Wedding of King Philippe of Belgium and Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

On December 4, 1999, King Philippe of the Belgians, then the Duke of Brabant and heir to the Belgian throne, married Jonkvrouw Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz in Brussels, Belgium. The civil ceremony was held at the Town Hall of Brussels, followed by the religious ceremony at the Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula. The bride would be the first Belgian-born future Queen in the history of the Belgian monarchy.

Philippe’s Early Life

Prince Philippe of Belgium was born on April 15, 1960, at the Château du Belvédère in Laeken, Belgium. He is the eldest child of King Albert II of the Belgians and the former Paola Ruffo di Calabria and has one sister – Princess Astrid – and one brother, Prince Laurent. His primary and secondary education was at St. Michael’s College in Brussels, studying in French, and then the Saint-André de Bruges Abbey in Bruges, studying in Dutch. He then enrolled at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels, qualifying as a fighter pilot. He then served with the Paracommando Regiment (now the Immediate Reaction Cell), qualifying as a paratrooper and assuming command of a paratrooper and commando platoon. During this time, he also took several courses at the Royal Higher Defense Institute. Philippe then attended Trinity College at the University of Oxford, and the Graduate School at Stanford University in California, earning a Masters degree in political science in 1985.

He became Duke of Brabant, and heir to the Belgian throne, in 1993 when his uncle, King Baudouin, died suddenly and his father became King. At that time, he also became the Honorary Chairman of the Belgian Foreign Trade Board, a role that his father had held for over 30 years. Over the next twenty years, he represented Belgium at over 70 economic missions around the world, in addition to supporting, and representing, his father at countless royal events.

For more information about Philippe see:

Mathilde’s Early Life

Mathilde as a toddler

Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz was born on January 20, 1973, in Uccle, Belgium, the daughter of Jonkheer Patrick d’Udekem d’Acoz and Countess Anna Maria Komorowska. Mathilde has four younger siblings – Marie-Alix, Elisabeth, Hélène, and Charles-Henri. She was raised at the Château de Losange, near the village of Villers-la-Bonne-Eau in the Luxembourg province of Belgium. The château had been purchased by Mathilde’s grandfather in 1958 as a home for her father.

She attended primary school at l’École Notre-Dame in Bastogne and then secondary school at the Institut de la Vierge Fidèle in Brussels. From 1991-1994, she attended the Institut Libre Marie Haps in Brussels, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in speech therapy. She continued her studies at the Université Catholique de Louvain, studying psychology, and also had her own speech therapy practice in Brussels until her wedding. Mathilde is fluent in four languages.

For more information about Mathilde see:

The Engagement

source: Paris Match

When their engagement was announced in September 1999, it came as a huge surprise to the Belgian people. They had first met in 1996 and had been involved ever since, but it was not until the announcement that anyone knew anything about the relationship. Following the official announcement, the couple, along with their families, gathered at the Castle of Laeken for a photocall with the media and gave a brief interview.

source: Glamour

Philippe gave Mathilde an engagement ring designed by Wolfers jewelers in Brussels. The ring features a large oval Burmese ruby set in gold, ringed with diamonds on a thick band set with more diamonds,

Wedding Guests

The Belgian Royal Family
King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium
Queen Fabiola of Belgium
Princess Astrid and Prince Lorentz of Belgium with their children
Prince Laurent of Belgium
Prince Alexandre and Princess Léa of Belgium
Princess Esmeralda of Belgium and Salvador Moncada

The Queen’s Family
Prince Fabrizio and Donna Luisa Ruffo di Calabria
Prince Fulco and Princess Melba Ruffo di Calabria
Prince Augusto and Princess Irma Ruffo di Calabria
Prince Alessandro Ruffo di Calabria
Don Antonello and Donna Rosa Maria Ruffo di Calabria
Don Lucio Ruffo di Calabria
Donna Claudia Ruffo di Calabria
Flavia Porcari Li Destri
Donna Marielli Ruffo di Calabria

The Bride’s Family
Count Patrick and Countess Anna Maria d’Udekem d’Acoz
Countess Elisabeth d’Udekem d’Acoz
Countess Hélène d’Udekem d’Acoz
Count Charles-Henri d’Udekem d’Acoz
Count Henri d’Udekem d’Acoz
Count Raoul and Countess Francoise d’Udekem d’Acoz
Count Michel and Countess Dominique Komorowski
Countess Marie Komorowski and Gérard Braun
Jean-Michel and Rose Maus de Rolley
Countess Gabrielle Komorowski
Alain and Christine de Brabant
Prince Alexandre Sapieha
Prince Stefan Sapieha

Royal Guests
The Duke and Duchess of Angoulême
Archduke Carl Christian and Archduchess Marie-Astrid of Austria
Archduke Simeon and Archduchess Maria of Austria
Archduke Carl Peter and Archduchess Alexandra of Austria
Archduke Carl Ludwig of Austria
Archduchess Margherita of Austria-Este
Archduke Gerhard of Austria-Este
Archduke Martin of Austria-Este
Duke Franz of Bavaria
Duke Max Emanuel and Duchess Elizabeth in Bavaria
Duchess Helene in Bavaria
The Duke of Braganca
Prince Kardam and Princess Miriam of Bulgaria
Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik of Denmark
King Constantine and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako of Japan
Princess Rahma bint el-Hassan of Jordan
Prince Hans-Adam II and Princess Marie of Liechtenstein
Prince Wenzeslaus of Liechtenstein
Prince Nikolaus and Princess Margaretha of Liechtenstein
Princess Astrid of Liechtenstein
Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg
Hereditary Grand Duke Henri and Hereditary Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg
Prince Jean of Luxembourg
Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg
Hereditary Prince Albert of Monaco
Lalla Sumaya of Morocco
Lalla Hasna of Morocco
Princess Alix Napoléon
Prince Jérôme Napoléon
Prince Dipendra of Nepal
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
The Prince of Orange
Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands
King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway
Crown Prince Haakon of Norway
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway
King Mihai and Queen Anne of Romania
The Duke and Duchess of Savoy
Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy
Queen Sofia of Spain
The Prince of Asturias
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden
The Duke of Vendôme
The Prince of Wales
Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia

The Wedding Attendants

The large wedding party – all decked out in red velvet outfits with lace collars – consisted of:

  • Princess Luisa Maria of Belgium
  • Princess Astrid of Liechtenstein
  • Chiara van Voorst
  • Marie-Hedwige Komorowska
  • Bénédicte de Brabant
  • Sofia Ricasoli
  • Flavia Porcari
  • Prince Joachim of Belgium
  • Adrian Beissel von Gymnich

(also in the photo are Prince Amedeo and Princess Maria Laura of Belgium)

The Wedding Attire

Mathilde chose the Belgian designer Édouard Vermeulen to design her dress. Much thought went into the design of the gown, ensuring that it would have a significant visual presence in the cathedral without overwhelming the bride. The weather was also a factor. As the wedding was in mid-December, a winter coat-dress was designed. Worn over a simple sheath dress, the coat was made of silk-crepe and featured long sleeves and a tall collar, with a 4-½ meter train.

Mathilde wore a veil made of Brussels lace which was a family heirloom. It was made for the 1877 wedding of Queen Paola’s grandparents and was worn by successive generations of Paola’s family, including her own wedding in 1959. Mathilde’s two sisters-in-law also wore this lace veil at their weddings.

source: Paris Match

Topping off Mathilde’s wedding ensemble was another loan from Queen Paola – Queen Elisabeth’s Diamond Bandeau. The tiara was originally owned by Philippe’s great-grandmother, Queen Elisabeth (formerly Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria). Queen Elisabeth had given the tiara to her daughter-in-law, Queen Astrid (born a Princess of Sweden) when she gave birth to Philipp’s father, King Albert II. It was later gifted to Albert’s wife, Queen Paola, and remains in her personal collection.

She carried a large bouquet of greens with white roses, lilies, and amaryllis – the same flowers which were used to adorn the cathedral.

Prince Philippe wore his uniform as a colonel in the Belgian Air Force with the sash and star of the Order of Leopold, Belgium’s most senior order of chivalry.

The Civil Ceremony

The wedding day started out with the civil ceremony, held at the Town Hall of Brussels at 10 am. While most of the wedding guests were arriving at the Cathedral for the religious ceremony, the bride and groom and their immediate families made their way to the Town Hall for the required civil ceremony.

In the presence of their immediate families and several close friends, Philippe and Mathilde were married in the Gothic Hall by the mayor of Brussels, François-Xavier de Donnéa de Hamoir in a brief ceremony which was conducted in Flemish, French, and German – the three national languages of Belgium. The ceremony was broadcast to the crowds outside, who cheered loudly when Philippe answered ‘Ja’, and even more loudly when Mathilde gave her response ‘Oui’, bringing smiles to the faces of those gathered inside as well.

The marriage register was then signed by Philippe and Mathilde, and then their witnesses:

For the Groom
The Hereditary Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg
Archduke Simeon of Austria

For the Bride
Elisabeth d’Udekem d’Acoz
Stéphanie de Radigues de Chennevière

Now legally married, Philippe and Mathilde appeared on the balcony of the Town Hall to the cheers of the crowds gathered below, giving them the first kiss of the day.

The Religious Ceremony

photo: SudPresse

After the civil ceremony, Philippe and Mathilde and their families processed by car to the Cathedral of Saint Michael and Saint Gudula for the religious ceremony. Over 1200 guests were already assembled, and the church was decorated with over 25,000 roses, lilies, and amaryllis, matching the bride’s bouquet. The bride was walked down the aisle by her father, and joined Philippe at the altar. Following a traditional Catholic service, with several readings and numerous musical interludes, the couple gave their vows and exchanged rings. Their witnesses for the religious ceremony were:

For the Groom
Prince Laurent of Belgium
Count Charles-Henri d’Udekem d’Acoz
Christiaen Alting von Geusau
Prince Nikolaus of Liechtenstein

For the Bride
Countess Hélène d’Udekem d’Acoz
Agnès du Park
Helene, Duchess in Bavaria

Post-Wedding Celebrations

After returning to the Royal Palace, Philippe and Mathilde appeared on the balcony to the cheers of the crowds gathered below. They were also joined by the King and Queen and the bride’s parents. Then, after the official wedding photos were taken, they joined 750 of their guests for a luncheon featuring champagne and caviar, venison, and lobster.

That evening, a gala reception for 2,000 people – members of the government, the diplomatic corps, and other organizations – was held at the Royal Castle of Laeken, which is now the couple’s primary residence. Later that evening, the couple departed for their honeymoon, the details of which were closely guarded to ensure their privacy.

Children

Embed from Getty Images 
Philippe and Mathilde with their four children in 2018

Philippe and Mathilde had two daughters and two sons:

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