King and Queen of Belgium arrive by train in Luxembourg for a three-day state visit
The King and Queen of Belgium arrive in Luxembourg City for a three-day State Visit to highlight and strengthen the strong ties between the two countries.
They will be accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense, Didier Reynders, the Minister-President of Wallonia, Elio Di Rupo, the Minister-President of the Government of the Brussels-Capital Region, Rudi Vervoort, Flemish Minister-President Jan Jambon, Minister-President of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation Pierre-Yves Jeholet and Minister-President of the German-speaking Community Oliver Paasch. The official delegation will also bring together senior officials, CEOs and representatives of academic institutions and Belgian media.
Concerned with respect for the environment and wishing to promote sustainable mobility, the Sovereigns chose to travel to Luxembourg by train, a first in the recent history of State Visits. TRH the Grand Duke Heir and the Grand Duchess Heiress will personally welcome the Sovereigns at Luxembourg Central Station, before the official welcoming ceremony, in front of the Grand Ducal Palace, in the presence of LL.AA.RR. the Grand Duke and the highest Luxembourg authorities.
The Sovereigns and the official delegation will pay tribute to the victims of the Second World War during a ceremony at the Monument National de la Solidarité Luxembourgeoise.
Vertrek vanaf Brussel-Luxemburg station voor de start van het driedaagse staatsbezoek aan het Groothertogdom Luxemburg, met meer dan 200 deelnemers, ontmoetingen op hoog niveau en uiteenlopende ontmoetingen op de agenda. #BELUX2019 @nmbs @CourGrandDucale #BelgianRoyalPalace pic.twitter.com/Ey1TSaqZaN
— Belgian Royal Palace (@MonarchieBe) October 15, 2019
During the afternoon, the King and the Queen will receive in audience the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Mr. Fernand Etgen, the Prime Minister, Mr. Xavier Bettel, and the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Mr. Jean Asselborn . These high-level political contacts will provide an opportunity to recall the close ties between Belgium and Luxembourg, based on shared values of peace, democracy, freedom and international cooperation.
The Sovereigns will then follow the streets of the old town, going to the Corniche to admire, from the “most beautiful balcony of Europe”, the valley of the Alzette, the lower town of Grund and the Plateau du Rham.
Afterwards they will move to the Hôtel de Ville, where the Sovereigns will walk, and will have the opportunity to meet the Luxembourgers and the Belgian community, invited to be present on this occasion. This walk, accompanied by the Royal Music Guides (BE) and the Military Grand Ducal Music (LU), will be a highlight of this visit that will highlight the friendliness and proximity between the two countries.
The King and Queen will then be received at the Luxembourg Town Hall for an academic session where they will have the opportunity to meet various personalities of the Luxembourg society.
The first day of this State Visit will end with the traditional State Banquet, offered by the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess in honor of the King and Queen.
