Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip: Visit to Belgium - July 12, 2007

[Madame Royale]

I was wondering why The Governor-General of Australia, and his wife, were there

 

[TLLK]

I love Queen Elizabeth in this violet color. Queen Paola's suit is very elegant.

 

[Henri M.]

I was wondering why The Governor-General of Australia, and his wife, were there

There also were Governor-Generals from New Zealand, Canada, etc.

All to commemorate the fallen soldiers from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and other Commonwealth countries who have fallen "for King and Country" in 1914-1918.

 

[Henri M.]

I must say I was a bit 'shocked' that Her Brittanic Majesty has been so economical.

Instead of the Royal Train, the Queen headed for Brussels by Eurostar train.

Instead of a grand hotel or accomodation in a royal palace, the Queen stayed in the quite middle-of-the-road Méridien Hotel in Brussels, a typical businessmen's hotel.

Instead of in a nice limousine, the Queen was transported in a Ford Transit bus, together with the Duke and Duchess of Brabant.

Where has style gone, these days?????

 

[Aurora810]

I must say I was a bit 'shocked' that Her Brittanic Majesty has been so economical.

Instead of the Royal Train, the Queen headed for Brussels by Eurostar train.

Instead of a grand hotel or accomodation in a royal palace, the Queen stayed in the quite middle-of-the-road Méridien Hotel in Brussels, a typical businessmen's hotel.

Instead of in a nice limousine, the Queen was transported in a Ford Transit bus, together with the Duke and Duchess of Brabant.

Where has style gone, these days?????

I didn't realize the details of the hotel and the Ford Transit bus. My guess is that the Queen chose to do things different because this was a day to honor fallen soldiers not to come in and impress as one would do when they are on an official state visit. I think maybe the situation/reasoning for the visit made sense to do things in a less grand manner therefore keeping the focus on the right cause. But what do I know!


What would this visit be called? Was this what they call an "official visit"? I know it wasn't a state visit I know what those are. But I'm a little confused about what exactly an "official visit" would be? This was so short and only had one purpose as it seems so I'm not sure what to classify it as.

 

[bbb]

great photos thanks everyone. mathilde is just the definition of serene highness, she always looks lovely and perfect. (some weird head pieces aside). The queen certainly looks blooming and happy during this visit. she is such an amazing woman, i'm 40 years younger and her hectic pace makes me tired just reading about it.
i think that explantion makes perfect sense aurora and shows respect to the fallen soldiers not drawing attention to themselves, the world would certainly be a different place without their highest devotion to duty and sacrifice.

 

[Henri M.]

I didn't realize the details of the hotel and the Ford Transit bus. My guess is that the Queen chose to do things different because this was a day to honor fallen soldiers not to come in and impress as one would do when they are on an official state visit. I think maybe the situation/reasoning for the visit made sense to do things in a less grand manner therefore keeping the focus on the right cause. But what do I know!


What would this visit be called? Was this what they call an "official visit"? I know it wasn't a state visit I know what those are. But I'm a little confused about what exactly an "official visit" would be? This was so short and only had one purpose as it seems so I'm not sure what to classify it as.

It was an official visit. Like in February, when the Queen visited the Netherlands. Back then royal limousines by the Netherlands Royal Mews were used for the transport of the Queen and the Duke. See pic. Back then Her Brittanic Majesty was welcomed with a lining of guards. See pic.

Yesterday Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde went to the eh, un-royal, Méridien Hotel and posed in front of the entrance, with the Queen, while in the lobby guests were watching. See pic. The British royal couple was transported in a Ford Transit. See pic.

 

[Aurora810]

[/font]

It was an official visit. Like in February, when the Queen visited the Netherlands. Back then royal limousines by the Netherlands Royal Mews were used for the transport of the Queen and the Duke. See pic. Back then Her Brittanic Majesty was welcomed with a lining of guards. See pic.

Yesterday Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde went to the eh, un-royal, Méridien Hotel and posed in front of the entrance, with the Queen, while in the lobby guests were watching. See pic. The British royal couple was transported in a Ford Transit. See pic.

I see the pictures but I still think I'm confused as to what this specific visit was. This just seems so different then any other royal visit I've seen. Something about this visit just doesn't make sense to me. I agree the style of both are very different I'm not sure if it comes down to just different countries do different things or if this is just a different type of visit. Could it be that this visit was shortened or changed because of King Albert's health?

 

[acdc1]

Is King Albert going to be given the Order of the Garter on this trip?

 

[Henri M.]

Is King Albert going to be given the Order of the Garter on this trip?

Not that we know of. On the Château de Laeken the Queen and the Duke had a private lunch with the King and Queen of the Belgians, in the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Brabant.

It was private and there were no pictures nor was any communiqué released.

 

[Aurora810]

Oh, yes when in doubt go back to page one and read the original post. This is a "semi-official visit". Okay that makes more sense to me now. I see the difference this was not totally an official visit. I get it! It seems that the British royals wanted to pay their respects to the soldiers without a lot of extra attention.

 

[Jose]

It is elegant dress on Queen Paola!! Wow man years Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip state visit to Queen Paola and King Albert. Not tonight gala photo on Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on royal family of Belgium??

 

[johann]

[/font]

It was an official visit. Like in February, when the Queen visited the Netherlands. Back then royal limousines by the Netherlands Royal Mews were used for the transport of the Queen and the Duke. See pic. Back then Her Brittanic Majesty was welcomed with a lining of guards. See pic.

Yesterday Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde went to the eh, un-royal, Méridien Hotel and posed in front of the entrance, with the Queen, while in the lobby guests were watching. See pic. The British royal couple was transported in a Ford Transit. See pic.

Mwoah, that is NOT a Ford Transit. It´s a respectable Mercedes Viano belongig to the royal vehicle fleet (and much nicer than well-known blue busses IMHO): Easy to enter for elder persons and compared to a stretch limo quite fast, as they opted to travel from Brussels to Ypres by car.
The hotel was chosen by the British Court – with good reasons I guess.
And Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip have also been welcomed Wednesday evening by the Duke and Duchess of Brabant at the train station Brussels South. There was no press present, so any statement how the welcome scene actually was performed remains pretty vague. And if the occasion requires it (and this was a more sober visit to remember WWI), the Belgian court is indeed capable of pull off a nice show. Some examples from recent state visits: pic 1, pic 2, pic 3, pic4

And more from this visit:
Leaving the hotel
http://img189.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28415_2007-07-14_171410_122_163lo.jpg
http://img148.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28616_2007-07-14_171426_122_1149lo.jpg
http://img185.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28409_2007-07-14_171351_122_244lo.jpg
http://img187.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28622_2007-07-14_171443_122_572lo.jpg

Photosession at Laeken Castle
http://img172.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28786_2007-07-14_173841_122_336lo.jpg
http://img125.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28949_2007-07-14_173854_122_1107lo.jpg

Visiting Ypres
http://img152.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28767_2007-07-14_171632_122_1147lo.jpg
http://img145.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28781_2007-07-14_173828_122_1032lo.jpg
http://img128.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28660_2007-07-14_171535_122_50lo.jpg
http://img177.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28749_2007-07-14_171550_122_47lo.jpg
http://img128.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28764_2007-07-14_171617_122_375lo.jpg
http://img124.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28750_2007-07-14_171604_122_612lo.jpg

Tyne Cot
http://img107.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28425_2007-07-14_171457_122_1192lo.jpg
http://img163.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28654_2007-07-14_171522_122_772lo.jpg

Source: PN agency, rma

 

[Henri M.]

It is elegant dress on Queen Paola!! Wow man years Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip state visit to Queen Paola and King Albert. Not tonight gala photo on Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on royal family of Belgium??

It was no State Visit and there was no gala either.

 

[Aurora810]

Thanks for posting all those pics Johan. They are all very nice, I especially liked the example state visit pics.

 

[LOSSEAN]

Thank you Avalon, JessRulz, Johann and others for the beautiful pictures you all posted. It's a delightful tour.
The two families obviously share deep affection for each other. King Albert made a special effort to be there and welcome the royal couple from Britain.

Queen Elizabeth's choice of bright colours is now becoming her trademark and quite refreshing. I like Queen Paola's understated elegance and Princess Mathilde's style is quite becoming of a princess.

Everytime I see Prince Philipe and Princess Mathilde, I think of Prince Charles and Princess Diana and am glad that the Belgian crown princely couple have made a success of their marriage even with their age difference.

 

[ysbel]

Princess Mathilde was almost 27, had trained in the profession of speech therapy and had owned her own practice for over 4 years by the time she married Philippe. She had a bit more real world experience before she took the marital plunge.

 

[LOSSEAN]

I am not interested in anybody's hypothesis as I have my own.

Why is Queen Paola referenced as Koningin Paola in that book fromTyne Cot. Is that French? I thought that French would be something like 'Reine'.

 

[paola]

I am not interested in anybody's hypothesis as I have my own.

Why is Queen Paola referenced as Koningin Paola in that book fromTyne Cot. Is that French? I thought that French would be something like 'Reine'.

Queen Paola is called Koningin in the book because the Vlaemisch [Dutch] word for Queen is Koningin and Tyne Cot is in the Vlaemisch part of Belgium.

In French it would be Reine Paola indeed and when she visits the Walonian part of Belgium people reference here as Reine Paola.

 

[LOSSEAN]

Thank you paola for the explanation. I like Queen Paola very much. I guess the Belgium Royal Family is fluent in both languages. That is wonderful.

 

[paola]

Thank you paola for the explanation. I like Queen Paola very much. I guess the Belgium Royal Family is fluent in both languages. That is wonderful.

You're welcome, I like Queen Paola too. However i guess that a lot of people don't think that the Belgium Royal Family are [all] fluent in both laguages [In Belgium there are three languages, also German, by the way]. As far as I know they try to do the best they can nowadays, that is good enough for me, but I am not Belgian.

[When I was a teenager we had to learn three foreign languages at school, and althoug I pased my grades I am still not good at it. I know how difficult it is to learn a foreign language if you do'nt have a flair for languages. So I have a soft spot for people of whom I guess they have the same problem but do the best they can.]

 

[isabelle16]

They don't speak fluent flemisch in Belgium, the King speaks very good flemish, but the queen doesn't, neither does Prince Filip, Princess Mathilde, ... but they try and they are getting better at it, I must say
Prince Amedeo speaks really good flemish, I heard him talk on a Royalty show, and he doesn't even speak with a french accent, so that's good

 

[philqc]

I'm always surprise to see how often and how long Queen Elizabeth can wear the same outfit... I saw her with this one at the unveilement of Princess Diana's memorial in London few years ago... She was also seen with it recently during her stay in Scotland for the Ceremony of the Keys in Edinburgh... i saw her wearing it during Ascot week 2005... It was also her choice for her visit in Toulouse in France in april 2004... and it's the same for many others outfits...

 

[philqc]

i'm speaking of course of the outfit she wore on july 12th in Belgium!