All About Royal Families

From 30 March 2014 till 1 April 2014, President Xi Jinping from China and his wife, Peng Liyuan, a former singer, made an official State Visit to Belgium. At the airport of Zaventem the presidential couple of China was welcomed by Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo (PS). After a short salutation they went to the Royal Palace of Brussels for an audience with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians. At the square in front of the Palace, 300 people were waiting to see a glimpse of the Presidential Couple of China, among them a lot of Belgians with a Chinese background. There were traditional Chince dances and flags of both countries. King Philippe of Belgium and President Xi Jinping of China In the "Salon du Vase" at the Royal Palace of Brussels, President Xi Jinping received the Grand Cardon of the Order of Leopold from King Philippe of Belgium. After the meeting at the Royal Palace of Brussels, the  royal escort on horse guided the presidential co...

One of the most special places of Paris is the splendid Hôtel de Ville of Paris in France. Since 1357, in this beautiful building the City of Paris administration has been located on the same place as it is today. It is located in the 4th arrondissement near the Rue Rivoli. Hôtel de Ville in Paris France Some royal history In 1533, King Francis I decided to endow the city with a city hall which would be worth for Paris. Then Paris was without no doubt the largest city of Europe and Christendom. King Francis I of France King Francis I ordered two architects an Italian and a Frenchman: - Dominique de Cortone (Italian) - Pierre Chambidges (French). The building was created in the amazing Renaissance style. Louis XIII Place des Vosges During the reign of King Louis XIII of France the Hôtel de Ville was finished (1628). Hôtel de Ville Paris France French Revolution On 14 July 1789, Jacques de Flesselles the provost of the merchant...

In the morning of 22 March 2016, 2 suicide bombings took place in Belgium, at the airport of Zaventem and one at the Maalbeek Metro Station in  Brussels. 32 people were killed and more than 300 people were injured. Monument Brussels Bombings in Belgium The perpetrators came from the same cell of the November 2015 Paris Attacks. In a television speech addressed to the nation, King Philippe of Belgium expressed his and Queen Mathildes sorrows about the events. One year later, after a competition a monument to the victims was unveiled at the rue de la Loi, between Schuman and the Parc du Cinquantenaire. The monument made by Jean-Henri Compere is called: 'wounded but still standing in front of the inconceivable'. It is constructed from 20 metres (66 feet) long horizontal surfaces rising skywards. Monument Brussels Bombings Belgium I took the pictures of the monument for the victims of 22 March 2016 in August 2018. Besides it is a modern art work, I...

On 6 June 2019, it will be 75 years ago that the Normandy landings took place, so on this blog there will be lots of posts about the royals during World War II but also about special destinations in Europe related to the sad history of  World War II. Between 1942 and 1944 Nazi Germany wanted to build an extensive system of coastal defense and fortifications along the coast of continental Europe and Scandinavia. This was used as a defense against an expected Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe from the United Kingdom. Atlantikwall Raversyde Belgium Hitler himself ordered the construction of the fortification in 1942. Almost a milion French workers were obligated to build it. This system was called: Atlantic Wall (in German: Atlantikwall). However such a coastal defence system was not only built in France but also in Belgium! Many parts of the Atlantikwall in Belgium are preserved as parts of a very sad history. Raversyde Belgium Atlantikwall ...

From 15 March 1977 till 18 March 1977 King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and his wife Queen Silvia visited Belgium. This official State Visit was hosted by King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola of Belgium. State visit King Carl Gustaf XVI of Sweden to Belgium At the Throne Room of the  Royal Palace in Brussels a State Dinner took place. All wore beautiful ball clothes and tiaras, though it's not clear on the picture but I think Queen Fabiola of Belgium wore her tiara of the 9 Provinces. Other attendants of the State Dinner: Prince Albert and Princess Paola (later King Albert II of Belgium and Queen Paola). Some royal history King Baudouin 's mother, the late Queen Astrid of Belgium, was a daughter of Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland. This Prince Carl was the son of King Oscar II of Sweden. Prince Carl also was a brother  of King Gustaf V of Sweden (the great- grand father of the current Swedish King) The current Duke of Västergötland is Prince Daniel ...

On the west of the city of Lille, the capital of the Hauts-de France region, a beautiful citadel was constructed to defend the city and even the very important border between France and Belgium. The amazing history of the citadel of Lille went even back till King Louis XIV of France! Citadel of Lille own picture taken in 2018 Some Royal History In 1667, Lille was taken from Spain by French troops and King Louis XIV of France immediately ordered the construction of a fortress. Two building masters proposed plans: Louis Nicolas de Clerville and Vauban . Vauban's plans were chosen by the King. King Louis XIV of France Source picture: Wikipedia Vauban - Source picture: Wikipedia The construction work of the citadel started already in 1668 under the direction of Lille's master mason, Simon Vollant. In 1671, the citadel became operational while Vauban continued to shape the city by constructing, a new neighborhood around the Rue Royale. ...

During World War II, it were not always Kings, Queens or even generals who did their duties. Most of them where ordinary men, but baron Jean de Selys Longchamps wasn't ordinary at all! Jean de Selys Longchamps was born on 31 May 1912 in Brussels, Belgium. He had lots of noble roots through the family of his father which went back in time till the rule of the Prince Bishops at Liège. Jean de Selys Longchamps held the title of a Baron. His mother, Emilie de Theux de Meylandt and Montjardin was from a noble family too. Jean de Selys Longchamps Little Jean spent his youth at the castle of Longchamps, near Borgloon. After his studies in law, Jean de Selys entered the First Regiment Guides. World War II When World War II began in Belgium at 10 May 1940, he participated in the fights at the Leie near Ghent. After the capitulation of Belgium, on 28 May 1940,  he wanted to go to England to continue the Battle against the nazi's. He went to Dunkirk and reach...

Palace of the Prince-Bishops in Liège Liège - a major Walloon city, located in southern Belgium - always has fascinated me. It is grunge, flaming, rocking and rough. Some parts of the city already existed at the times of the Romans. However it became the place-to-be in the dark Middle Ages. In the 15th. century Liège became involved in wars against the Dukes of  Burgundy. * Liège was ruled for decades by a Prince-bishop. A Prince-bishop was a civic ruler of a secular principality and sovereignty. In Liège they were  a part of the Holy Roman Empire * One of  today's main sights of Liège is the Palace of the Prince- Bishops, located on the Place St. Lambert. Palace of the Prince-Bishops of Liège, Belgium Some intersting history Between 980 and 985 the bishops of Liège gained a new status they became Prince Bishops. Their first palace in Liège was built in the 11th. century by bishop Notker, but it was destroyed in the fire of 1185. In t...