Latest news with #QueenMathilde
News.com.au
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Rare sighting of Belgian royal love child stuns
On July 21 the Belgian royal family celebrated the country's national day, gathering on a stage on Brussel's Place des Palais to review a military parade. At the front, King Philipe and Queen Mathilde proudly watched as their military student son Prince Gabriel marched. But one royal family member stood out, clad in a red vegan leather dress and heart-shaped sunglasses. For the sartorially adventurous Princess Delphine, sister to the King, the journey to her place on that stage was a tortured and teary one that involved decades of secrets, stalking paparazzi, and court fights, a battle which took from an artsy life in the UK to The Palace of Brussels. The day everything changed for Delphine: Her 17th birthday in 1985. Her mother, Baroness Sybille de Selys Longchamp took her out to lunch at her favourite restaurant in London and finally revealed the truth. Her real father was not industrialist Jacques Boël but the man who would be King Albert II of Belgium. (Albert was the heir to the throne at the time.) What followed could not be further from any sort of Princess Diaries-type fantasy sweep. Delphine became, her lawyer later would say, a 'state secret'. For Delphine, Albert was already a family friend. She had nicknamed him Papillion - French for butterfly - and he gave her cards and presents, even holidaying with her and her mother. After that lunch, Delphine later said, she knew she had to 'shut up because the [fallout] could be terrible.' 'I had to protect, first of all, my father. I had to protect my mother. And I had to protect my country. Because if it is known that I exist and I was born outside the marriage of my father, who comes from a very Catholic background, there will be a big scandal, and my father could maybe lose his throne'. And so in her 20s and 30s, she did just that. Delphine graduated from then Chelsea School of Art and Design in London, worked to establish herself as an artist, lived on London's Portobello Road and stayed schtum. Even when she began dating an American named Jim O'Hare, long since husband, she did not tell him of her royal status. Then, in 1999, teenage monarchist Mario Danneels entered the picture, having decided to write a biography of King Albert's wife, Queen Paola. Royal insiders, Danneels later told Vanity Fair, 'just saw me as a cute little boy, I suppose, who admired the queen…A lot of people told me too much as well as a result.' The history-changing moment came when a former courtier 'casually' told him: 'Everyone knows Albert has a daughter with another woman.' The existence of Delphine 'was an open secret with the Belgian media,' Danneels has said. 'But no one there was [willing] to report it.' In 1999 his book came out revealing Delphine's existence and suddenly, as he later explained, 'it was open season' on her. Jim O'Hare finally found out that his father-in-law was actually a King - and Delphine's life took a turn for the worst. With no security and cut off from the palace, she was reportedly stalked by the press and harassed by people in the street. Danneel's biography, he later said, was 'was the excuse that [the media] needed to go all out on this.… The next day it was in the British paper The Times—the headline was: 'Love Child of Belgian King Living in London,' and a huge picture of Delphine on the front cover.…' A Belgian palace spokesperson called Danneel's revelation 'malevolent gossip,' the BBC reported at the time. For the next two years Delphine and Albert stayed in contact until 2001 when, as she later told a documentary, 'he just went mad'. 'He said, 'Leave me alone. You're not my daughter.' That was a shock.' After the King cut off contact, 'I was taken aback,' she later told Talter. 'It was surreal and very disturbing… You don't have a child and then kind of… kick it… He kind of left me like a piece of met to the dogs.' Being a not so secret princess came at a cost. Her art works were 'removed from municipal buildings ahead of royal visits,' the Times reported in 2014. Delphine, who moves in aristocratic circles, would be invited to parties - only to have the invitation rescinded if a Belgian royal was also going. A German car said they wanted to use her art in a magazine - only for them to cancel. 'The company did not want 'trouble'' the Times reported. A company executive said, 'We sell a lot of cars to the palace.' In 2003 Delphine became a mother, welcoming her daughter Joséphine. Two years later, for the very first time she claimed in an interview that Albert was her father. (Her son Oscar was born in 2005.) The King never actually denied any of this - however nor did he claim Delphine as his own. The last straw for her came when her UK bank accounts were reportedly closed because she and Baroness Sybille were listed as 'politically exposed persons'. 'My life and that of my children had become unnecessarily difficult and at one point it became unbearable,' she has said. 'When I wanted to open a bank account for my children, it was a problem. I saw that my son Oscar was referred to as PEP: a 'politically exposed person' who had been blacklisted.' In 2013, Albert abdicated in favour of his son Phillipe, removing his legal protection as sovereign. Delphine told Tatler of her decision to take her father to court, 'I was pretty much like: 'I really don't like you. And I'm going to have to fight for my life. It's me now, and my children. Our future. No more lies. This story has to come out in the open.'' Delphine filed a lawsuit to try and force Albert to publicly acknowledge her. 'The first time I visited him and his lawyers, he was very nasty and made me cry,' Delphine later told a documentary. During the encounter, she said, Albert 'sneered' at her, saying she was taking him to court 'because it's not going so well as an artist you need some attention'. 'I thought, 'how unbelievably rude is this?'' Delphine has said. 'After the first conversation with Albert and his lawyers, I walked out of the office completely crushed and crying.' Her lawsuit would slowly wind its way through the legal system for five years until, in 2018, a Brussels court ruled that Albert had to do a DNA test. He refused. For months still the saga dragged on until May 2019 when a judge ruled he would fine the King €5,000 euros ($8,965) a day until he did it. You only had to look at Delphine and by then King Philipe to know what the result would be. In October 2020, the Brussels Court of Appeal finally handed down their ruling - she was a princess and could officially be known as Delphine of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. (Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was the British royal family's surname until World War One when King George V changed it to 'Windsor'.) Not only did Delphine get a title but her children became Princess Joséphine and Prince Oscar. (One day Delphine will inherit, along with her siblings, her portion of Albert's approximately $1.4 billion fortune though she has made clear that money was never a motive. Jacques Boël is reportedly worth about twice as much as the King and after divorcing him Baroness Sybille married into Britain's Cayzer billionaire shipping family.) In October 2020, Delphine was finally introduced to her brother King Philipe. Several weeks later the Belgian palace released a photo of Delphine, Albert and Paola meeting in what looked like a decidedly tense face-to-face. Things were still far from fairytale. Josephine and Oscar, she told the times, got used to being asked if their mother was 'right in the head' for her royal claims. 'My children were being bullied at school by people saying that their mother is crazy, she wants attention, or God knows what. It's very unpleasant for children to hear that about their own mother,' Delphine told Vanity Fairy in 2022. In 2021, Delphine first appeared with her half siblings King Philippe, Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent for Belgium's national day celebrations and since then annually turns up dressed in the most eye-popping of ensembles. This week the princess rallied to fellow royal outsider Prince Harry's cause, telling a podcast she 'understands' him and his struggles and that 'he's just traumatised'. For decades, Delphine channeled her family drama into her art; maybe Harry needs to get himself some acrylics.
Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Queen Mathilde of Belgium is radiant in red as she joins King Philippe and their four children to celebrate National Day in Brussels
Belgium's Royal Family appeared in high spirits as they celebrated National Day on Monday. Queen Mathilde, 52, who put on a stunning display in red for the patriotic celebration, posed alongside King Philippe as they arrived at the Te Deum mass at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels. The mother-of-four looked chic in a flowing, red dress, which featured a floral pattern and an off-the-shoulder neckline, while Philippe, 65, looked dapper in a military uniform. She was joined by her daughters, Crown Princess Elisabeth, 23, and 17-year-old Princess Eleonore, who both donned bright and bold shades of green for the celebration. Elisabeth opted for a bright lime shade while her younger sister donned a mid-length dress in a darker colour. Their brothers, Prince Gabriel, 21, and Prince Emmanuel, 19, looked equally smart in matching pinstripe trousers and black tailcoats. Independence Day celebrates the separation of Belgium from the Netherlands in 1831, as well as the formal establishment of the Kingdom. The royal family attends the mass ceremony in Brussels every year in an annual tradition. It comes after Crown Princess Elisabeth of Belgium said that she doesn't want 'preferential treatment to stay at Harvard amid Donald Trump 's ban on foreign students, sources have claimed. The academic future of Elisabeth, 23, hangs in the balance amid Trump's battle with Harvard University, after the US president sought to ban foreign students from the prestigious university. While a federal judge has temporarily blocked Trump's ban after Harvard sued the government, the Belgian Palace will be monitoring the situation stateside as the date for Princess Elisabeth's return to Boston after the summer inches closer. However, Elisabeth said that she doesn't want her circumstances to be considered any differently due to her royal status. She believes it is essential to 'show solidarity with other international students,' some of whom are her close friends, a source told HLN. The sources added that Elisabeth is conscious about the message she sends to other students, as well as ensuring happy relations between Belgium and the United States. According to the outlet, the heir to the Belgian throne, who has completed her first two of four academic years at the oldest American university, is anxiously awaiting to hear the decision. In the meantime, Elisabeth, a public policy student, is currently undertaking a summer internship programme at an undisclosed institution in Brussels. In photos shared on the Belgian royal family's official Instagram page last September, Elisabeth appeared excited to settle into her all-American life amid reports she was already a highly sought-after companion among her peers. The Princess is currently enrolled in a Master's program in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. Away from her royal duties, Elisabeth has embraced life as a student as she was pictured on the first day of term wearing an understated, yet chic, ensemble - complete with sneakers - in portraits shared by the Palace. The royal enrolled at the institution under the name 'Elisabeth de Saxe-Coburg' at Harvard Kennedy School. The palace told Brussels Times, 'The Princess was also selected for an 'Honorary Award' from the Fullbright Program, the US Department of State's international educational exchange programme. ' According to the university's website, the course aims to cultivate student's skills in preparation for them having a 'successful career in public service'. Princess Elisabeth has been touted as being one of the most intelligent royals - arguably surpassing Meghan Markle who was once dubbed the 'cleverest' of them. Not long after enrolling at the institution, the Princess celebrated her 23rd birthday, with the Palace releasing a series of sweet snaps to mark the occasion. Beaming towards the camera, Elisabeth wore a stylish in set from ba&sh, including a £240 short-sleeved vest with a jacquard pattern and a matching £230 midi skirt. The royal ditched a high-society snapper and had a fellow student called Max Bueno take the images - a scholarship student studying at the same school as Elisabeth. Max, a professional photographer, also documented the royal's first day at school in the official portraits shared by the Belgian Palace last September. According to HLN News, Elisabeth, had settled in well at her new American school because, perhaps unsurprisingly, 'quite a few people want to be her friend'. And proving her academic ability has never a struggle for Elisabeth, who only last year completed her studies at Oxford last year. Last summer, Princess Elisabeth thanked the University of Oxford for three 'wonderful' years. She moved to the UK in the autumn of 2021 to start her History and Politics undergraduate course at Lincoln College. Fiercely dedicated to not receiving special treatment thanks to her status, Elisabeth completed her entrance exam for Oxford 'anonymously' to ensure her royal status would not affect her chances of being offered a place, reported the Belgian newspaper Le Soir. Elisabeth graduated in three years with a degree in History and Politics, something she reportedly chose because she felt it would be most useful to her in her role as Queen later in life. After Elisabeth finished her studies in England, she took part in various engagements throughout the summer with her parents. An accomplished 23-year-old by any measure, the official royal website says Elisabeth enjoys walking in nature, reading and playing the piano – although like 'all youngsters her age', writes the palace, 'her taste in music is varied.' Elisabeth - who speaks Dutch, French, German, English, and has also taken classes in Mandarin Chinese - began attending royal engagements from a young age and was just nine when she delivered a speech at the opening of the Princess Elisabeth Children's Hospital. It comes after King Philippe of Belgium discussed whether he has plans to abdicate the throne in favour of his eldest child in a new interview. The 65-year-old Belgian king answered 30 questions put forward by the public in a video shared by the Belgian Royal Palace. One question asked Philippe about his plans for abdication, if any. 'A King steps back, but is not retired,' Philippe answered when translated to English via Hola. Should Philippe one day choose to abdicate, his eldest daughter, Crown Princess Elisabeth, will ascend the throne. In his answer, Philippe continued, 'I will continue to work for Belgium and I must give my daughter time to enjoy her youth, develop herself and see the world and I support her 100 percent in that and I will do everything I can to give her all the time she needs to do.' Philippe's father, King Albert of Belgium, abdicated in 2013 after a 20-year reign, clearing the way for his son, Philippe, to take over as the nation's king. Aged 53 at the time, then-Prince Philippe took the oath before the nation's legislators at the Parliament building, a short walk across the Royal Park in the heart of the city.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Yahoo
King and Queen of Belgium Stranded in Chile After Flight Malfunction
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde are stuck in Chile following problems with the aircraft that was supposed to take them home The King and Queen of Belgium were due to fly home on Thursday, June 26, but a "tire incident" involving their flight pushed the plan back King Philipp, 65, and Queen Mathilde, kicked off their Chile trip a day late after "technical problems" with their flight thereKing Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium's official trip to Chile is extending longer than expected. According to reports, as of June 27, the Belgian royals remain in Chile following a problem with their flight home. King Philippe, 65, and Queen Mathilde, 52, were due to wrap a state visit to the South American country on Thursday, June 26. HLN reported that the King and Queen were supposed to take off on Thursday at 5 p.m., local time, from Antofagasta Airport, but the plane never made it off the runway. The Belgian paper said that the royals were the last to board before it made its way to position on the runway, but that the Airbus rattled as the cabin crew gave safety instructions. As a tow truck moved the plane to its take-off position, a tire was reportedly damaged. Belga New Agency said that the King, Queen and the ministers with them debarked the aircraft after the "tire incident," with the departure expected to be delayed for a few hours. Other members of the delegation initially stayed on board, before being asked to debark. Following the tire replacement, the flight then required official clearance to fly, and the group moved to a hotel while waiting. The outlet identified the aircraft as an Airbus A340-300 operated by Hi Fly, a Portuguese airline. Belga News Agency added that the earliest takeoff time was 12 p.m., local time, on June 27 — but the hiccups continued, Around that hour, royal reporter Wim Dehandschutter wrote on X that the King and Queen "can't fly back today" and that over 16 hours later, the repaired tire has not officially been approved. The update came with a video of King Philippe speaking to the delegation. The transit trouble is the second issue that the King and Queen of Belgium have had on the their Chile trip. The state visit was originally expected to begin on Monday, June 23, but the schedule was cut short by one day due to difficulty with the outward flight, which was also an Airbus A340-300. The royals had planned to fly out from the military airport in Melsbroek around 9 a.m., local time, on Sunday, June 22, but "technical problems" with the aircraft delayed their departure, HLN said. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! King Philippe and Queen Mathilde were later able to fly out of Belgium on Monday morning at 9 a.m, a whole day later. They attended a welcome ceremony in the capital of Santiago with President Gabriel Boric on Tuesday, June 24 and hit the ground running, undertaking a program focused on diplomatic, economic, scientific and social stops and activities while abroad. Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
27-06-2025
- Daily Mail
King and Queen stranded in Chile due to faulty plane
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium are stranded in Chile due to a fault with their plane. Following a three-day state visit to the country at the invitation of the President of the Republic of Chile, Gabriel Boric Font, the Belgian royals were due to depart from Antofagasta Airport on Thursday. However, the Airbus A340-300 carrying Philippe, 65, and Mathilde, 52, along with government officials, business leaders, academics, and media representatives, 'rattled' and fell 'silent' while being taxied to the runway, HLN reported. Shortly after, passengers were informed that the aircraft was damaged and take-off would be delayed 'by several hours', but the flight was later cancelled with sources saying 'a tire was destroyed.' The plane now needs a replacement wheel before it can attempt another take off, meaning it's unclear when the return flight will depart. During the first Belgian state visit to Latin America in 60 years, the couple enjoyed a welcome ceremony at La Moneda Presidential Palace in Santiago. But their short trip to Chile has been marred by travel issues because the outbound flight was also delayed by 24 hours due to technical difficulties. Philippe and Mathilde were due to depart from Melsbroek Airport at 9am last Sunday, but were told the night before that their plane was suffering technical issues. They eventually took off 24 hours later on Monday morning in the 24-year-old Airbus, which had been grounded since May 18. The mishap comes after Queen Mathilde experienced another terrifying start to a royal visit after her plane was forced to make an emergency landing in February. The Belgian royal was on her way to Costa Rica when her plane was forced to carry out a priority landing after it suffered a crack to the windshield during the flight. Mathilde was headed to the country for a three-day solo trip organised by UNICEF Belgium and UNICEF Costa Rica when the aircraft suffered the frightening crack. Luckily, staff onboard steered the royal to safety, with the aircraft landing at San José Juan Santamaria International airport just 15 minutes ahead of schedule. While the incident likely sparked concern for the crew onboard, it appeared the incident was unbeknownst to their royal passengers who arrived unscathed and none-the-wiser of the stressful ordeal. Writing on X, royal commentator, Wim Dehandschutter, wrote: 'The airplane with Belgian Queen Mathilde landed in Costa Rica with a cracked windshield, according to this account and local media.' 'I was on that flight. As passengers, we didn't notice anything, and we didn't receive any notification during the flight or upon landing.' He added: 'Our KLM flight did leave Schiphol 20 minutes late, there was turbulence - as on many flights - and the landing was quite hard, but nothing seemed to be alarming. So I was a bit surprised when I read reports in the local media and on X about the 'emergency landing'. It comes after King Philippe of Belgium discussed whether he has plans to abdicate the throne in favour of his eldest child in an interview. The 65-year-old Belgian king answered 30 questions put forward by the public in a video shared by the Belgian Royal Palace. One question asked Philippe, who is married to Queen Mathilde of Belgium, 52, about his plans for abdication, if any. 'A King steps back, but is not retired,' Philippe answered when translated to English via Hola. Should Philippe one day choose to abdicate, his eldest daughter, Crown Princess Elisabeth, 23, will ascend the throne. In his answer, Philippe continued, 'I will continue to work for Belgium and I must give my daughter time to enjoy her youth, develop herself and see the world and I support her 100 percent in that and I will do everything I can to give her all the time she needs to do.' Philippe's father, King Albert of Belgium, abdicated in 2013 after a 20-year reign, clearing the way for his son, Philippe, to take over as the nation's king. Aged 53 at the time, then-Prince Philippe took the oath before the nation's legislators at the Parliament building, a short walk across the Royal Park in the heart of the city. The future Belgian queen has certainly made the most of her youth, and is currently studying at Harvard University after finishing her undergraduate degree at Oxford University. In photos shared on the Belgian royal family's official Instagram page last September, Elisabeth appeared excited to settle into her all-American life amid reports she was already a highly sought-after companion among her peers. The Princess is currently enrolled in a two-year Master's program in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. Away from her royal duties, Elisabeth has embraced life as a student as she was pictured on the first day of term wearing an understated, yet chic, ensemble - complete with sneakers - in portraits shared by the Palace. The royal enrolled at the institution under the name 'Elisabeth de Saxe-Coburg' at Harvard Kennedy School.
Daily Mail
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
King Philippe of Belgium discusses abdication plans in new interview
King Philippe of Belgium has discussed whether he has plans to abdicate the throne in favour of his eldest child in a new interview. The 65-year-old Belgian king answered 30 questions put forward by the public in a video shared by the Belgian Royal Palace. One question asked Philippe, who is married to Queen Mathilde of Belgium, 52, about his plans for abdication, if any. 'A King steps back, but is not retired,' Philippe answered when translated to English via Hola. Should Philippe one day choose to abdicate, his eldest daughter, Crown Princess Elisabeth, 23, will ascend the throne. In his answer, Philippe continued, 'I will continue to work for Belgium and I must give my daughter time to enjoy her youth, develop herself and see the world and I support her 100 percent in that and I will do everything I can to give her all the time she needs to do.' Philippe's father, King Albert of Belgium, abdicated in 2013 after a 20-year reign, clearing the way for his son, Philippe, to take over as the nation's king. Aged 53 at the time, then-Prince Philippe took the oath before the nation's legislators at the Parliament building, a short walk across the Royal Park in the heart of the city. The future Belgian queen has certainly made the most of her youth, and is currently studying at Harvard University after finishing her undergraduate degree at Oxford University. In photos shared on the Belgian royal family's official Instagram page last September, Elisabeth appeared excited to settle into her all-American life amid reports she was already a highly sought-after companion among her peers. The Princess is currently enrolled in a two-year Master's program in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. Away from her royal duties, Elisabeth has embraced life as a student as she was pictured on the first day of term wearing an understated, yet chic, ensemble - complete with sneakers - in portraits shared by the Palace. The royal enrolled at the institution under the name 'Elisabeth de Saxe-Coburg' at Harvard Kennedy School. The palace told Brussels Times, 'The Princess was also selected for an 'Honorary Award' from the Fullbright Program, the US Department of State's international educational exchange programme. ' According to the university's website, the course aims to cultivate student's skills in preparation for them having a 'successful career in public service'. Princess Elisabeth has been touted as being one of the most intelligent royals - arguably surpassing Meghan Markle who was once dubbed the 'cleverest' of them. Not long after enrolling at the institution, the Princess celebrated her 23rd birthday, with the Palace releasing a series of sweet snaps to mark the occasion. Beaming towards the camera, Elisabeth wore a stylish in set from ba&sh, including a £240 short-sleeved vest with a jacquard pattern and a matching £230 midi skirt. The royal ditched a high-society snapper and had a fellow student called Max Bueno take the images - a scholarship student studying at the same school as Elisabeth. Max, a professional photographer, also documented the royal's first day at school in the official portraits shared by the Belgian Palace last September. According to HLN News, Elisabeth, had settled in well at her new American school because, perhaps unsurprisingly, 'quite a few people want to be her friend'. And proving her academic ability has never a struggle for Elisabeth, who only last year completed her studies at Oxford last year. Last summer, Princess Elisabeth thanked the University of Oxford for three 'wonderful' years. She moved to the UK in the autumn of 2021 to start her History and Politics undergraduate course at Lincoln College. Fiercely dedicated to not receiving special treatment thanks to her status, Elisabeth completed her entrance exam for Oxford 'anonymously' to ensure her royal status would not affect her chances of being offered a place, reported the Belgian newspaper Le Soir. Elisabeth graduated in three years with a degree in History and Politics, something she reportedly chose because she felt it would be most useful to her in her role as Queen later in life. After Elisabeth finished her studies in England, she took part in various engagements throughout the summer with her parents. An accomplished 23-year-old by any measure, the official royal website says Elisabeth enjoys walking in nature, reading and playing the piano – although like 'all youngsters her age', writes the palace, 'her taste in music is varied.' Elisabeth - who speaks Dutch, French, German, English, and has also taken classes in Mandarin Chinese - began attending royal engagements from a young age and was just nine when she delivered a speech at the opening of the Princess Elisabeth Children's Hospital.
