King Philippe and Queen Mathilde celebrate their silver wedding anniversary this Wednesday, marking 25 years of a union which began on December 4, 1999. A look back at a quarter of a century of married life and reign in the service of Belgium.
On December 4, 1999, Prince Philippe and Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz said yes at Brussels city hall, before a religious ceremony at the Cathedral of Saints-Michel and Gudule. The official announcement of the marriage had been made a few months earlier, on September 10, 1999, followed by the presentation of Mathilde three days later.
Since then, the couple has built a united family with the birth of their four children: Elisabeth, in 2001, who became heir to the throne and graduated this year from Lincoln College in Oxford, Gabriel (21 years old), Emmanuel (19 years old) and Eléonore (16 years old).
Commitments in the service of Belgium
Mathilde, the first Belgian queen of noble origin, founded the Princess Mathilde Fund thanks to donations received during her marriage. Very committed, she supports social and humanitarian causes alongside organizations such as the UN, UNICEF and the King Baudouin Foundation.
On July 21, 2013, the royal couple acceded to the throne, becoming central figures of Belgian unity. Since then, Philippe and Mathilde have embodied dedication and stability, as Vincent Van Peteghem, Minister of Finance, points out: “For 25 years, our royal couple has embodied dedication, both to each other and to our Belgian society. They have played an important role in the unity of our country all these years.“.
A simple celebration
To mark this anniversary, a commemorative gold coin worth 12.5 euros was issued, symbolizing the importance of this jubilee for the royal couple and for Belgium. The Royal Palace also unveiled a brand new photo of the king and queen who continue to embody an image of modernity for the kingdom.
This Wednesday, the symbolic day of their silver wedding anniversary, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde will continue to fulfill their official commitments. They will welcome Sultan Haitham of Oman for a state visit and, in the afternoon, Mathilde will participate in a European congress on health, where she will speak as UN ambassador.
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