Queen Mathilde of Belgium Skips Tiara at State Banquet After Suspected Terror Attack in Brussels

The Queen of Belgium went without a sparkly headpiece as her country grieves

Queen Mathilde of Belgium went without a tiara at her latest state banquet following the deadly attack in Brussels.

The Queen of Belgium, 50, skipped the royal accessory during the diplomatic dinner honoring President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa of Portugal at Laeken Castle on Tuesday night. While tiaras are traditionally worn for white-tie affairs, Mathilde made a more demure style statement in the wake of the tragedy.

Journalist Wim Dehandschutter got in touch with the Belgian royal palace regarding the lack of tiara wear, reporting on X (formerly Twitter), "Mathilde preferred serenity after Monday’s terrorist attack in Brussels in which 2 Swedes were killed."

On Monday night, a gunman killed two Swedish nationals and injured a third, after opening fire on the Boulevard d'Ypres, the BBC reported. The suspected terror attack unfolded as Belgium and Sweden played in a Euro 2024 qualifier soccer game at the King Baudouin Stadium just three miles away. The match was abandoned at halftime and the stadium was evacuated, CNN said, and the suspect died on Tuesday after being shot by police following an overnight manhunt.

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The attack happened on what was originally intended to be the first day of Rebelo de Sousa’s three-day state visit to Belgium, according to the royal family’s website, and the agenda was adjusted due to the tragic events. Outdoor events were canceled, and the King and Queen quietly invited the Portuguese president to the Royal Palace for a welcoming ceremony during the day on Tuesday.

That evening, a moment of silence was held in memory of the victims as the banquet began, and King Philippe, 63, touched on the news in a brief speech.

“Mr. President, a new terrorist attack hit our capital yesterday, the same day of your arrival. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims who were cowardly targeted as they peacefully went to a sporting event between two friendly countries,” he began.

"We are gathered this evening in the desire to show ourselves united around our democratic values ​​which we will continue to defend. Our two nations, which have sealed their destiny within the European Union, each know, through their history, the meaning of the word ‘democracy,’ ” he continued. “Your state visit marks our desire to strengthen ties around our faith in the future. It is in this state of mind that the Queen and I welcome your presence among us.”

The Belgian Royal Palace also shared a statement to X on Monday, writing, “We are shocked by tonight’s shooting in our capital. Our thoughts are first and foremost with the victims, their families and loved ones. We support the security forces who are currently doing their utmost to track down the perpetrator.”

The following day, courtiers revealed that King Philippe connected with King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

“The King had a telephone conversation with King Carl XVI Gustaf following yesterday’s horrible and deadly attack on two Swedish nationals in Brussels. He offered his condolences and expressed his support to the Swedish people, whose grief is shared by all Belgians,” read a second message on Tuesday.

The week began on a brighter note for the Belgian royals, as King Philippe and Queen Mathilde’s eldest daughter Princess Elisabeth represented the family at Prince Christian of Denmark’s 18th birthday bash in Copenhagen.

Princess Elisabeth, 21, sparkled in the Wolfers Tiara for the party at Christiansborg Palace and entered with Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, a fellow future queen.

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Europe's royal families are close in both their duties and their personal connections, and the Belgian and Dutch royals share an especially tight bond. Queen Mathilde and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands share a fun friendship, and Mathilde is even godmother to Princess Catharina-Amalia’s younger sister, Princess Alexia!

The special occasion of Prince Christian’s 18th birthday called for a formal portrait of the next generation of European monarchs in attendance. Prince Christian was all smiles beside Princess Estelle of Sweden, 11, Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, 19, Princess Catharina-Amalia, 19, and Princess Elisabeth in the snap that the Danish Royal House shared on Instagram. Like Prince Christian, the princesses all follow their parents — Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and King Philippe — in the line of succession as their first-born children.

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As she prepares for the destiny ahead, Princess Elisabeth is currently enrolled at Oxford University in England, completing a three-year course in history and politics at Lincoln College. The future queen previously earned her International Baccalaureate from the United World College of the Atlantic in Wales in 2020 and spent a year at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels.

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