Belgian National Day 2020

The Belgian Royal Family celebrated National Day 2020 with a series of events on July 21st. The day commemorates July 21st, 1831 in which Prince Leopold of Saxe-Cobourg-Gotha swore allegiance to the new Belgian constitution, thus becoming the first Head of State of an independent state of Belgium under a constitutional monarchy and parliament. The day also marks the Anniversary of King Philippe’s Accession.

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On July 15th, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde were joined by Princess Astrid and Archduke Lorenz as they attended the ‘Prelude to National Day’ Concert by the International Queen Elisabeth Competition at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. King Philippe’s annual National Day Speech was recorded and released July 20th.

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On July 21st, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde were joined by the Duchess of Brabant, Prince Gabriel, Prince Emmanuel, and Prince Eléonore as they attended a Te Deum at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, and afterwards the King viewed the mural by artist and calligrapher Dema One in BOZAR, meeting some of the young people who took part in his studio in Molenbeek.

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In the afternoon, King Philippe, Queen Mathilde, their four children, Princess Astrid, Prince Lorenz, and Prince Laurent presided over a ceremony paying tribute to the heroes of the COVID-19 crisis and commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War on the Square in front of the Royal Palace in Brussels, instead of the usual civil and military parade.

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In the evening, the Royal Family visited the Cecilia Residential Care Center in Alken, followed by a visit to the La Maison de Mariemont in Morlanwelz, a residential care center and convalescent home for people of all ages who need rehabilitation after hospitalization or a serious illness, or people who are waiting for a room in a rest home or other reception center.

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