Queen Mathilde of Belgium

Mathilde Mathilde at the wedding of the Crown Princess of Sweden in 2010 Queen consort of the Belgians Tenure 21 July 2013 - present Born (1973-01-20) 20 January 1973 Uccle, Belgium Spouse Philippe of Belgium Issue Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant Prince Gabriel Prince Emmanuel Princess Eléonore Names Mathilde Marie Christine Ghislaine House House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Father Count Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz Mother Countess Anna Maria Komorowska Religion Roman Catholicism Queen Mathilde DHS (née Mathilde Marie Christiane Ghislaine d'Udekem d'Acoz; born 20 January 1973) is the wife of King Philippe of Belgium who ascended the throne following the abdication of her father-in-law, King Albert II, on 21 July 2013. She is the first Belgian-born Queen of the Belgians. After her husband succeeded to the throne, there are three queens in the country: Queen Mathilde; her mother-in-law, Queen Paola; and Queen Fabiola. Biography Belgian Queen Mathilde waves to the crowds following the swearing in of her husband Philippe as King of the Belgians Early life and family Queen Mathilde was born Jonkvrouw Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz in Uccle on 20 January 1973. Though her grandfather and her uncle were barons, she and her father were members of the untitled nobility. Mathilde grew up at the family estate, Castle Losange in fr, Bastogne. Mathilde's father was Count (formerly Jonkheer) Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz (Uccle, 28 April 1936 – Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, 25 September 2008), son of Baron Charles d'Udekem d'Acoz (Ghent, 8 March 1885-Proven, 7 December 1968), who was of Walloon noble ancestry; her mother was Countess Anna Maria Komorowska (born 24 September 1946 in Białogard, Poland), daughter of Count Leon Michael Komorowski (Siedliska, 14 August 1907 – 1992) and Polish Princess Zofia María Sapieha of Krasiczyn, Clan Lis (Bobrek, 10 October 1919-Herstal, 14 August 1997). The Komorowski family is well known for Count Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski (1895–1966), Polish Commander-in-Chief and Prime Minister of the Polish government-in-exile, as well as for Count Bronisław Komorowski (* 1952), the current President of Poland. Upon her marriage to Prince Philippe of Belgium, the Duke of Brabant in 1999, King Albert II of the Belgians elevated the family d'Udekem d'Acoz from the baronial to the comital rank, hereditary in the male lineage. Upon the accession of her husband, Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant to the throne of Belgium she became the first Belgian queen consort of native Belgian nationality. Mathilde is the oldest of five children. She has three younger sisters and one younger brother: Jonkvrouw Marie-Alix d'Udekem d'Acoz (born 16 September 1974 – in car crash with her maternal grandmother 14 August 1997). Margravine Elisabeth Pallavicini, née Countess d'Udekem d'Acoz (born 17 January 1977) who is married to Margrave Alfonso Pallavicini with whom she has 2 children; Margravine Olympia and Margrave Adalberto. Baroness Hélene Janssen, née Countess d'Udekem d'Acoz (born 22 September 1979) who is married to Baron Nicolas Janssen with whom she has a daughter; Baronne Cordelia Janssen. Count Charles-Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz (born 13 May 1985). On 29 March 2008, Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz, Princess Mathilde's uncle, told a Belgian newspaper that his brother, Patrick had been admitted to the Erasmus Hospital in Anderlecht, and was dying. The Count was in an irreversible coma and in critical condition. Henri stated that his brother had been ill since January, and his illness had gradually put him into the coma. Henri noted that Mathilde had visited her father in the hospital, as had other members of the Royal Family. On 25 September 2008, it was announced that the Count had died, aged 72, in Ottignies. Education Queen Mathilde attended secondary school at the Institut de la Vierge Fidèle in Brussels. She then studied speech therapy at the Institut Libre Marie Haps in Brussels from 1991 to 1994 and earned a diploma with high honours (magna cum laude). Mathilde then worked as a speech therapist in her own practice in Brussels from 1995 to 1999. She also studied psychology at the Université catholique de Louvain and earned a master's degree in psychology with honours (cum laude). She speaks French, Dutch, English and Italian. Her mother, who spent most of her life outside of Poland, did not teach her Polish, thinking that it would not be necessary. Therefore, Mathilde knows only a few words in Polish. Marriage and children The announcement of Mathilde's engagement to the Belgian heir-apparent Prince Philippe came as a surprise to the country. Mathilde married Philippe on 4 December 1999 in Brussels, civilly at the Brussels Town Hall and religiously at the Cathedral of Saint Michel and Saint Gudula. Mathilde's bridal gown was designed by Edouard Vermeulen. She was made Princess of Belgium on 8 November 1999 (published on 13 November 1999 and effective from 4 December 1999). The couple has four children: Princess Elisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène, Duchess of Brabant, born 25 October 2001 Prince Gabriel Baudouin Charles Marie born 20 August 2003 Prince Emmanuel Léopold Guillaume François Marie born 4 October 2005 Princess Eléonore Fabiola Victoria Anne Marie born 16 April 2008 Princess Elisabeth, the couple's eldest child, is the first-in-line to the throne and ahead of her younger brothers and sister, who are second-, third-, and fourth-in-line to succeed, owing to a change in Belgian succession laws in 1991 allowing for the eldest child to succeed, regardless of gender The Queen is also godmother to two princesses: Princess Alexia of the Netherlands and Princess Isabella of Denmark. Coat of arms of Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde. Royal role As Queen of the Belgians, Mathilde carries out a number of official roles, including representing Belgium on state visits, receiving state visits from abroad, and as patron of many charities. She takes part in the annual World Economic Forum in Davos; since 2007, the Queen has been a member of the Young Global Leaders group. With King Philippe, she has led economic missions to the USA in 2011 and to Vietnam in 2012. Since 2009, Queen Mathilde has been the Honorary President of Unicef Belgium. She serves as the World Health Organisation’s Special Representative for Immunization. She set up the Princess Mathilde fund in 2001, which promotes the care of vulnerable people and awards an annual prize for good works in a particular sector. The sector changes each year: examples include early years education, women's health, and protecting young people from violence. She also presides at the ceremony awarding the King Baudouin International Development Prize. Titles, styles and honours Coat of arms of the House of d'Udekem d'Acoz Coat of arms of Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz Titles Jonkvrouw Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz (1973–1999) Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Brabant (1999–2013) Her Majesty The Queen of the Belgians (2013-present) Before the wedding, by means of a Royal Order of 8 November 1999, Mathilde was made a princess of Belgium in her own right. This Royal Order entered into force on the date of the wedding. The wife of a Belgian prince used to receive this title automatically, but a special creation is now required. In addition, her father and two uncles were elevated to the rank of count. Honours See also : List of state visits & List of honours of the Belgian Royal Family by country Belgian Honours Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold Foreign Honours Country Ribbon Class References Finland (Orders) Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose (2004) (Photo) Holy See Dame of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre (June 2010) (News : 1, 2) Luxembourg (Orders) Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau (2007) (Photo) Netherlands (Orders) Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (2006) (Photo 1, Photo 2) Norway (Orders) Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav (2003) (Photo) Poland (Orders) Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (2004) (Photo) Portugal (Orders) Grand Cross of the Order of Christ (08/03/2006) (Orders website) Spain (Orders) Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (12/05/2000) (Photo) Sweden (Orders) Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star (2001) (Photo) See also Princess Mathilde Fund Ancestors Family of Queen Mathilde of Belgium 16. Baron Albert d'Udekem d'Acoz 1828-1900 8. Baron Maximilien d'Udekem d'Acoz 1861-1921 17. Alice de Kerchove 1838-1877 4. Baron Charles d'Udekem d'Acoz 1885-1968 18. Gustave van Eyll 1830-1905 9. Maria van Eyll 1863-1935 19. Marie Louise van Goethem 1834-1863 2. Count Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz 1936-2008 20. Eugene van Outryve d'Ydewalle 1830-1901 10. Clement van Outryve d'Ydewalle 1876-1942 21. Laurence de Serret 1836-1910 5. Suzanne van Outryve d'Ydewalle1898-1983 22. Desire de Thibault de Boesinghe 1837-1909 11. Madeleine de Thibault de Boesinghe 1876-1931 23. Marie Isabelle Frennelet 1843-1881 1. Princess Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant 1973- 24. Count Leon Wilhelm Komorowski 1849-1900 12. Count Michał Komorowski 1875-1950 25. Krystyna Antonina Zbijewska 1850-1916 6. Count Leon Komorowski 1907-1992 26. Ambroży Zaborowski 1850-1899 13. Maria Zaborowska 1875-1953 27. Countess Michalina Miączyńska 1848-1927 3. Countess Anna Maria Komorowska 1946- 28. Prince Władysław Leon Sapieha 1853-1920 14. Prince Adam Zygmunt Sapieha 1892-1970 29. Countess Elżbieta Konstancja Potulicka 1859-1947 7. Princess Zofia Sapieha 1919-1997 30. Count Michał Sobański 1858-1934 15. Countess Teresa Sobańska 1891-1975 31. Countess Ludwika Wodzicka 1857-1944 References External links Official biography from the Belgian Royal Family website