Prince Gabriel of Belgium made his first public speech during the ceremony for the opening of the new academic year at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels.
After the moment in which he received his blue bonnet, indicating that he had concluded the mandatory five-week training camp, the Prince made his appearance alongside his colleagues for the opening ceremony.
It was the first official speech the Prince gave, although it wasn’t the first time we heard his voice in public. Speaking in Dutch, the language used for his studies at the École Royale Militaire, His Royal Highness said: “My colleagues and I are aware of the discipline and efforts that the Royal Military Academy will require from us.”
The ceremony was very evocative, as it was held at dusk on the Esplanade du Cinquantenaire in Belgium’s capital; spotlights were shining on the key elements of the event while everything else was surrounded by silence.
Besides Prince Gabriel’s speech, the other extremely poignant moment was when sub-lieutenant Jasper Mathys received the King’s Sword, a unique piece handed to the most academically brilliant student in the programme.
Once again, the Prince was surrounded by his family for the occasion: King Philippe was present as the sovereign and took part in the ceremony, while King Albert, Queen Mathilde, Prince Emmanuel and Princess Eléonore watched on with pride.
Two notable absences among the royals were Queen Paola, who’s on bedrest following a minor fall, and Princess Elisabeth, who is back in Oxford for her second year as a student of History and Politics at Lincoln College.
Before leaving, however, she got the chance to see her brother receive his blue beret, an event that must have undoubtedly brought back many memories, as the Princess took one year away from her education in between finishing high school and beginning university to undergo her military training at the same school her brother is currently enrolled.
