Bullying in Schools

Just today, in the land of my educational exile, there was news on TV of another school shooting. This in the province of Ohio which, the report said, killed one student and wounded four others. The young shooter surrendered to the police. Such a tragedy! Of course, in Belgium we are thankful this sort of thing does not happen like in the U.S. probably because, unlike in America, in Belgium not everyone has guns. However, this was another case of a student being bullied by his classmates until finally he snapped and started shooting up the lunchroom. Bullying is not unique to America certainly and I was reminded because of this today that two weeks ago Friday Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde visited Sint Pietersinstituut in Turnhout to see the children and inspect the program there to suppress bullying in school. Tragedies like this one in America today shows how important this issue is. If the other children had not bullied the little boy (I don't know the age) this disaster probably would not have happened. It is important, as Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde did, to start with the very young children to impress on them to get along with each other and not join in when someone is singled out to be cruel to. The children, you can see, were very excited to see the Prince and Princess, wearing patriotic-decorated hats, some with the royal couple picture on them, and parents gathered outside to seem them as they came and went (for security reasons they were not allowed in the school at the same time, showing today everyone everywhere has to be extra careful). Hopefully there will be more and better programs to stop bullying and I am happy Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde took care to make this issue one of their priorities. We do not want the same thing to happen in Belgium that happened in Ohio, America today. God bless those unfortunate people.

Belgian Royals Remember Armistice 1918

Belgian Royals Visit China

Crown Prince Philippe and Crown Princess Mathilde are right now in Beijing, China with a large number of business people to try to encourage the Chinese to buy more Belgian exports and make a better environment for Belgian businesses in China. The Minister of Foreign Affairs said this was important because the economic crisis had made trade even more important. Currently there are many business ties between China and Antwerp especially. Crown Prince Philippe has met with the Deputy Prime Minister of China, Wang Qishan, and Crown Princess Mathilde has visited a dance academy also in Beijing. Belgium used to have a concession in China during the days of the Manchu Emperors but I would wager that today there are probably even more Belgian owned properties in China because of the place of importance China has today in the world of trade and the global economy. The Chinese economy has grown faster than any other in history, of any country, just in the recent decades.

New Photos of Royal Family

Belgian Royals in Washington Area

Aside from the business issues of the royal visit to America (which as much as I can tell the U.S. media still ignores, I think a little unfair since if President Obama came to Belgium he would get all the attention) Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde have also made time for some solemn commemorations. While in New York City the Duke and Duchess of Brabant visited Ground Zero (former site of the World Trade Center) and placed a wreath their sent by the King in honor of the victims of the terrible terrorist attack (there was one Belgian killed in the 9-11 attack and of course many friends). Yesterday, moving to the Washington DC area, the couple visited Arlington National Cemetery in northern Virginia where, you can see in the picture, they placed a memorial wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in honor of those who died in Belgium during World War II at the battle of the Bulge. It is very appropriate to remember the brave Americans who, with all the other Allied powers, fought to liberate the Kingdom of Belgium from the Nazi occupation. Thanks America!

Belgian Royal Visit to America

Prince Philippe and Prince Mathilde are now on a visit to the United States. I just learned this, nothing seen on the news programs about it at all. They arrived on Wednesday and will stay through the end of the month. They came with a large delegation of Belgian businessmen to hopefully encourage more economic ties and business deals between the United States and the Kingdom of Belgium. They arrived in New York City and will also visit Washington DC and Boston before returning home.

Philippe and Mathilde at London Wedding

Crown Prince and Princess Philippe and Mathilde were at the front for the Will & Kate wedding in London. As you see from the picture, it was quite a royal gathering.

The King in December

Last month, some of us lucky to have a nice vacation but SM the King has been busy all the time and the rest of the Family Royal also. It is surprising how much new was made by Crown Princess Mathilde being interviewed about her efforts to be bilingual. I thought nothing about it was unusual but simply talking about it may be out of the ordinary. She said learning Dutch is very difficult (not many would argue that point who did not grow up speaking it) and that she knows she speaks it with a French accent and has to make an effort to speak it, hear it and converse in it to remain fluent. She also mentioned the children attending a Dutch language school. Back to the King though in December he named former European Affairs Minister Frans Timmermans a Grand Officer of the Crown of Belgium for his career in European cooperation and keeping good relations between Belgium and Nederlands. The Belgian ambassador to Nederlands presented him with his medal.

The story I missed that caused most upset for me was the NVA member Siegfried Bracke wrote on his blog a complaint that the King has too much power in the Belgian government. Of course that is totally outrageous as most media was at least honest enough to mention. The King has a very specific part to play and ministers may take or ignore his advice and on his own he has the power to do nothing. That is true but I also must say that for myself it would be better I think for the King to really have some power in government and be given more authority because the King seems the only person who does not put one community or one party or one ideology before the interests of the whole country. Some actions and statements of the King I have first disagreed with but I also do not see any major political figures who put the country first and only the King seems to really have any interest in that and has a self-interest in the unity of the country. For almost everyone else their self-interest is dis-unity and antagonism between the regions and communities.

New Photos Official

The best looking family of royals around I think!

European Development Days

See the Video here.

VRT
6/12/10 - Crown Prince Filip and Princess Mathilde attended the opening of the European Development Days in Brussels. For two days over 5,000 experts from a 100 different countries will discuss the challenges and the problems facing international development across the globe.

Crown Princesse Mathilde Honors Dutch Language

Prinses Mathilde is zaterdag in Brugge bij de viering van de dertigste verjaardag van de Nederlandse Taalunie. Prinses Máxima moet verstek laten gaan vanwege het huwelijk van prins Carlos en Annemarie Gualthérie van Weezel in Brussel op hetzelfde tijdstip.

Ter gelegenheid van de verjaardag brengt de Nederlandse Taalunie voor de allereerste keer alle landen bijeen waar het Nederlands een rol speelt. Beleidsmakers uit deze landen gaan op zoek naar samenwerking om de positie van het Nederlands in de wereld te verstevigen.

In dat proces speelt de jeugd een belangrijke rol. Daarom nodigde de Taalunie vooral jeugdige creatieve taalgebruikers uit. Het thema van het feest is: Nederlands, wereldtaal! Aan prinses Mathilde de taak de nieuwe website 'De Wereld van de Nederlandse Taal' te openen.

De Vlaamse krant Het Nieuwsblad uitte verbazing over de uitnodiging van Mathilde. 'Een Franstalige die het Nederlands moet verdedigen, is dat niet vreemd?' vroeg Het Nieuwsblad aan de Taalunie. ,,Nee", aldus Luddo Permentier van de Nederlandse Taalunie. ,,Haar Nederlands is meer dan behoorlijk en bovendien wilden we de klemtoon leggen op buitenlanders die Nederlands willen leren. In dat opzicht is ze een uitstekend voorbeeld."

Interview de la princesse Mathilde au Liberia

(Via Blog sur la famille royale belge)

Lors de son voyage au Liberia avec l'Onusida et l'Unicef début octobre, la princesse Mathilde a accordé une interview au journaliste Pierre Nizet pour les quotidiens du groupe Sud Presse :

"Madame, que retiendrez-vous de ces trois jours passés au Liberia, qu'est-ce qui vous a le plus touchée?- Je viens ce matin de passer deux heures avec des femmes et des enfants atteints du sida. Je vous promets, c'était vraiment poignant. J'ai parlé avec une femme victime de ce fléau, cela se voyait dans ses yeux qu'elle avait le sida. Beaucoup d'entre elles ont été abandonnées par leur famille, jetées dehors. J'ai eu beaucoup de rencontres émotionnelles. Je pense à ces soeurs travaillant à l'hospice. J'ai été frappée par leur dévouement. Elles ont redonné une dignité à ses femmes, en tant que mères, en tant que personnes humaines. Sinon, le Liberia est un pays qui a connu plusieurs années de conflit. Il est lancé dans un processus de reconstruction mais il y a encore énormément de défis.

- Pourquoi avoir choisi de venir ici, un pays dont on parle si peu?

- Je suis venue ici pour soutenir les projets aidant les femmes et les enfants victimes de la violence. J'ai aussi beaucoup parlé de l'éducation aux gens que j'ai rencontrés. Pour moi, l'éducation est la clé pour l'avenir du pays. J'ai aussi rencontré des leaders religieux, des imams notamment. J'ai pu discuter avec eux du respect des femmes. Il faut en parler, c'est important. Mon objectif aussi est de donner ma voix à ceux qui n'en ont pas. Voilà les raisons de mon voyage.

- Franchement, vous qui êtes princesse dans un pays riche, qu'est-ce qui peut vous motiver à aller au Liberia?

- J'étais déjà une passionnée avant mon mariage. J'ai toujours eu un intérêt pour les gens qui ont beaucoup de problèmes. Je suis, je le rappelle, logopède et psychologue de formation. J'ai toujours voulu écouter les personnes, leur apporter mon soutien. Je veux faire du terrain, voir la réalité, je veux en parler et que vous en parliez.

- Que peut apporter Unicef Belgique à ce pays?

- Vous l'avez entendu : l'organisation va lui donner 500.000 euros pour l'enregistrement des naissances. Il faut investir dans les enfants, c'est le futur du pays. L'important, c'est qu'ils gardent l'espoir et, dans ce pays, j'ai entendu beaucoup de messages d'espoir. Les gens mettent beaucoup d'énergie à vouloir s'en sortir.

- On a beaucoup parlé, lors de cette visite, de l'usage du préservatif pour réduire le nombre de personnes atteintes du sida. Quelle est votre position à ce sujet?

- Je suis ici en tant que représentante de l'Unicef. Je parle des enfants et des femmes...

- Comment allez-vous parler de cette expérience et avec qui?

- Je vais d'abord en parler avec mon mari, puis avec mes enfants. Ensuite, je vais aller plus loin sur cette problématique.

- Quand vous serez reine, vous vous occuperez encore des moins nantis, des plus vulnérables?

- Quand je serai reine? Chaque chose en son temps. Là, je vais d'abord penser à l'après-mission. Vous savez, je m'investis à fond en tant qu'épouse de mon mari et que mère.

- Vous parlez beaucoup de l'éducation des jeunes filles?

- Parce qu'elles sont les plus vulnérables mais je n'oublie pas non plus les jeunes garçons qui doivent apprendre à être tolérants, à respecter les jeunes filles, à être non-violents.

- Vous appliquez ce principe à la maison avec vos propres enfants?

- Bien sûr que oui... Qui serais-je si je ne faisais pas ce que je dis?".

Princesse Mathilde in Liberia

Princesse Mathilde has been doing the good work in the African country of Liberia, meeting with the President of the country and others as part of her work for UNICEF and UNAIDS with an emphasis on HIV/AIDS and children and women. There is a video of her meeting with the President of Liberia. The Princesse is doing alot of good and her genuine concern comes across. It also seems there is good news for her family that her sister, Countess Hélène d'Udekem d'Acoz, is engaged to be married.

Prince Philippe Activities

Crown Prince Philippe and Princesse Mathilde visited on Thursday Clarysse in Pittem company, Max Havelaar label, in West Flanders, which produces bath and kitchen textiles with materials from Africa. Their label works with cotton producers in the struggling African nation of Mali and they pay above average prices for the cotton to help that country when the same could be obtained for less. The agricultural cooperative also pays special attention to ecological issues and the higher prices go to provide social improvements in that country. Prince Philippe and Princesse Mathilde wanted to highlight the work and mutual benefit that this arrangement provides for the workers in Belgium and Mali together. They met with the workers and they were very honored and happy to meet the future King and Queen of the Belgians and were pleased to answer all of the questions they had about how things functioned there.

News media also reports that Monday Prince Philippe will be going far away to visit Astana, Kazakhstan (one of the former Soviet republics in central Asia). Tuesday he will meet with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbavev. This is to improve trading relations between Belgium and Kazakhstan and is part of a larger campaign of foreign trips, going all around the world that Prince Philippe is doing to help Belgian business and promote commercial activity with the country that is especially essential now when Belgium is in such debt and the economy going through a down period and new business is greatly needed. Prince Philippe is working hard for Belgium!

Princesse Mathilde Visits CKG

On the morning Friday of 24 September 2010 the Princesse Mathilde was in Antwerp to visit the Centrum voor Kinderzorg en Gezinsondersteuning, a place of help and assistance for children and their families in Borgerhout. This is an opportunity to give my opinion that Princesse Mathilde is a great asset for the Belgian Family Royal. I do not know any other heir to the throne of the countries of Europe that has married such a beneficial spouse. She has showed no stress, no difficulty in adapting to the royal life (which everyone knows there is) and has always been the face of a supportive wife and affectionate mother. Princesse Mathilde rocks! She is great for the country and she does alot of work, sometimes tough jobs as we see...

...like when a precocious child grabs you by the earring! Ouch!! Keep the good working at your role Princesse Mathilde, we love you!

Les vacances de Philippe et Mathilde

Le Palais s'adaptant lentement mais sûrement aux nouvelles technologies (ils sont en retard à ce sujet par rapport aux Windsor), le site officiel du Palais propose, pour la première fois, une vidéo du prince Philippe, de la princesse Mathilde et de leurs quatre enfants lors de leur visite en juillet de la ferme pédagogique "De Pierlapont" à Loppem en Flandre occidentale: (plus)

Crown Princess Mathilde's Uncle Henri

Een oom van prinses Mathilde wil lid worden van de Vlaams-Nationalistische N-VA. Die partij streeft niet alleen naar een onafhankelijk Vlaanderen, maar is bovendien republikeins. Maar graaf Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz ziet daarin geen bezwaar.

Hij is weliswaar tegen de splitsing van België en vóór het koningshuis, maar ook ,,rechts-conservatief en zeer Vlaamsgezind'', zo heeft hij vrijdag Het Laatste Nieuws laten weten. Hij vindt het een goede zaak als Vlaanderen zoveel mogelijk zelf kan beslissen ,,wat het beste is voor Vlaamse mensen''.

N-VA-leider Bart De Wever heet 'nonkel Henri', zoals de graaf in België genoemd wordt, van harte welkom in zijn partij. Dat het nieuwe lid vasthoudt aan zijn koningsgezindheid is geen probleem. ,,Van de 1,2 miljoen N-VA-stemmers zal hij wel niet de enige zijn met sympathie voor het koningshuis.'' © GPD; Bron: ANP

Princes de Belgique

Video of a few years back but still very nice.

Versailles, 2003

De gauche à droite, Mme. Chirac, Princesse Mathilde de Belgique, Princesse Lalla Salma,
épouse dur Roi Mohammad VI du Maroc, Mme. Giscard d'Estaing et S.M.I. Farah Pahlavi.