European Royals

The celebrations for the tenth anniversary of the reign of King Philippe of the Belgians got under way with a nod to the country’s colours from the royal family that has supported him through his tenure. His wife, Queen Mathilde, wore bright red while his heir, Princess Elisabeth, was in yellow and the king’s mother, Queen Paola, had elements of black in her outfit, meaning all…

King Philippe of the Belgians is marking ten years of rule this July. However, when he was born, in 1960, there was little expectation that he would ever become monarch. The first child of Albert and Paola, then Prince and Princess of Liege, he was third in line to a throne held by his uncle, Baudouin, who fully expected to have a family of his own. However, King Baudouin and his wife, Queen…