Magazine Hello "PHILIPPE AND MATHILDE STEP OUT FOR CHARITY CIRCUS SHOW

20 OCTOBER 2003
Belgium's Crown Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde stepped out for some fun and games at the weekend, when an Italian circus troupe came to Brussels.

The royal couple attended a special performance staged to raise money for leukaemia patients and their families. The event was organised by the Michael Van Waeyenberge Fund, which is supported by the King Baudouin Foundation.

And it's not the first time Philippe and Mathilde have shown their support for the philanthropic organisation, which was set up in honour of King Baudouin. After the birth of their baby daughter Elizabeth, they asked well-wishers to make a donation to the fund instead of sending them gifts.

The King Baudouin Foundation was set up in 1976 to mark the 25th anniversary of the monarch's coronation. As the king didn't want to receive a gift, the government decided to establish the organisation as a "permanent memorial" to their head of state.

The Michael Van Waeyenberge Fund, meanwhile, was named after the student of the same name who died in 2001 after a two-year battle with leukaemia.

The interview also contained two picture, with as captions Princess Mathilde and Prince Philippe meet some of the youngsters who came along to join in the fun and Philippe and Mathilde are active supporters of the King Baudouin Foundation.