The King of the Belgians at Matignon may be a detail for you…

Escapée belge

They arrived at the garden side. Monday October 14, King Philippe of Belgium and his wife, Queen Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz, on an official visit to France for two days, were welcomed at Matignon like regulars. There they found the Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, and his wife, Isabelle Altmayer. On the program, diplomatic pleasantries, studious meeting and protocol lunch, all placed under the obvious sign of Franco-Belgian friendship. A brief moment of respite for the head of government.

Mathilde returned

For the occasion, Queen Mathilde had made a lot, tons even. Entirely dressed in Dior and burgundy, she was notably accessorized with a brand new Lady Dior bag, a spectacular bell-type felt hat, but above all with gloves so long that they deserve the name “opera gloves”. Extremely popular in the 18th century^e century, these gloves were for a long time a sign of distinction and refinement. At the time, the most beautiful models were made of goatskin leather so fine that it was referred to by the chilling name of “child’s skin”…

At a slack bridle

Next to the queen, Isabelle Altmayer appeared more stripped down. Uncovered head, bare hands and arms free of ostentatious signs of wealth, the prime minister’s wife was distinguished by her strappy shoes, babies, or, as the Anglo-Saxons say, Mary Jane. But why this name? Because these shoes are historically associated with a key character in American comics, Buster Brown, created in 1902. In it, Mary Jane, girlfriend of said Buster, is in fact constantly wearing strappy shoes.

Bordeaux bet

As always, the protocol did things in a big way. On the gravel of the Matignon gardens, a long carpet, matching the burgundy color worn by Queen Mathilde, had in fact been rolled out, thus breaking an age-old tradition. It’s in Agamemnon, by Aeschylus, play performed in 458 BC. BC in Athens, where a red carpet appeared for the first time. Clytemnestra, wife of the king of Mycenae, welcomes her man back from Troy with great pomp and color.

The Flemings pose

Finally, how can we not note the presence in the image of a sporty-looking car, equipped with particularly aggressive black rims. What is it about? What is she doing there? Are the king and queen of Belgium fans of big cars, or even tuning? Did they come from their country behind the wheel of the car in question? Did they punctuate their arrival on the gravel of Matignon with a skid on the handbrake? And is it to carry this out comfortably that they arrived on the garden side and not the courtyard side? It would in any case be consistent.