More ... I think Mathilde looked beautiful, dignified and regal.