Fourteen other Belgians were also honored at the Palace for distinctions received this summer. Judge Christine Matray was elevated to the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold, while gynecologist Marleen Temmerman and chef Peter Goossens were named Commanders of the same order. Stromae, the highlight of the ceremony, was made Commander of the Order of the Crown. The artist has remained discreet since the cancellation of his world tour for health reasons in May 2023.
Also named Commanders of the Order of the Crown were surgeon and former minister Reginald Moreels, cancer researcher Damya Laoui, chefs Seppe Nobels and Sang Hoon Degeimbre, director of the Solidarity and Trauma Center (Solentra) Geertrui Serneels , the entrepreneur Theo Vaes committed to fighting precariousness, the authors Geneviève Damas and Caroline Lamarche, the illustrator Marie Paquay, the conductor Van Lysebeth, and finally Ayman Ramdani, who works for Brussels youth.
