In 2013, Mathilde de Belgique became queen of the flat country. But what do we know about this woman who married King Philippe of Belgium in 1999? Here are his secrets.
The Queen of Belgium, of her real name Mathilde of Udekem from Acoz, was born on January 20, 1973 in Uccle. Unknown to the general public until 1999, she suddenly appeared in the spotlight by becoming the fiancée of the one who was then the Crown Prince Philippe of Belgium. Here is everything you need to know about Queen Mathilde who has gone from shade to light in a flash.
What job did Queen Mathilde exercise?
Before becoming Queen of Belgians in 2013, Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz led a very different life, far from the royal palaces. She is also the first Belgian queen to have a university degree. The fifties graduated in logopedia, the equivalent of speech therapy in France, and had even opened its own cabinet before its royal destiny came to change everything. At the time, she also pursued studies of psychology at the University of Louvain.
What are the origins of Queen Mathilde?
Queen Mathilde is not a commoner! She is the daughter of the squire Patrick of Udekem of Acoz who died in 2008 and which was raised to the rank of count in 1999. Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz is also the descendant of former Kings of Poland by her mother, the Polish countess Anna Maria Komorowska.
During an official trip to Warsaw in Poland, King Phillipe of Belgium spoke of the origins of his wife Mathilde from Udekem from Acoz: “Thanks to the Polish roots of my wife, I have the great chance of being supported daily by this discreet mixture of charm and determination that characterizes the soul of your people. “
In September 1999, the Belgians discovered an elegant blonde woman alongside the Crown Prince Philippe of Belgium. It is Mathilde d’Adekem d’Acoz who capsized the heart of the future king. A few months later, on December 4, 1999, she will officially become the Princess of Belgium, then queen after the abdication of her stepfather the King of the Belgians Albert II in 2013.
On their meeting, King Philippe of Belgium was both discreet and intriguing, sowing the mystery on the beginnings of their love story. “”No one introduced me Mathilde. That there is not someone who says: ‘It was I who presented it, it was with me that it happened.’ I saw Mathilde from afar, I was talking to him, I knew her. No one introduced me to Mathilde“, He had told journalists at the time. One thing is certain: the love at first sight was immediate.
Who are Queen Mathilde’s children?
Queen of Belgians, Mathilde de Belgique is the mother of four children: two boys, the Princes Gabriel, 21, and Emmanuel. 19 years old, and two girls, the princesses Elisabeth, 23, and Eléonore, 17 years old. The younger of the family, Eléonore, is the only one to live with her parents. She follows studies at the International School of Brussels in a course entirely in English. Elisabeth is the princess heiress of the family and following studies in the prestigious Harvard University in the United States.
During an official trip to Egypt celebrating the centenary of Queen Elisabeth’s visit in 1923 – who had come to discover the tomb of Tutankhamon -, the heiress princess pronounced a few words imbued with her mother and her illustrious ancestor: “They are two inspiring personalities for me. I very much admire Queen Elisabeth. She was an adventurer, she had a passion for Egypt, but also for music. She was also socially committed. I would like to be like her later. But I also hope to learn from my mother. She is very energetic and dynamic and she has this passion to listen to people and highlight their work“.
This terrible drama that hit Queen Mathilde
Before becoming a queen, Mathilde d’Adekem d’Acoz has gone through an ordeal that marked her life forever. In 1997, only two years before his engagement with the Crown Prince Philippe of Belgium, a terrible car accident hit his family. Her maternal grandmother, the Polish countess Zophia Sapieha, then aged 77, and her little sister Marie-Alix, just 22 years old, lost her life after their vehicle was struck by a truck on a highway.
A drama of incredible violence that Queen Mathilde rarely evokes, but that she has never forgotten. “”Pain never disappears“, She once declared about this accident. Very committed today in raising awareness of road safety, the queen makes this cause a personal fight.
