King Philippe praised the collaboration between Belgium and The Netherlands at a state banquet at the Royal Palace of Laeken that capped the first day of the Dutch royal couple’s state visit to Belgium.
The 135 guests enjoyed a three-course meal with a Belgian flavour, with Zeebrugge prawns as a starter and Coucou de Malines with foie gras as the main course, before concluding with a Grand Cru Chocolate with cherries.
Students from the Spermalie hotel school in Bruges provided the service.
Alongside the two royal couples were Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz, Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, the regional prime ministers, speakers of the Chamber and Senate, and several federal ministers.
Personalities from both countries were also invited, including singer Rick De Leeuw, author David Van Reybrouck, presenter Kurt Van Eeghem and designer Edouard Vermeulen.
During his speech, King Philippe emphasised the importance of the ties that unite the two countries, particularly “in these turbulent times when the international scene has been turned upside down.”
The list of concrete projects in Belgian-Dutch cooperation is very extensive, the sovereign noted. He singled out for mention their integrated navies, alternating surveillance of the two countries’ airspace, North Sea Port – combining the infrastructures of Ghent, Terneuzen and Vlissingen – and “intense” cultural and academic exchanges.
