Queen Mathilde of Belgium

 

Queen Mathilde of Belgium, born Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz, is the wife of King Philippe and has been the Queen consort of the Belgians since July 21, 2013. She's the first native-born Belgian queen and has four children with King Philippe: Princess Elisabeth, Prince Gabriel, Prince Emmanuel, and Princess Eléonore.

*Early Life and Education*

Mathilde was born on January 20, 1973, in Uccle, Brussels, Belgium. She grew up in a noble family and was educated at the Institut de la Vierge Fidèle in Brussels. She studied speech therapy and worked as a speech therapist before becoming a princess.

*Royal Duties and Philanthropy*

As Queen, Mathilde is involved in various social issues, including education, child poverty, and literacy. She's the honorary president of Unicef Belgium and serves as the World Health Organization's Special Representative for immunization. She's also involved with the Queen Mathilde Fund, which supports vulnerable people and awards annual prizes for good works ¹ ².

*Awards and Recognition*

Queen Mathilde has received numerous honors, including the Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold and the Knight of the Order of the Elephant. She's also been recognized for her philanthropic work, including being named a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Advocate in 2016 ¹.