Wedding of Prince Philippe and Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz explained

Venue:Brussels Town Hall and St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral
Location:Brussels, Belgium
Participants:Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant
Jonkvrouw Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz

The wedding of Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant, and Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz took place on 4 December 1999 in Brussels, Belgium. The civil proceedings were conducted at Brussels Town Hall while the religious ceremony took place at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. The wedding has been described as the social event of the decade within Belgium[1] and it was the last royal wedding of the second millennium.[2]

The bride and groom

Philippe, then Duke of Brabant, is the eldest son of King Albert II and Queen Paola.[3] Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz is a descendant of Belgian and Polish nobility.[4] After the wedding, Mathilde became the duchess of Brabant and a princess of Belgium on 8 November 1999 (published on 13 November 1999 and effective from 4 December 1999). In 2013, Philippe and Mathilde became the king and queen of the Belgians. Mathilde is the first Belgian born queen in the country's history.[5]

Wedding events

The first of the day's main events took place in the Gothic setting of Brussels Town Hall where Philippe and Mathilde contracted a civil marriage in the French, Dutch and German languages.[6] Mathilde's bridal gown was designed by Edouard Vermeulen. Philippe wore the uniform of a Belgian Air Force colonel. Thereafter the couple traveled to the nearby Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula to marry according to the rites of the Roman Catholic Church. An evening reception took place in the Palace of Laeken, a royal residence.[6]

Popular reactions and effects

The run up to the wedding was said to have led to widespread feelings of positive sentiment in Belgium,[7] with the potential for greater unity between the country's Dutch-speaking north and French-speaking south.[8] Around 50,000 people lined the streets of Brussels on the occasion of Philippe and Mathilde's wedding.[9] As many as 200,000 people had been expected but the lower numbers were perhaps on account of the bitterly cold weather on the day.[6] After the wedding, some popular culture academics commented that the wedding had had a unifying effect on the Belgian people as well as marking a new phase of positivity in the country.[10] The BBC, however, reported that academics and political commentators in Belgium deemed that the national rift was too great for the wedding to have much effect.[6]

Guests

The groom's family

Belgian royal family

Ruffo family

The bride's family

Foreign royalty

Members of reigning families

Members of non-reigning families

Other notable guests

External links

Notes and References

  1. Encyclopedia: Langeneckert . Sandra . Encyclopædia Britannica . Prince and Princess of Belgium Philippe and Mathilde . 28 March 2016 . britannica.com .
  2. News: Collins . Glenn . 7 September 2000 . For This Couple, The Royal Tour Starts Here; Belgian Prince and Princess Have New York in Sight . New York Times . 13 April 2016 .
  3. Web site: The King . . The Belgian Monarchy . Federal Public Department for Information and Communication Technology . 13 April 2016 .
  4. Web site: Fallece a los 72 años Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz, padre de la princesa Matilde de Bélgica . Rey y Cabieses . Amadeo-Martín . 27 September 2008 . monarquiaconfidencial.com . es . Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz, father of Princess Mathilde of Belgium, dies at 72 . 13 April 2016.
  5. Encyclopedia: . Encyclopædia Britannica . Mathilde, queen of Belgium . 13 April 2016 . britannica.com .
  6. News: . Royal wedding grips Belgium . BBC News . 4 December 1999 . 29 March 2016 .
  7. . Belgium's Prenuptial Glow . . New York . McGraw-Hill . 6 December 1999 . 3658–3661 . 7, 8 .
  8. News: James . Barry . 25 October 1999 . A Boon for Unity?/ Smiles Almost All Around : For Belgium, Crown Prince's Wedding Comes at Opportune Time . New York Times . 13 April 2016 .
  9. Book: . Political Risk Yearbook: West Europe . 6 . Political Risk Services Group . 53 . 2001 .
  10. Book: Blain . Neil . O'Donnell . Hugh . 2003 . Media, Monarchy and Power . Intellect Books . 9781841500430.

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