King Philippe & Queen Mathilde

[lyndell75]

Queen Mathilde visited the Hotelschool Gent and its catering, bakery and chocolate departments.
James Arthur Gekiere // Belga Images // AFP via Getty Images

[Lord G¡n]

Mmmmm! What a delicious visit.

[lyndell75]

^ ^ ^ 

The King then visits Belgium's Permanent Representation to 🇪🇺, which is at the forefront of making this Belgian presidency a success.
https://twitter.com/MonarchieBe

[lyndell75]

State visit of the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg 🇱🇺 to Belgium 🇧🇪 has begun! For three days, the good relations and numerous collaborations between our country and 🇱🇺 will be highlighted.
https://twitter.com/hadjalahbib
https://twitter.com/MonarchieBe

[Celia]

It seems to me that the Benelux countries embark on state visits to each other every year.  I enjoy the spectacle, but are they really necessary?

[loveofenglishtradition]

Nope, they are not necessary. I think it is more a family meeting. If I am not wrong Henri and Philippe are cousins, and the countries are so very close to each other.

The question is why they are making an official "state visit" about this, a bit strange IMO. Maybe thats why MT looked so bored listening to the national anthem.

[Celia]

Exactly --I'm sure they socialize quite a bit already, with all the interrelationships.  State visits are a whole 'nuther ball of wax.

[bumbershoot]

It seems to me this is a state visit that could be accomplished by streetcar.

[lyndell75]

The first day ends with a state banquet in honor of the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess in the Laken Castle.
Several Belgian and Luxembourgish guests are invited to celebrate the ties that unite us. The King emphasizes that friendship in his speech.
https://twitter.com/MonarchieBe

[TLLK]

Nope, they are not necessary. I think it is more a family meeting. If I am not wrong Henri and Philippe are cousins, and the countries are so very close to each other.

The question is why they are making an official "state visit" about this, a bit strange IMO. Maybe thats why MT looked so bored listening to the national anthem.

Yes GD Henri and King Phillipe are first cousins. Henri's late mother Josephine-Charlotte and Phillipe's father Albert were siblings.
Also both recently celebrated birthdays! Here's photos of the cousins blowing out candles on a joint birthday cake.

https://www.instagram.com...mX/?hl=en&img_index=1

[loveofenglishtradition]

That is a nice picture of the two cousins with the tiny cake!

In one of the photos Lyndell posted you can see that they visited the Royal Botanical Gardens at Laeken, one of the most wonderful and amazing Gardens with Art Nouveau greenhouses. 

[lyndell75]

The day ends in @philharmonie_lux with a concert from the @flageystudios presented by the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess to thank the King and Queen for their hospitality.
https://twitter.com/MonarchieBe

[lyndell75]

The Queen met with these young people today in her capacity as Defender of the @unitednations.
https://twitter.com/MonarchieBe

[lyndell75]

Queen Mathilde at the World Cocoa Conference in Brussels.
https://twitter.com/MonarchieBe

[lyndell75]

Queen Mathilde of Belgium is elegant in florals for a charity event
https://t.co/WAeMvQLIYB