Princess Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant
Encyclopedia
Princess Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant, DHS
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
(née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
: Ec. Mathilde Marie Christiane Ghislaine d'Udekem d'Acoz), is the wife of the heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
to the Belgian throne, Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant. Of Belgian and noble Polish ancestry; she is expected to be the first Belgian-born Queen consort of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
Early life and family
She was born Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz in UccleUccle
Uccle or Ukkel is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium.Uccle is known for its well-to-do areas, its green spots and its high rental rates.-History:...
on 20 January 1973. Though her grandfather and her uncle were baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
s, she and her father were members of the untitled nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
.
Mathilde's father was Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
(formerly Jonkheer
Jonkheer
Jonkheer is a Dutch honorific of nobility.-Honorific of nobility:"Jonkheer" or "Jonkvrouw" is literally translated as "young lord" or "young lady". In medieval times such a person was a young and unmarried son or daughter of a high ranking knight or nobleman...
) Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz (Uccle
Uccle
Uccle or Ukkel is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium.Uccle is known for its well-to-do areas, its green spots and its high rental rates.-History:...
, 28 April 1936 – Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. On January 1, 2006 Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve had a total population of 29,521. The total area is 32.96 km² which gives a population density of 896 inhabitants per km².The two main towns in the...
, 25 September 2008), son of Baron Charles d'Udekem d'Acoz (Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, 8 March 1885-Proven
Proven
Proven is a rural village in the Belgian province of West-Flanders, and a "deelgemeente" of the municipality Poperinge. The village has about 1400 inhabitants....
, 7 December 1968), who was of Walloon
Walloons
Walloons are a French-speaking people who live in Belgium, principally in Wallonia. Walloons are a distinctive community within Belgium, important historical and anthropological criteria bind Walloons to the French people. More generally, the term also refers to the inhabitants of the Walloon...
noble ancestry; her mother was Countess Anna Maria Komorowska
Anna Maria Komorowska
Countess Anna Maria d'Udekem d'Acoz is a Polish noblewoman and the mother of Princess Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant, the wife of Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant, heir to the Belgian throne....
(born 24 September 1946 in Białogard, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
), daughter of Count Leon Michael Komorowski (Siedliska
Siedliska
Siedliska may refer to the following places in Poland:*Siedliska, Lower Silesian Voivodeship *Siedliska, Biłgoraj County in Lublin Voivodeship *Siedliska, Krasnystaw County in Lublin Voivodeship...
, 14 August 1907-1992) and Polish Princess Zofia María Sapieha of Krasiczyn
Krasiczyn
Krasiczyn is a village in Przemyśl County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in south-eastern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Krasiczyn. The village has a population of 440...
, Clan Lis (Bobrek
Bobrek
Bobrek may refer to:* Bobrek, Bytom* Bobrek, Cieszyn* Bobrek, Lesser Poland Voivodeship** Bobrek concentration camp, located there* Bobrek, Masovian Voivodeship* Bobrek, Subcarpathian Voivodeship...
, 10 October 1919-Herstal
Herstal
Herstal, formerly known as Heristal, or Héristal, is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege along the Meuse river. Herstal is included in the "Greater Liège" agglomeration, which counts about 600,000 inhabitants...
, 14 August 1997). Upon her marriage to Prince Philippe of Belgium, the Duke of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
in 1999, King Albert II of the Belgians elevated the family d'Udekem d'Acoz from the baronial to the comital rank, hereditary in the male lineage. Upon the accession of her husband, Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant to the throne of Belgium she would be the first Belgian queen consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of native Belgian nationality.
Mathilde is the oldest of five children. She has three younger sisters and one younger brother:
- Jonkvrouw Marie-Alix d'Udekem d'Acoz (born 16 September 1974 - April, 1997).
- Margravine Elisabeth von Pallavicini, née Countess d'Udekem d'Acoz (born 17 January 1977) who is married to Margrave Alfonso von Pallavicini with whom she has 2 children; Margravine Olympia and Margrave Adalberto.
- Baroness Hélene Janssen, née Countess d'Udekem d'Acoz (born 22 September 1979) who is married to Baron Nicolas Janssen.
- Count Charles-Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz (born 13 May 1985).
On 29 March 2008, Henri d'Udekem d'Acoz, Princess Mathilde's uncle, told a Belgian newspaper that his brother, Patrick had been admitted to the Erasmus Hospital in Anderlecht, and was dying. The Count was in an irreversible coma and in critical condition. Henri stated that his brother had been ill since January, and his illness had gradually put him into the coma. Henri noted that Mathilde had visited her father in the hospital, as had other members of the Royal Family. On 25 September 2008, it was announced that the Count had died, aged 72, in Ottignies.
Education
Princess Mathilde attended secondary school at the Institut de la Vierge Fidèle in Brussels. She then studied speech therapy at the Institut Libre Marie Haps in Brussels from 1991 to 1994 and earned a diploma with "grande distinction" (equivalent to magna cum laude).Mathilde then worked as a speech therapist in her own practice in Brussels from 1995 to 1999. She also studied psychology at the Université catholique de Louvain
Université catholique de Louvain
The Université catholique de Louvain, sometimes known, especially in Belgium, as UCL, is Belgium's largest French-speaking university. It is located in Louvain-la-Neuve and in Brussels...
and earned a diploma in psychology with "distinction" in 2002.
She speaks French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
. Her mother, who spent most of her life outside of Poland, did not teach her Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
, thinking that it would not be necessary. Therefore, Mathilde knows only a few words in Polish.
Marriage and children
The announcement of Mathilde's engagement to the Belgian heir-apparent, Prince Philippe, who had never been seriously linked with any woman, came as a surprise to the country. Mathilde married Prince Philippe on 4 December 1999 in BrusselsBrussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, civilly at the Brussels Town Hall
Brussels Town Hall
The Town Hall of the City of Brussels is a Gothic building from the Middle Ages. It is located on the famous Grand Place in Brussels, Belgium....
and religiously at the Cathedral of Saint Michel and Saint Gudula. She was made Princess of Belgium on 8 November 1999 (published on 13 November 1999 and effective from 4 December 1999).
The couple has four children:
- Princess Elisabeth Thérèse Marie Hélène born 25 October 2001
- Prince Gabriel Baudouin Charles Marie born 20 August 2003
- Prince Emmanuel Léopold Guillaume François Marie born 4 October 2005
- Princess Eléonore Fabiola Victoria Anne Marie born 16 April 2008
Princess Elisabeth, the couple's eldest child, is the second-in-line to the throne behind her father and ahead of her brothers and sister, who are third-, fourth-, and fifth-in-line to succeed, owing to a change in Belgian succession laws in 1991.
Mathilde is also godmother
Godmother
A godmother is a female godparent in the Christian tradition.Godmother may also refer to:*A female arranged to be legal guardian of a child if untimely demise is met by the parents...
to two princesses: Princess Alexia of the Netherlands
Princess Alexia of the Netherlands
Princess Alexia of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau is the second daughter of Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands, his spouse...
and Princess Isabella of Denmark
Princess Isabella of Denmark
Princess Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat , is a member of the Danish Royal Family. She is the daughter of Crown Prince Frederik and his wife, the Australian-born Crown Princess Mary....
.
Titles, styles an honours
Titles
- Jonkvrouw Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz (1973–1999)
- Her Royal Highness Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Duchess of Brabant, Countess d'Udekem d'Acoz (1999–present)
Before the wedding, by means of a Royal Order of 8 November 1999, Mathilde was made a princess of Belgium in her own right. This Royal Order entered into force on the date of the wedding. The wife of a Belgian prince used to receive this title automatically, but a special creation is now required. In addition, her father and two uncles were elevated to the rank of count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
.
Upon marriage itself, Mathilde became Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Brabant.
Foreign Honours
(OrdersOrders, decorations, and medals of Finland
The orders, decorations and medals of Finland form a rather complicated system through which the Finnish government shows its respect to persons who have distinguished themselves on some walk of life...
) : Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose
Order of the White Rose
The Order of the White Rose of Finland is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor,...
(2004) - (Photo) : Dame of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
(June 2010) - (News : 1, 2) (Orders
Orders, decorations, and medals of Luxembourg
The Orders, decorations, and medals of Luxembourg have their foundation in the Duchy of Nassau. The top tier order of Luxembourg being the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau is the House Order of the House of Nassau...
) : Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau (2007) - (Photo) (Orders) : Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau
Order of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau is a military and civil order of the Netherlands which was created on 4 April 1892 by the Queen regent Emma of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of her under-age daughter Queen Wilhelmina. The Order is a chivalry order open to "everyone who have earned special merits for...
(2006) - (Photo 1, Photo 2) (Orders) : Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav (2003) -
(Photo) (Orders) : Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (2004) - 
(Photo) (Orders) : Grand Cross of the Order of Christ
Order of Christ (Portugal)
The Military Order of Christ previously the Royal Order of the Knights of Our Lord Jesus Christ was the heritage of the Knights Templar in Portugal, after the suppression of the Templars in 1312...
(08/03/2006) - (Orders website) (Orders) : Order of Isabella the Catholic (2000) - (Photo) (Orders
Orders, decorations, and medals of Sweden
The Orders, decorations, and medals of Sweden have a historical basis, reaching back to the 1606 founding of the extinct Jehova Order. The Royal Order of Knights of Sweden were only truly codified in the 18th century, with their formal foundation in 1748 by Frederick I of Sweden...
) : Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star
Order of the Polar Star
The Order of the Polar Star is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim....
(2001) -
(Photo)