This Tuesday, the Royal Palace of Brussels once again hosted a very special meeting between two royal couples who share a relationship of respect and sincere affection.
The King and Queen of Spain, Felipe and Letizia, were warmly welcomed by their Belgian counterparts, Philippe and Mathilde, in a meeting marked by closeness and spontaneous gestures.
From the first greeting, it was clear that there was a natural connection between them; Felipe even greeted Queen Mathilde with a chivalrous gesture that brought smiles to everyone present.
The reason for the trip was none other than the inauguration of Europalia, the prestigious cultural festival that this year features Spain as the guest country. But before the official ceremony, the Belgian monarchs wanted to entertain their guests with a private tour of some of the palace’s heritage treasures.
Among the Goya tapestries that Elizabeth II gifted to King Leopold I—”The Dance,” “The Blind Hen,” and “The Maidens of the Pitcher”—Queen Mathilde hosted the event. Amidst the jokes, she confessed that she didn’t consider herself an art expert, sparking a playful camaraderie among the four.
The truth is, this reunion held a special meaning. Although the monarchs have attended other international events together, there hasn’t been an official visit of this magnitude since 2014, when Felipe and Letizia went to Brussels shortly after their proclamation.
Ten years later, they return to Belgium in a different context, now established as monarchs and with a cultural agenda that reinforces Spain’s role as a bridge between tradition and modernity.
And, of course, there was no shortage of the style that is so talked about. Queen Letizia opted for the understated elegance of a Giorgio Armani dress, while Queen Mathilde paid a chromatic tribute to her guests with an outfit in intense red. Two distinct styles, yet both equally representative.