| Belgian Crown Princess Elisabeth turned 18 today. That means, the Crown Princess, who is presumptive heir to the throne, will be her father's deputy after her 18th birthday and thus, she might act as Regent for him in case of illness or other hindrances. That important day was celebrated by the Royal family with an event held at the Throne Room of the Royal Palace in Brussels. (VIDEO) |
| The event was attended by members of the Royal family, government officials, ministers, presidents of chambers, teachers contributing to the education of the Princess and 80 young people, who were born in October 2001 (the same month as Elisabeth). Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant is the eldest of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde’s four children. Happy 18th birthday to you, the Crown Princess. |
Crown Princess Elisabeth's 18th Birthday Speech - VIDEO
She is so lovely. On a superficial level, I really like her white coat dress, although I wish it had been a tad longer and the belt´s buckle more centered. On a more profound level, I am impressed by her confidence, by her expression which says pride more than stress. She seems to be ready to take on the task, a task that would feel like an overwhelming burden to most 18-year-olds. It takes quite a bit of maturity to handle the though of being the next in line to the throne and having a life path all planned out for you basically until death. I hope she´ll find a good balance between her private and public life and a way to handle the public scrutiny which is inevitably going to be massive in the years to come.
ReplyDeleteWe can only continue with comments full of admiration. I think she is already convincing and can only improve. Very nice dress.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lovely and emotional ceremony! What a beautiful lady,such a self-conscious and modest appearance, she has the royal X factor! Love her dress and hair, very young and elegant. QM also looks great. Can't wait to see mere of you in the future!
ReplyDeleteGlückliche und gerührte Eltern.
ReplyDeleteElisabeth sieht fantastisch aus. Ihr Mantelkleid steht ihr ausgesprochen gut. Auch die Farbe.
Bin gespannt auf die nächsten Jahre. Hoffentlich sehen wir sie jetzt hin und wieder etwas öfter.
Elisabeth-
She looks lovely! I love the dress!
ReplyDeleteWell done, Elisabeth, go ahead
ReplyDeleteLovely!
ReplyDeleteJust like her mum!
Gorgeous pics and a beautiful, confident & composed young lady! Congratulations to her, her family and to the Belgian people.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, beautiful, confident and composed young lady !
DeleteSo proud parents! Makes me almost cry myself. Elizabeth seems to be a lovely young woman.
ReplyDeleteIndeed.
DeleteThat picture of her parents got me too. My oldest is my daughter who is the same age as Elizabeth (few months older) and as she completed her senior piano recital last summer, I kept picturing her through the years playing her piano and was amazed at how intense the memories and passage of time felt as I listened to this lovely young woman I had held in my arms playing these amazing pieces. My husband did exactly what Philippe did to Mathilde. I thought of Mathilde experiencing that as she sees Elizabeth today (great job) and growing into her future queen.
DeleteOn a fashion note just lovely and everyone is so well coordinated. I thought it was gracious of Elizabeth to wear white (flattering and still youthful) so she easily coordinated with everyone getting pictures with her. It also made her order ribbon stand out.
Glo
Very poised young lady. That's a pretty dress
ReplyDeleteShe's lovely. The happiest of birthdays to her.
ReplyDeleteFashion-wise: I with the belt wasn't so wide. I think it would have given the outfit a bit more youthful look (it's the same width as the belt Letizia wore for the Japanese coronation and there are decades between Elisabeth and Leti.) That's just me nit-picking, though.
Also, even though I really liked this outfit, I hope it is the first and last time we see Elisabeth in Natan for YEARS. I dislike their clothes and have no idea why it's the go-to designer for the Benelux royals. There have to be fun up-and-coming Belgian designers she can wear instead.
Despite that, she looks wonderful. I read that she did a fantastic job with her speech. (And I hope she now goes back to being a student and we give her some more time to just be a normal young adult!)
Why Natan? In most monarchies royal ladies are expected to wear local couturiers - at least most of the time. Natan is a Brussels-based couture house. Also the tradition "how to dress nicely" is different on European continent as compared to Britain or the US. And then of course the person in question may like just those clothes you say you don't like. We should allow that. Still one more comment: a royal lady does not wear street fashion when on an official appointment.
DeleteMargot
I wish you calm down, Bina. I think that white dress was a good choice, Natan is not that bad otherwise it would not have the success it has.
DeleteThe way Royals celebrate theire 18th birthday is very special. I wish her the very best, especially for all of her dutys...
ReplyDeleteStunning. The picture of the Queen wiping away a tear while holding the King's hand is so sweet. What a lovely family. Elisabeth is going to make a wonderful queen someday. DMP
ReplyDeleteLove the emotions in her parents. Loving family. *Natascha
ReplyDeleteNot only a wonderful queen, but the first queen of Belgium in her own right. I wish her a peaceful reign, and long, long before she has to assume it. The Belgians - and I am one - are not always peaceful!
ReplyDeleteI was replying to someone's comment that Elisabeth will be queen, I know she is the heir presumptive, that's why I said 'long, long before she has to assume the reign'.
DeleteBefore King Philip-Albert-Boudewijn-Leopold was queen Elisabeth “ in her OWN right” as you call iT. The worldfamous music concours is named after her.
DeleteSorry to correct you anonymous. Queen Elisabeth, The one the contest is named after, was the wife of king Albert I, not a ruling queen.
DeleteWhat a lovely charismatic young lady she is.I love the white dress she looks great. Class style humility great for a future Queen. Not just the pride of her Family but her Nation. A very happy 18th Birthday to CPss Elisabeth of Belgium Dss of Brabant.
ReplyDeleteI loved her poise when delivering her speech. She is truly lovely, and hers is the happiest royal Belgian family so far. Astrid also has a happy family life, but where is she? Is that her on Paolas's left?
ReplyDeleteYes, that is Astrid with her son Amadeo
DeleteAnd Amadeo is one of Elisabeths' godfathers. I love all the outfits here and there is nothing wrong with the white Nathan dress for Elisabeth on her birthday. And nobody wore stupid hats either. Queen Mathilde looked gorgeous and so did princess Astrid compared to the horrible dress she wore at the coronation of the emperor in Japan.
DeleteBeautiful and elegant.
ReplyDeleteE.B.B
Excelentes palabras,felicitaciones Princesa!!!,muy arropada:muy madura,con voz cálida,sencilla,hermosa,éxito en su futuro,me gusta mucho tapado vestido blanco;Matilde muy elegante
ReplyDeleteFelicidades a la primera de las futuras reinas en alcanzar su mayoría de edad. La siguiente serán en !DOS AÑOS!...
ReplyDeleteHer outfit was well chosen. Sober, simple and it gave space for her natural beauty to shine. Happy birthday to Elisabeth and may she have a happy and long life in serving her country.
ReplyDeleteA speech in 3 languages!!!
ReplyDeletewhat a wonderful event! Her parents are so proud!
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice to know which language they usually use at home -- or would it be too discreet an issue in Belgium for the royal family to declare publicly?
ReplyDeleteHerta
French.
DeleteIch denke Französisch. Glaube kaum, dass sie zu Hause Flämisch/Niederländisch oder gar Deutsch sprechen.
-Elisabeth-
The parents speak French with their children but the children had a Flemish (Dutch speaking) nanny from birth and went (go) to a Flemish school. So they are perfect in both languages, no accent. Their parents can also speak Dutch but with an accent. The children as re also learning German, but that language is less important (less than 80000 inhabitants in Belgium)
DeleteI too think that it is French they use at home.
DeleteWhen she addressed her family she did so in French, and everyone in the family has distinctly French names. I´m sure though that they are all fluent in Flemish/Dutch to the point you could call them bilingual.
Vanessa, What anonymous above your comment said is the truth. The parents speak Dutch/Flemish with a French accent. The children do not have the French accent. I am Flemish myself.
DeleteOk, thanks a lot for your informative answers! I also suspected French, due to her addressing the closest family members in French, but wasn't sure. And she seemed to speak German, too, at least a couple of sentences. Interesting facts, and it's great that the children have grown to be more bilingual than their parents. I think it will be especially important for Elisabeth in the future.
DeleteHerta
Anon. 6:47. Isn´t that what I said too?
DeletePoised and accomplished linguist. Great speach from the Dutchess of Brabant. Point of correction - Elisabeth is the heir apparent to the throne not the presumtive heir. Belgium changed their laws of succession in the 1990's so that the eldest child of the monarch regardless of sex is the heir to the throne. They have absolute primogeniture.
ReplyDeleteJust lovely, what a wise choice of white for this occasion, she looks so ethereal, I like everything about this dress, the belt gives it a younger vibe, and the length is OK for a woman of 18. Mathilde looks fabulous as well.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!!
Just lovely, what a wise choice of white for this occasion, she looks so ethereal, I like everything about this dress, the belt gives it a younger vibe, and the length is OK for a woman of 18. Mathilde looks fabulous as well.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!!
Agreed Cherry Blossom! The length is age appropriate. Princess Anne wore miniskirts on her visit to the Nixon White House in 1970. People forget that miniskirts have been fashionable and accepted in the past.
DeleteWhat a lovely event. Princess Elisabeth is an assured and charming young lady, as well as being extremely pretty. Watching her parents and grandparents bursting with pride was really emotional. How gratifying for King Albert and Queen Paola and the present King and Queen to know that the future of the Belgian monarchy is in such calm and capable hands
ReplyDeletePoised and elegant, she is dressed beautifully for the occasion in a nice dress that suits her age. It was very touching to see the King and Queen holding hands during her speech. They are probably wondering where the years have gone... (V.M.)
ReplyDeleteWhen you watch the video, you can see that the king is also very moved.
DeleteLovely young woman! Wish her all the best in the years ahead. One has to wonder, what she would do, if she could have any position/job in the world, other than what has been put upon her from being the first born. I am not being negative, just wondering aloud, the 'what if's' in this situation. It would be like Prince William, or CP Victoria, or the young girl from Spain, in the same sort of position.... JT
ReplyDeleteOr Prince Charles, who (in hindsight) could have had a whole other career while waiting for her ascension to the throne... But in a way he has, tending to his duchy and concentrating on farming and such.
DeleteHerta
cette princesse devient de plus en plus jolie !
ReplyDeleteA very impressive young lady. I think this is only a taste of things to come. She has such poise and grace for someone so young. Her parents have done a fine job. Loved the group photo of her and siblings, lovely. She looked very elegant in what she wore, she oozed class and elegance, agree with a earlier comment a little longer would have been nice. Love what the Queen wore, the colour was so becoming, she looked so elegant, the cascading scarf added softness, she looked beautiful
ReplyDeletefully agree
DeleteLove the family group photos which have been added since the original posting. Every one looking their best. Great colour choice for Queen Paola and Queen Mathilde's dress is lovely
ReplyDeleteWow... proud time for Belgium (n mom n dad). Her speech in Dutch and French, back and forth several times is filled with hope, optimism n shared concerns of the world and for a bright future; that she shares similar concerns and wants for a bright future..with her audience
ReplyDelete/compatriots/generation. 18 yrs old!
In one word: WONDERFUL!
ReplyDeletePost a Comment
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