>**King Philip and Queen Mathilde receive generous welcome in Congo: does historic visit usher in new era?**
>
>Under a blazing sun, King Philip (62) arrived in Congo today. Historic. Because it is the first time that the Belgian monarch has set foot on Congolese soil, but also because tomorrow he is expected to express his regret to the Congolese people.
>
>A gigantic, long red carpet, a brass band playing the Brabançonne and a guard of honor made up of almost 100 excellencies: the Congolese spared no expense to give King Philippe and Queen Mathilde a warm welcome. The royal couple disembarked at 3 p.m. local time and was received with open arms by Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and his wife. Queen Mathilde immediately attracted attention: as during the recent state visit to Greece, she had undergone a metamorphosis during the eight-hour flight. On departure the queen was still wearing a poisonous green Armani coat with loose hair, while in Kinshasa she arrived in a cream-colored Giambattista Valli outfit and a cut with hairpiece. She has worn both outfits several times in the past.
>
>This royal visit does not go unnoticed by the ‘ordinary’ Congolese either. Posters of the royal couple have been adorning the streets of Kinshasa for several days. “Bienvenue, welcome, au couple royal belge”, it reads. And that call was answered: along the route through Kinshasa thousands of Congolese – waving political party flags – were ready to greet the royal couple. The king is not alone, by the way: Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open Vld), Minister for Development Cooperation Meryame Kitir (Vooruit) and State Secretary for Science Policy Thomas Dermine (PS) are traveling along in his wake – along with a crowd of journalists.
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>**Politically sensitive**
>
>This is also an important moment for Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi. Normally, the Belgian monarch would have traveled to Congo in 2020 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of independence, but the coronavirus prevented that from happening. For the Belgian delegation, it is also dancing on a tightrope: Tshisekedi became president after fraudulent elections, and violence, repression and corruption remain the order of the day under his regime. Tshisekedi will undoubtedly try to recoup this visit when the Congolese go to the polls again next year.
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>
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>**Different from his father**
>
>To call this visit “historic” is not an overstatement. For example, it is only the seventh time in history that a Belgian king has paid a state visit to Congo. The last time was in 2010, when Albert II and Paola attended the celebration of 50 years of the Congo. Unnoticed and low profile, Albert did not even give a speech.
>
>There is already no doubt that King Philippe wants to do things differently. In 2020 he already expressed his regret to the Congolese people for the ‘atrocities’ under Congo Free State and ‘the suffering and humiliations’ during the colonial period. Tomorrow he will give a speech at the Palais du Peuple: there he will in all likelihood also express his regret ‘in real life’. This could usher in a new era between the two countries. Belgium will also give an African mask to the National Museum, provisionally as an open-ended loan. Symbolically, because the return of looted art is essential to come to terms with the past. In the federal parliament, a bill is also ready to make Congo the owner again of all art stolen during the colonial period. But not everything is about the past: the king also wants to look to the future.
2 comments
Translated from [HLN article](https://www.hln.be/royalty/koning-filip-en-koningin-mathilde-krijgen-royaal-welkom-in-congo-luidt-historisch-bezoek-nieuw-tijdperk-in~ae1de1ba/) using Deepl:
>**King Philip and Queen Mathilde receive generous welcome in Congo: does historic visit usher in new era?**
>
>Under a blazing sun, King Philip (62) arrived in Congo today. Historic. Because it is the first time that the Belgian monarch has set foot on Congolese soil, but also because tomorrow he is expected to express his regret to the Congolese people.
>
>A gigantic, long red carpet, a brass band playing the Brabançonne and a guard of honor made up of almost 100 excellencies: the Congolese spared no expense to give King Philippe and Queen Mathilde a warm welcome. The royal couple disembarked at 3 p.m. local time and was received with open arms by Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and his wife. Queen Mathilde immediately attracted attention: as during the recent state visit to Greece, she had undergone a metamorphosis during the eight-hour flight. On departure the queen was still wearing a poisonous green Armani coat with loose hair, while in Kinshasa she arrived in a cream-colored Giambattista Valli outfit and a cut with hairpiece. She has worn both outfits several times in the past.
>
>This royal visit does not go unnoticed by the ‘ordinary’ Congolese either. Posters of the royal couple have been adorning the streets of Kinshasa for several days. “Bienvenue, welcome, au couple royal belge”, it reads. And that call was answered: along the route through Kinshasa thousands of Congolese – waving political party flags – were ready to greet the royal couple. The king is not alone, by the way: Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open Vld), Minister for Development Cooperation Meryame Kitir (Vooruit) and State Secretary for Science Policy Thomas Dermine (PS) are traveling along in his wake – along with a crowd of journalists.
>
>**Politically sensitive**
>
>This is also an important moment for Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi. Normally, the Belgian monarch would have traveled to Congo in 2020 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of independence, but the coronavirus prevented that from happening. For the Belgian delegation, it is also dancing on a tightrope: Tshisekedi became president after fraudulent elections, and violence, repression and corruption remain the order of the day under his regime. Tshisekedi will undoubtedly try to recoup this visit when the Congolese go to the polls again next year.
>
>
>
>**Different from his father**
>
>To call this visit “historic” is not an overstatement. For example, it is only the seventh time in history that a Belgian king has paid a state visit to Congo. The last time was in 2010, when Albert II and Paola attended the celebration of 50 years of the Congo. Unnoticed and low profile, Albert did not even give a speech.
>
>There is already no doubt that King Philippe wants to do things differently. In 2020 he already expressed his regret to the Congolese people for the ‘atrocities’ under Congo Free State and ‘the suffering and humiliations’ during the colonial period. Tomorrow he will give a speech at the Palais du Peuple: there he will in all likelihood also express his regret ‘in real life’. This could usher in a new era between the two countries. Belgium will also give an African mask to the National Museum, provisionally as an open-ended loan. Symbolically, because the return of looted art is essential to come to terms with the past. In the federal parliament, a bill is also ready to make Congo the owner again of all art stolen during the colonial period. But not everything is about the past: the king also wants to look to the future.
Viva Bomma, patatten met saucisen!