Belgian State Visit to the Netherlands

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium are on a three-day State Visit to the Netherlands, where they are hosted by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. On the first day of their visit, November 28th, they Belgian monarchs attended an Official Welcome, and with their Dutch counterparts, attended a reception, signed a treaty, visited a cultural center, and attended conferences. In the evening, a State Banquet was held at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam.

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The Belgian State Visit to the Netherlands started with an Official Welcome Ceremony at Dam Square in Amsterdam, where King Philippe and Queen Mathilde were welcomed by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. The two Kings inspected the guard of honour, and King Philippe laid a wreath at the National Monument on Dam Square. After the Welcome Ceremony, a reception was held at at the Royal Palace Amsterdam for Dutch and Belgian dignitaries. Afterwards, in the presence of all four monarchs, the Dutch and Belgian Ministers of Foreign Affairs signed a treaty altering the Dutch-Belgian border.

In the afternoon King Philippe, Queen Mathilde, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima visited the Flemish cultural centre in Amsterdam, De Brakke Grond. The two Kings attended the concluding session of the Belgian-Dutch Innovative Entrepreneurs & Finance Conference at Euronext Amsterdam, while both Queens attended a symposium on urban development and bilateral cooperation.

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In the evening, a State Banquet was held at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima in honour of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde. Both Kings gave speeches. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima were joined by his mother, Princess Beatrix, Prince Constanjin and Princess Laurentian, and Princess Margriet with her husband Pieter van Vollenhoven.

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For the day events, King Philippe wore a dark suit with a maroon tie. Queen Mathilde wore a Natan dress and coat with a Fabienne Delvigne hat, diamond earrings and an art deco brooch. King Willem-Alexander wore a navy suit with a pale orange tie. Queen Máxima wore a ruffled Claes Iversen dress and a brown cape by Theresia Vreugdenhil with black pearl and diamond earrings and a brooch at her waist.

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For the banquet, Queen Mathilde wore a beige lace Pierre Gauthier gown with the Nine Provinces Tiara, pearl and diamond earrings, Queen Fabiola’s waterfall brooch and the Sash of the Order of the Netherlands Lion. King Philippe wore White Tie with the Sash of the Order of the Netherlands Lion. King Willem-Alexander wore White Tie with the Sash of the Belgian Order of Leopold. Queen Máxima repeated a Jan Taminiau gown with the Mellerio Ruby Parure and the Sash of the Belgian Order of Leopold.

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Princess Beatrix wore a silver gown with the Dutch Diamond Bandeau, diamond earrings, riviere, star brooches, and the Sash of the Belgian Order of Leopold. Princess Laurentian wore an Talbot Runhof gown with Queen Emma’s Diamond Tiara, diamond earrings, star brooch, and the Sash of the Belgian Order of the Crown. Prince Constantijn wore White Tie with the Sash of the Belgian Order of the Crown. Princess Margriet wore the Pearl Button Tiara, pearl earrings, three-strand pearl necklace, with her pale gown and the Sash of the Belgian Order of the Crown. Pieter van Vollenhoven wore White Tie with the Sash of the Belgian Order of the Crown

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For more information, check out:

Belgian Royal Website

Dutch Royal Website

King Philippe’s Speech

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