Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde marking their 25th wedding anniversary.
The wedding ceremony of Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant, and Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz was carried out on 4 December 1999 in Brussels. The civil proceedings were performed at Brussels Town Hall while the religious ritual took place at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. The marriage ceremony has been characterised as the social event of the decade in Belgium and it was the last royal marriage of the second millennium.
The confirmation of their engagement was announced on 10 September 1999, and Mathilde was officially presented on 13 September. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde took an oath on 21 July 2013. According to the officials of the palace, they will observe their silver anniversary privately.
🩶 De Koning en de Koningin vieren vandaag hun zilveren huwelijksverjaardag. 25 jaar gelukkig getrouwd, and still counting! 🖤💛❤️
— Belgian Royal Palace (@MonarchieBe) December 4, 2024
📷 Vlad VDK pic.twitter.com/KrUiju58RF
The couple in 2001 welcomed their first child, Elisabeth of Belgium. The couple now have four children. The eldest child is Elisabeth (23), Gabriel (21), Emmanuel (19), and Eléonore (16). Elisabeth obtained her degree from Lincoln College, University of Oxford earlier this year.
Moreover, Queen Mathilde, officially Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz, founded the Princess Mathilde Fund with donations welcomed for their wedding. She is also engaged with the United Nations, UNICEF, and the King Baudouin Foundation
Why is a €12.5 coin being issued for the royal anniversary?
It was reported that a €12.5 coin would be issued in recognition of their jubilee. The coin features a picture of the couple with the number ’25’ between them. The endeavour by Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem and the Royal Mint of Belgium seeks to thank the royal couple for their unwavering backing for the country.
“For 25 years, our royal couple have embodied devotion, both to each other and to Belgian society,” stated Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem. “For all these years, they have played an important role in uniting our country. This is therefore a moment of joy and gratitude for their commitment. With the issue of this coin, we would like to warmly congratulate them on their silver wedding anniversary.”
