In a queen’s wardrobe, some garments hold more history than meets the eye.
On April 2, Mathilde of Belgium attended the opening of Be Philanthropy 2026, the King Baudouin Foundation’s conference held at the Autoworld museum in Brussels, wearing a bubblegum pink dress by Bernard Depoortere that those of us who closely follow her style know well—and not just because of the color.
And it’s not just the color.
Queen Mathilde’s Style at Be Philanthropy 2026
The dress features an open neckline and three-quarter sleeves and was first seen in April 2017, when Queen Mathilde wore it to welcome UN Secretary-General António Guterres at Laeken Castle. So far, so good.
The key detail came in March 2018, when the dress reappeared with a fairly subtle change that is visible if you know where to look: the hem had been lengthened so that the skirt fell to the knee instead of ending above it. The adjustment is visible at the waist, where the pattern was altered using fabric from the original design to ensure the result was as clean as possible.
We then saw it again in 2024, at a symposium of the Royal Belgian Academy of Medicine, and now it’s making another appearance here. Three appearances, three different occasions, the same dress with its subtle transformation.
How Mathilde completed her look and which accessories she chose for the occasion
The way she wears the dress has remained fairly consistent over the years. On this occasion, Mathilde paired the dress with nude pumps, a Giorgio Armani handbag in light brown leather with gold accents, Percossi Papi earrings, and her Rolex Datejust in silver and gold with a diamond dial.
This ensemble balances the pink of the dress well without overshadowing it, and at an event like this, where the focus is on philanthropy rather than fashion, it works exactly as it should.
What is Be Philanthropy?
The conference brings together philanthropists, notaries, policymakers, and representatives from foundations and companies to discuss the impact of philanthropy on society.
However, this year’s event has a special significance, as it is being held on the 50th anniversary of the King Baudouin Foundation, which was established to commemorate the 25th year of King Baudouin’s reign and now operates worldwide with projects focused on health, science, and the economy.