King Philippe of Belgium and his wife Matilde began a three-day visit to France this Monday.
The opportunity to strengthen ties of friendship and economic cooperation between the two countries.
In the evening, they participated in a dinner at the Élysée in the presence of around a hundred guests.
A new royal couple at the Élysée. A little over a year after Charles III and Camilla, Emmanuelle and Brigitte Macron received the Belgian King Philippe and his wife Queen Matilde this Monday on the first day of a three-day official visit aimed at celebrating friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
In the morning, the two heads of state laid a wreath in the colors of the two countries and rekindled the flame in front of the tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe to the sound of national anthems. “The King, the Law, Liberty!” et “Let’s go, children of the Fatherland!” then sounded, followed by an interview between the two couples at the Élysée.
The king also met Michel Barnier
King Philippe, accompanied by six ministers, then discussed bilateral relations as well as European and international issues with Prime Minister Michel Barnier over lunch at Matignon. France and Belgium intend in particular to deepen their relationship in “the field of energy transition and defense“, specified Belgian diplomacy.
In the evening, the sovereign and his wife joined Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron for a state dinner in the presence of around a hundred guests including the Belgian Prime Minister Alexandre de Croo, the President of the European Council Charles Michel, the former European Commissioner Thierry Breton as well as LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault and host Stéphane Bern.
“We are more than allies, we are friends“, thanks to historical, economic, linguistic and cultural proximity, greeted the French president. Citing Hergé, Amélie Nothomb, Jacques Brel, Angèle and Stromae, he noted with humor “this French tendency to appropriate great creators and artists” Belgian, being “sincerely and resolutely convinced that they are French“.
King Philippe insisted on the common European destiny of the two countries and welcomed the French President’s commitment to greater EU sovereignty. “At the Sorbonne, you rightly reminded us that Europe is mortal. She can die. These words sound like a call to action“, recalled the Belgian sovereign.
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Why are the Belgian king and his wife coming on a state visit to France starting this Monday?
The last state visit to France by a Belgian sovereign dates back to 2003, when Albert II and his wife Paola, Philippe’s parents, were welcomed by Jacques Chirac. Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron, for their part, made a state visit in 2018 to Belgium.
