Posted by Lodewijk
on 5/11/2009, 15:07:58, in reply to "Re: I have the book"
91.96.228.189
The Washington stay happened within the framework of her speech therapy studies iirc. And next to the countries you mentioned Mathilde also visited China, India and Mexico in her pre-marriage life and also spend some time in Cairo, volunteering for Sœur Emmanuelle and her organisation. Those who knew Patrick D`Udekem are convinced Mathilde inherited her father´s travel bug.
And the tennis club episode seems to be of huge importance for professional royal watchers, much more so than it ever was for those persons involved. 
--Previous Message--
: Hi Jorge ,
: The book states Mathilde's father knew Filip
: was was member of a private tennis club. He
: ensured Mathilde got into that club.
:
: Other interesting facts:
:
: * classmates described Mathilde as prudish.
: She was the only one at school to wear
: something extra under the blouse of her
: school uniform, because she thought the
: blouse was to transparent.
: * She loves tennis and swimming. She also
: liked horse riding, and used to do that when
: she was young. But after having fallen off a
: horse, she stopped with that.
: * Before her relation with Filip, she had
: travelled to Nepal, Peru, Bolivia and
: Guatemala. According to the book she has
: lived in Washington for three months, but no
: reason for that is given (internship? study?
: charity work?).
:
: --Previous Message--
: Thank you, Sophie. Do you know if there were
: (before the relationship between F and M)
: contacts between the Belgian royal family
: and the d'Udekem d'Acoz family? And does the
: book tell more about the beginnings of
: Filip's and Mathilde's relationship? Sorry
: for so many questions, but I'm curious .
: Best regards.
:
: --Previous Message--
: The arrangement was definitely to get the
: two
: to know each other.
:
: --Previous Message--
: Thank you very much, Sophie. I am curious
: about this arrangement for Filip and
: Mathilde to meet. Was Patrick d'Udekem
: d'Acoz wanting Filip to marry his daughter
: (which father wouldn't?)? Or was it a more
: casual and friendly thing? Like "hey,
: the prince is coming to have lunch, why
: don't you join us, Mathilde?"
: And about Countess d'Udekem d'Acoz being the
: one with "the trousers", it seems
: that Mathilde inherited the Polish genes
:
: --Previous Message--
: I have this book and have read it. There are
: some critical points regarding Mathilde and
: the royal family, but most of the book is
: about Mathilde's parents and her uncle (the
: whole affair about the inheritance of
: Mathilde's grandparents and the house that
: was bought/build for one of Mathilde's
: sisters. Valerie Lempereur is a journalist
: working for the magazine TV Familie. She was
: the one who got interviews with both
: Mathilde's parents and uncle. Due to that,
: it became public how nasty this family row
: was. At the end of the book, the interviews
: are included.
:
: After reading I must say, that both parties
: seem very egoistic regarding this
: inheritance and that while they both claim
: the sky has cleared, I get the impression we
: didn't hear the last word about this.
: Mathilde and her mother seem to have still
: some hard feelings.
:
: Interesting to read: Mathilde's father
: arranged Mathilde and Filip could meet.
: Mathilde's mother is the one "with the
: trousers on", and Mathilde inherited
: that trait.
:
: --Previous Message--
: I see the book everywhere at Belgian
: bookshops, so:
: A new book has been published about the
: family of Princess Mathilde, née d'Udekem
: d'Acoz.
: Mathilde & Co. Familie d'Ambras. By
: Valerie Lempereur (what's in a name) and
: infamous Jan van den Berghe (... , who never
: misses an opportunity to criticize the
: Belgian royals)).
: Praising the princess but very critical
: about her family...
: I am not quite sure what " Familie
: d'Ambras " means?
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: http://www.bol.com/nl/p/boeken/mathilde-co/1001004006866619/index.html#product_description
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