King Philippe & Queen Mathilde

[Future Crayon]

Good King Phil met with the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda

[Aubiette]

I’m loving Good Queen Tils trip. 

[Future Crayon]

King Philippe met with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy

[Future Crayon]

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visited two families in Houthalen-Helchteren who lost family members in the earthquake. The first family lost loved ones in the Turkish city of Hatay, while the second family lost family in the Syrian city of Aleppo.

[loveofenglishtradition]

It is amazing how the Belgian Royals are reacting so fast to the recent desaster in Turkey and Syria. They seem to be very alert and very sensitive about caring and showing their support for people in great trouble.

I haven't so far seen that reaction from other royals. Not that I blame them, but still so remarkable how Mathilde and Philippe are caring.

[Future Crayon]

It is amazing how the Belgian Royals are reacting so fast to the recent desaster in Turkey and Syria. They seem to be very alert and very sensitive about caring and showing their support for people in great trouble.

I haven't so far seen that reaction from other royals. Not that I blame them, but still so remarkable how Mathilde and Philippe are caring.

I thought it was a thoughtful engagement - timely and personal

[fairy]

Indeed, a great visit.
And how darling the little girls were made up for a visit of the Queen. This photo will be passed down and treasured for many generations...

[Rita]

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visited two families in Houthalen-Helchteren who lost family members in the earthquake. The first family lost loved ones in the Turkish city of Hatay, while the second family lost family in the Syrian city of Aleppo.

That's very nice and thoughtful of them

[Future Crayon]

Queen Mathilde visited Sint-Lievenscollege in Gent to mark anti bullying week in Belgium

[Future Crayon]

Good King Phil visited the COMET group and Recupel in Oburg to learn more about recycling and the circular economy. COMET recycles more than a million tonnes of metal from electrical good collected by Recupel, which is then sold back to industry.

[Future Crayon]

A new goddaughter for Queen Til!

https://queenmathilde.blo.../another-goddaughter.html

In Belgium, if a family has seven daughters in a row, they can ask the queen to be godmother to the seventh. The family received an engraved silver cup and had breakfast with the mayor of Molenbeek

[Rita]

A new goddaughter for Queen Til!

https://queenmathilde.blo.../another-goddaughter.html

In Belgium, if a family has seven daughters in a row, they can ask the queen to be godmother to the seventh. The family received an engraved silver cup and had breakfast with the mayor of Molenbeek

Oh this is lovely

[Principessa]

A new goddaughter for Queen Til!

https://queenmathilde.blo.../another-goddaughter.html

In Belgium, if a family has seven daughters in a row, they can ask the queen to be godmother to the seventh. The family received an engraved silver cup and had breakfast with the mayor of Molenbeek

According:
https://beaumonde.nl/arti...kind%20van%20de%20koning.


.....It is not known when the tradition originated. It is, however, an increasingly rare phenomenon. King Baudouin, who died in 1993, still had almost 600 godsons – many were named after him and more than half attended his funeral. His successor Albert had 32. His wife Paola 34. The godchildren are also rarely given the name of the monarch or queen.....

[Principessa]

From an approx 20 year old post in a Google group about the topic. The post was originally in Dutch, I translated it by use of Google Translate


...This custom also exists in Eastern North Brabant and Dutch Limburg. The
seventh son or daughter is often called Louis(e).

There are two researchers
of our local history circle: the late Gerard Engels and
nowadays Hans van den Broek. Their data is published in us
heme leaf. It concerns the following articles:

Broek, H. van den, 1997. And the seventh son is called Louis. D'n
Uijtbeijndel, periodical of Heemkundekring H.N. Ouwerling, no. 37 (autumn
1997). Doorne.

Engels, G., 1995. Seventh son/daughter. D'n Uijtbeijndel, periodical of
History circle H.N. Ouwerling, no. 31 (spring 1995). Doorne.

A brief summary of the content of these articles:

The custom of calling the seventh son or daughter Louis(e) is one
bundling of several old customs. Came into it through ancient times
Christian faith rightly (sacred number 7). Subsequently, it is discussed
healed by the touch of God or the king (the representative of God op
earth, as they saw themselves). This included the French and English
kings. In Ireland, for example, people are convinced that a seventh son is left
has special medicinal properties. The seventh son was killed
these reasons the name of the king. On December 8, 1996, King Albert II
of Belgium for the first time godfather of a seventh son, born in
Ostend, and named Albert, of course!....

[Principessa]

https://www.ancient-origi...th-son-seventh-son-002794


Healing Powers of the Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
In European folklore, the seventh son of a seventh son is believed to possess special powers. The seventh son must be preceded by six brothers, with no sisters born in between, and whose father is also such a seventh son. Such a child is said to be gifted with the power to heal diseases .

Some doctors in previous centuries even claim that one of their qualities that made them great healers was that they were the seventh son of a seventh son. In Ireland, the seventh son of a seventh son is also believed to have the power to foretell the future, in addition to his healing abilities.

...............................

Keeping a Seventh Son Tradition Alive
In 1907, another (possibly associated) custom about the seventh son was created. According to this custom, which originated in Germany, the reigning prince would be the sponsor to a seventh son of any of his subjects. When Enrique Brost and Apolonia Holmann, who were Volga Germans from south eastern Russia, immigrated to Argentina in the early 1900s, they brought the custom along.