On the morning of March 31, 2025, Hanoi was honored to welcome King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Kingdom of Belgium, beginning their State visit to Vietnam that will last until April 4, 2025. The visit took place at the respectful invitation of President Luong Cuong and his wife, marking an important milestone in the history of diplomatic relations between the two countries after more than half a century of establishing friendly relations.
This is not the first time that King Philippe and Queen Mathilde have set foot in the beautiful S-shaped country. The King had memorable visits in 1993, 2003 and 2012 as Crown Prince, nurturing deep affection and good impressions of Vietnam's landscape and the hospitality of its people. Queen Mathilde also visited Vietnam in 2012 as Princess of Belgium with Crown Prince Philippe, and then in 2023 as Honorary President of UNICEF Belgium, demonstrating her special concern for the country and people of Vietnam, especially children.
Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang emphasized that this State visit is of special significance, being the highest-level visit from Belgium in more than 50 years of establishing diplomatic relations. Taking place in the context of Vietnam entering a new stage of development, this visit is expected to be a historic milestone, bringing bilateral relations to a new level with deeper political trust and more substantive and effective cooperation in many fields.
During their stay in Vietnam, the King and Queen of Belgium had meaningful activities, exploring the unique cultural and historical features of the country.
April 1 in Hanoi
President Luong Cuong's wife, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet, and Queen Mathilde visited the President Ho Chi Minh relic site in the Presidential Palace. Here, the Queen showed her respect for the great leader of the Vietnamese people when she and the President's wife visited his simple but meaningful workplace and residence. The two ladies walked together on the tree-lined Mango Street, looked at valuable documentary images of President Ho Chi Minh, and especially enjoyed feeding fish at Uncle Ho's fish pond, a familiar and close image in the Presidential Palace grounds.
President Luong Cuong's wife presented Queen Mathilde of the Kingdom of Belgium with a painting of Uncle Ho's Stilt House.
Also on the morning of April 1, President Luong Cuong and his wife, along with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, visited the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, a UNESCO-recognized world cultural heritage site. Here, the distinguished guests admired the majestic Doan Mon Gate, explored the archaeological pit revealing layers of historical sediments, and viewed the exquisite stone dragon steps of Kinh Thien Palace, a testament to the architectural talent of our ancestors.
President Luong Cuong and his wife, King Philippe of Belgium and Queen took a souvenir photo at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel Relic Site.
Representatives of the Thang Long - Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center vividly introduced the relic complex associated with the history of Thang Long - Hanoi Citadel through thousands of years of civilization. The Central Area of Thang Long Imperial Citadel, once the center of power of the Ly, Tran, Le So, Mac and Le Trung Hung dynasties, is a symbol of Dai Viet history and culture. The President and his wife, along with distinguished guests, listened to historical stories, admired preserved artifacts, and deeply felt the pride of a thousand-year-old Thang Long - Hanoi. The delegation was also particularly interested in Doan Mon Gate, a construction dating back to the Ly Dynasty, holding an important position in the Imperial Citadel's ceremonies with its unique U-shaped architecture and five arches, of which the central arch was reserved for the king.
Earlier in the morning, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde solemnly laid a wreath at the Monument to the Heroes and Martyrs, expressing their deep gratitude to the outstanding sons of the Vietnamese people who sacrificed their lives for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland. Afterwards, the delegation also laid a wreath and visited President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, expressing their respect for the beloved leader of the Vietnamese people.
In the afternoon of the same day, the King and Queen of Belgium had an interesting and Hanoi-style experience when visiting a recycled egg coffee shop in the Old Quarter. Hidden Gem Coffee on Hang Tre Street was honored to welcome these two special guests in a cozy and intimate space. The owner of the café shared that the shop had prepared for this event a week in advance, and the security force had checked carefully but did not create any barriers, wishing to bring the King and Queen the most genuine and normal experience. Queen Mathilde impressed when wearing the traditional Vietnamese ao dai. Both distinguished guests chose Hanoi's signature egg coffee, without any special requests, and listened to the staff share about this unique drink as well as the green model that the shop is pursuing. The coffee tasting session lasted about 20 minutes, and a notable moment was when the Belgian King had an intimate gesture of clinking glasses with the Queen.
Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde had moments of experiencing the culture of the capital of Vietnam.
April 2 in Quang Ninh and Hai Phong
On April 2, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and their delegation visited and worked in Quang Ninh province. Comrade Vu Dai Thang, Secretary of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee, chaired the meeting and worked with the delegation. The visit to Quang Ninh, one of the localities chosen by the King and Queen in addition to their official activities in Hanoi, affirmed the position and prestige of the province. The participation of dozens of representatives of leading Belgian corporations and enterprises also showed that Quang Ninh is an attractive destination for investors from Belgium and the European Union. At the meeting, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Vu Dai Thang introduced the potential, strengths and achievements in socio-economic development of the province, and affirmed that Quang Ninh always attaches importance to and wishes to promote extensive cooperation with Belgian partners, especially in areas where Belgium has strengths.
Also on April 2, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visited Hai Phong city. Here, the King and Queen had an enjoyable experience riding the Cat Hai cable car, admiring the panoramic view of the dynamic port city. King Philippe expressed his joy and pride that Belgian companies such as Deep C and many other businesses are investing and developing in Hai Phong, contributing to the city's economic development. Through this visit, the King hopes to continue promoting cooperation between Belgium and Hai Phong, while attracting more attention from the Belgian business community, conveying the message that Vietnam, and especially Hai Phong, is a potential gateway to penetrate the Southeast Asian market.
Evening of April 2 - April 4 in Ho Chi Minh City
On the evening of April 2, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, continuing their visit and working program in this vibrant city from April 2 to 4. It is expected that the King will have a meeting with Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen. Along with that, the King and Queen will attend many important events and visit places associated with the culture and development history of Ho Chi Minh City, promising to bring memorable moments and deeper understanding of the country and people of Vietnam.
Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Dung presented flowers to King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.
The State visit of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde to Vietnam is not only an important diplomatic event, but also an opportunity for the two countries to enhance mutual understanding, consolidate the traditional friendship and open up new cooperation opportunities in many fields, contributing to the prosperous development of both Belgium and Vietnam. The moments when the King and Queen experienced the typical cultural features of Vietnam such as visiting historical sites, enjoying egg coffee in the old town, left deep impressions and contributed to beautifying the image of Vietnam in the eyes of international friends.
