King Philippe and Princess Elisabeth of Belgium have visited Strépy-Bracquegnies to express their condolences to the victims’ families and their thanks to first responders after a devastating car crash.
In this instance, the King and Princess were also accompanied by the Prime Minister, Alexander de Croo, the Minister of Interior Annelies Verlinden, and the Minister-President of Wallonia (and former Prime Minister) Elio di Rupo.
At approximately 5 am on Sunday, 20 March, a car crashed into the crowd assembled for the traditional Carnaval des Gilles celebrations in the village.
Strépy-Bracquegnies is a district of the municipality of La Louvière, in the Hainaut province of Wallonia. It is only a short 20 kilometres south-west of the centre of Brussels.
So far, six have died, and ten have been severely injured; the injured are currently in the region’s various hospitals. Another 27 people have reported less serious injuries, and roughly 70 more have been affected by the crash, albeit indirectly.
The car that crashed had two people, a 34-year-old and a 32-year-old, both of whom were apprehended by authorities shortly after the event, without the need for a high-speed chase.
The two perpetrators do not have criminal records and are native of the area, according to information released by the local police chief and the Mayor. The latter has invited the organisers of the carnival festivities to interrupt their activities as a precaution.
The Belgian royals have always displayed a willingness to react quickly to tragedies that strike their communities. In the summer of 2021, when several Belgian provinces experienced catastrophic floods, the King and Queen were among the first authorities to arrive on the scene.
Princess Elisabeth is in Belgium for the study period, and classes won’t resume until 23 April. She is currently enrolled in history and politics programs at Lincoln College, Oxford University, where she will study for the next three years.
