All About Royal Families

20 August 2003 marks the birth of Gabriel Baudouin Marie Prince of Belgium. This took place at the Erasmus Hospital in Anderlecht.  Family Prince Gabriel is the eldest son and second child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium. He has an elder sister Elisabeth, a younger brother Emmanuel and a younger sister Eléonore. He was christened at Ciergnon Castle, one of the royal family’s summer residences, on 25 October 2003 by Cardinal Godfried Danneels, the Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels. His godparents are his maternal uncle Count Charles-Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz (born 1985); and his paternal second cousin, Baroness Maria Christina von Freyberg-Eisenberg. Prince Gabriel is a member of the royal family of Belgium, founded by King Leopold I (born as a Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) Prince Gabriel  => King Philippe  =>King Albert II =>King Leopold III  => King Albert I => Prince Philippe, Count of Flanders => King Leopold I Names King Philippe stated in an i

Kortrijk sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. In the Middle Ages, Courtrai grew significantly thanks to the flax and wool industry with France and England and became one of the biggest and richest cities in Flanders.  The city is often referred to as City of Groeninge or City of the Golden Spurs, referring to the Battle of Courtrai or the Battle of the Golden Spurs which took place on 11 July 1302 on the Fields of Groeninge in Courtrai.  In 1820 the Treaty of Kortrijk was signed, laying out the still-current borders between France and Belgium. Throughout the 19th and 20th century, the flax industry flourished and remains important within the Belgian textile industry today. To be honest, I only knew Kortrijk due to its railway station and the  direct train ways to Oostende, Bruges, Roeselare and other cities in the region. I never stayed in Kortrijk before. Huge time to search for an hotel and to

During the state visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands to Belgium, a sense of anticipation filled the air as the two royal couples embarked on a journey to strengthen the bonds between their respective nations.  The visit marked an important milestone in the bilateral relations between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Kingdom of Belgium, further solidifying the long-standing friendship between the two neighboring countries. Besides this, both King Willem-Alexander and King Philippe are celebrating this year their tenth anniversary on the throne.  I really looked forward to see lovely pictures from the royals and they didn't let me down.  Picture: Bjorn Hoex State Visit Willem-Alexander/Máxima to Belgium DAY 1 As King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima arrived at the Royal Palace in Brussels, they were warmly welcomed by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.  Pictures made by Bjorn Hoex Then they paid homage to the fallen soldiers of both cou

When Belgium became independent in 1830 from the United Kingdom of The Netherlands - after a revolution - a international compromise was made.  own picture from the Revolution painting Taking at the Fine Arts Museum in Brussels Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, widower of Princess Charlotte of Wales and uncle of Queen Victoria, became the first King of Belgium in 1831. Then, The Netherlands were still struggling with the independence of the Southern Part of their country. In 1894 King Willem III of The Netherlands and Queen Emma visited  Brussels. However During the rule of King Leopold II of Belgium, Queen Wilhelmina refused to visit her neighbors.  In March 1911 she visited Belgium. Enough attention was paid to the arrival of the Dutch Queen.  A driving tour through a short part of Brussels took place. There was a lot of interest on the side. Especially on the market where Queen Wilhelmina and the Belgian King Albert got off at the town hall. Thousands of flags hung on the fa

Prince Albert was born on 6 June 1934 in Stuyvenberg Castle, Brussels, as the second son and youngest child of King Leopold III and his first wife, Princess Astrid of Sweden.  He was second in line to the throne at birth, and was given the title Prince of Liège.  Family Through his mother, Queen Astrid, King Albert II of Belgium is a descendant of Princess Ingeborg of Denmark (grandmother), Frederick VIII of Denmark and King Christian IX of Denmark (the father-in-law of Europe).  A Tragedy Queen Astrid died in a car accident on 29 August 1935, in which King Leopold was lightly injured but survived, when Prince Albert was one year old.  The King remarried to Mary Lilian Baels (later became Princess of Réthy) in 1941. The couple produced three children: Prince Alexandre, Princess Marie-Christine and Princess Marie-Esméralda (who is also Albert's goddaughter).  Albert and his siblings had a close relationship with their stepmother and they called her "Mother" World War II D