![Belgium Crown Prince Philippe, 39, and Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz, a 26-year-old speech therapist, smile to the crowd of 2,000 wellwishers 04 December 1999 after being married in the Roman Catholic service at Saint-Michel-et-Gudule Cathedral in Brussels](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-0907-mathilde01.jpg?resize=1200%2C824&ssl=1)
Queen Paola of Belgium didn’t wear diamonds in her hair on her wedding day, but she made sure that her daughter-in-law, Queen Mathilde, sparkled in a family tiara for her wedding ceremonies in Brussels.
![Prince Philippe of Belgium and Princess Mathilde enter the balcony of Brussels' city hall after their civil wedding ceremony 04 December 1999](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-0907-mathilde05.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
On December 4, 1999, the Duke of Brabant (now King Philippe of the Belgians) married his Belgian-born fiancée, Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz, in a pair of sparkling ceremonies in Brussels. (You can read more about Philippe and Mathilde’s royal romance in this earlier article.) The day began with a civil ceremony at the Brussels Town Hall, followed by a balcony appearance (pictured above). Next was a religious wedding ceremony at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels.
Mathilde wore the same gown, veil, and jewels for both ceremonies. Her dress was made by the Belgian fashion designer Édouard Vermeulen, who runs the label Natan. The gown featured a jacket with a high collar and long train.
![Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz waves to crowd as she arrives at Brussels Town hall 04 December 1999, before the celebration of her wedding with Crown Prince Philippe of Belgium](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-0907-mathilde03.jpg?resize=1200%2C1362&ssl=1)
Here’s a good look at the collar and button detail on the jacket.
![Belgium Crown Prince Philippe, 39, and Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz, a 26-year-old speech therapist, smile to the crowd of 2,000 wellwishers 04 December 1999 after being married in the Roman Catholic service at Saint-Michel-et-Gudule Cathedral in Brussels](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-0907-mathilde02.jpg?resize=1200%2C1738&ssl=1)
For her wedding day, Queen Mathilde borrowed an antique Belgian heirloom tiara, Queen Elisabeth’s Art Deco Bandeau, from her new mother-in-law. The geometric diamond tiara, as the name suggests, originally belonged to Philippe’s great-grandmother, Queen Elisabeth of Belgium. Queen Paola has owned the tiara since the early years of her marriage; it was a gift from her father-in-law, King Leopold III.
![Princess Mathilde arrives at St Michel and Gudule cathedral in Brussels 04 December 1999, before the religious ceremony of her wedding with Crown Prince Philippe of Belgium](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-0907-mathilde04.jpg?resize=1200%2C1668&ssl=1)
Queen Paola also loaned Mathilde the same antique lace veil that she’d worn for her wedding to King Albert II in 1959. The veil is an heirloom from Paola’s mother, Donna Luisa Gazelli dei Conti di Rossana e di Sebastiano.
![Crown Prince Philippe of Belgium and Princess Mathilde wave to crowd from the balcony of Brussels Town hall 04 December 1999, following their civil wedding](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-0907-mathilde06.jpg?resize=1200%2C831&ssl=1)
Mathilde also wore a pair of diamond and pearl drop earrings with her wedding ensemble. These feature studs with diamond bow designs. Mathilde wears them often for gala events.
![Crown Princess Mathilde attends a dinner at Opera terraces after the religious wedding ceremony on July 2, 2011 in Monaco](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecourtjeweller.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022-0721-01-belgium06.jpg?resize=1200%2C1632&ssl=1)
Like Queen Astrid and Queen Fabiola before her, Mathilde also received a tiara as a wedding present: the Brabant Laurel Wreath Tiara. The versatile jewel, a gift from a group of Belgian aristocrats, can also be worn as a necklace.
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