Queen Mathilde of Belgium Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz
Mathilde in 2024
Queen consort of the Belgians
Tenure	21 July 2013 – present

Born	Jonkvrouw Mathilde Marie Christine Ghislaine d'Udekem d'Acoz (1973-01-20) 20 January 1973 (age 52) Edith Cavell Hospital, Uccle, Belgium
Spouse	Philippe of Belgium (m. 1999)
Issue	Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant Prince Gabriel Prince Emmanuel Princess Eléonore
House	d'Udekem d'Acoz
Father	Count Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz
Mother	Countess Anna Maria Komorowska

Mathilde Marie Christine Ghislaine d'Udekem d'Acoz was born on January 20, 1973. She is the Queen of the Belgians. She is married to King Philippe. Queen Mathilde is special because she is the first Queen of Belgium who was born in Belgium. She has four children. Before becoming Queen, she worked as a speech therapist. She helps many groups that work on important social issues. These include education, helping children who are poor, and supporting women in society.

Early Life and Family Background
Education and Career Path
Marriage and Royal Children
Becoming Queen of Belgium
Queen's Important Activities
Honours and Awards
Images for kids
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Early Life and Family Background

Mathilde was born in Uccle, Brussels, Belgium. Her father was Count Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz. He was a politician. Her mother, Countess Anna Maria Komorowska, was a nurse. Mathilde grew up in a place called Château de Losange. She has three sisters and one brother.

When Mathilde married Prince Philippe in 1999, her family received a special honor. King Albert II of Belgium changed their family title from 'baronial' to 'comital'. This means they became 'Counts' and 'Countesses'. When her husband became King, Mathilde became the first Queen of Belgium who was born in the country.

Education and Career Path

Mathilde went to primary school in Bastogne. Then she went to secondary school in Brussels. From 1991 to 1994, she studied speech therapy. She graduated with high honors. A speech therapist helps people with speaking problems.

From 1995 to 1999, Mathilde worked as a speech therapist. She had her own practice in Brussels. She also worked in different schools. Later, in 2002, she earned a master's degree in psychology. She studied at the Université catholique de Louvain. She also took a leadership course at Harvard University in 2011.

Queen Mathilde can speak several languages. She speaks French, Dutch, English, and Italian. She also knows some basic Spanish.

Marriage and Royal Children

Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz met Prince Philippe in 1996. They met while playing tennis. In September 1999, the royal family announced their engagement. This news was a surprise to many people in Belgium.

Mathilde married Prince Philippe on December 4, 1999. They had a civil ceremony at the Brussels Town Hall. Then they had a religious ceremony at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. After her marriage, she became the Duchess of Brabant and a Princess of Belgium.

Queen Mathilde and King Philippe have four children:

Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, born in 2001.
Prince Gabriel, born in 2003.
Prince Emmanuel, born in 2005.
Princess Eléonore, born in 2008.

Princess Elisabeth is their oldest child. She is first in line to the throne. This means she will be the next Queen of Belgium. This is because of a change in Belgian law in 1991. The law now says the oldest child inherits the throne, no matter if they are a boy or a girl.

Queen Mathilde is also a godmother to other royal children. These include Princess Alexia of the Netherlands and Princess Isabella of Denmark. She is also a godmother to some girls in Belgium. This is a special tradition for the seventh daughter in a family.

Becoming Queen of Belgium

On July 3, 2013, King Albert II announced he would step down. He decided to let his son, Philippe, become King. This happened on July 21, 2013. When Philippe became King, Mathilde became the Queen of the Belgians. She was the first Queen born in Belgium. Their oldest child, Princess Elisabeth, is now the heir. She is expected to become Belgium's first Queen who rules on her own.

Queen's Important Activities

Queen Mathilde works on many social issues. She cares about education and helping children who live in poverty. She also supports women in society and helps with reading skills.

Since 2009, she has been the honorary president of Unicef Belgium. She also works with the World Health Organization on immunization. This means helping people get vaccines to stay healthy.

In 2001, she started the Princess Mathilde Fund. It is now called the Queen Mathilde Fund. This fund helps people who are vulnerable. It also gives an award each year for good work in different areas. For example, it has supported early childhood education and women's health.

The Queen also helps people who are struggling financially. Many citizens ask her for help when they have no other options.

Queen Mathilde is also a patron of the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition. This is a big international music contest.

In 2018, she became the honorary president of the Federal Council for Sustainable Development. This group works on making sure our planet stays healthy for the future. She is also an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium.

Queen Mathilde is a member of the board for the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship. She also helped with the International Year of Microcredit in 2005. This focused on helping people learn about money and get small loans. The Queen also goes to the annual World Economic Forum in Davos. This is a meeting where world leaders discuss important global issues.

In 2016, she became a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Advocate. She helps promote the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These are goals for a better and more sustainable world.

The Queen also gives out the King Baudouin International Development Prize. She also received an Honorary Doctorate from Hasselt University in 2023.

Honours and Awards

Queen Mathilde has received many special honors from Belgium and other countries. These honors are like awards that show appreciation for her work and role.

From Belgium, she has the Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold.
From Denmark, she is a Knight of the Order of the Elephant.
From France, she has the Grand Cross of the National Order of the Legion of Honour.
She has also received honors from countries like Finland, Germany, Greece, Japan, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.