Her Royal Highness Princess Mathilde of Belgium
Emissary for the International Year of Microcredit 2005
"The Year of Microcredit will highlight how
women's talents and innovation, together with access
to credit and savings can give them the power to
make long term investments in their families, communities,
and their children's lives."
H.R.H. Princess Mathilde of Belgium was born on 20 January
1973 in Uccle, near Brussels. She is the daughter of the
Count and Countess Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz. Princess Mathilde
studied to be a speech therapist at the "Institut Libre
Marie Haps" in Brussels, obtaining her degree magna
cum laude. She had her own professional speech therapy practice
in Brussels from 1995 until the end of 1999. The Princess
also received a master's degree cum laude in psychology at
the Catholic University of Louvain in 2002. The Princess
has a special interest for working with vulnerable people,
in particular with children. Within these areas of interest,
the "Fund Princess Mathilde" was created in December
2000. Each year, the Fund identifies projects that aim to
make a difference in helping vulnerable people. In May 2002,
she participated as a member of the Belgian delegation at
the UN Conference on Children in New York. More recently
she headed a humanitarian mission to Niger together with
UNICEF and the Belgian development cooperation, highlighting
children rights, the empowerment of women and poverty eradication.
Besides Dutch and French, the Princess speaks English and
Italian. Princess Mathilde was granted the title of Princess
of Belgium upon her marriage to H.R.H. Prince Philippe of
Belgium on 4 December 1999. Princess Mathilde has a daughter,
Princess Elisabeth, and a son, Prince Gabriel.
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