This day of July 21 will forever be unique. A shortened protocol ceremony and no big festivities. But instead, tributes paid to Covid-19 fighters through words but also on the ground. The King, the Queen and their four children wished to end their national holiday with two visits to nursing homes. The first in the province of Limburg and the second near Morlanwelz.
Even if the arrival of the royal family was delayed by one hour on the initial program (8:10 p.m. instead of 7:15 p.m.), dozens of people waited for a long time until their arrival at the Mariemont-Village residence. There, a device was organized in the parking lot to welcome the curious. The mask was mandatory there but, let’s face it, social distancing was difficult to respect.
This did not get better when Philippe and Mathilde went to greet the public from the security barriers. Anyway, the royal visit to Morlanwelz continued in excitement and with the presence of a company of gilles who came to offer a glimpse of local folklore. The royal family then entered the rest home, alongside the management as a guide but also the Governor of Hainaut, the burgomaster or the corps chief of the Mariemont police zone.
Masked, the Sovereigns and their children briefly visited the center to meet the staff as well as the 250 residents. Despite the late hour, they were impatiently awaiting the visit of the royal family who took the time to go from table to table to greet the residents. There, the health crisis was managed with a master’s hand, despite the large number of residents. No resident or staff member has tested positive so far.
The choice of this establishment was also made for its particular philosophy. Mariemont-Village is at the forefront of the latest advances in the support of psychologically dependent people, including people with Alzheimer’s disease. The rest home was the first in Belgium to develop the concept of cantous, places of community life where people with loss of autonomy find a space where communication, mutual aid and relationships are fostered by participation in acts. everyday.
The royal visit ended around 9 p.m. in front of the public, still present in large numbers at the exit.
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