THE CIVIL MARRIAGE
Just before 10:00 King Albert II of the Belgians arrived with Nicole Coombs, mother of the bride. Prince Laurent of Belgium arrived at the town hall together with his mother, Queen Paola. After the three bridesmaids also Claire Coombs arrived with her father, Mr Nicholas Coombs. Both bride and groom were welcomed by the mayor of Brussels, Mr Freddy Thielemans, at the Lion Staircase. The public outside enthusiastically cheered the marrying couple.
Marriage Certificate
After some words of welcome in French, Dutch and German the marriage certificate was read, also in the three official languages of Belgium.
In the year two thousand and three, on the twelfth of April at 10 a.m., the following persons appeared at the Town Hall:
His Royal Highness Prince Laurent Benoît Baudouin Marie, Prince of Belgium, Senator, Grand Cordon de l'Ordre de Léopold, holder of various foreign honorary distinctions,
born in Brussels, second district, on the nineteenth of October nineteen hundred and sixty-three,
domiciled in Brussels, avenue du Parc Royal, 100,
major son of His Majesty King Albert II Félix Humbert Théodore Christian Eugène Marie, King of the Belgians, Prince of Belgium, Grand Maître de l'Ordre de Léopold, holder of various foreign honorary distinctions,
and his spouse Her Majesty Queen Paola Margherita Maria-Antonia Consiglia Ruffo di Calabria, Princess of Belgium, Grand Cordon de l'Ordre de Léopold, both domiciled in Brussels, of the one part;
AND:
Miss Claire Louise Coombs,
born in Bath (United Kingdom), on the eighteenth of January nineteen hundred and seventy-four,
domiciled at Chaumont-Gistoux, rue du Sartau, 23,
major daughter of Mr. Nicholas John Coombs, and his spouse Mrs. Nicole Eva Gabrielle Thérèse Mertens, domiciled at Chaumont-Gistoux, of the other part.
The Spouses agreed their marriage settlements in an act received on the nineteenth of March two thousand and three in Brussels.
Reading of Articles of Law
Before receiving your consent, the Law requires me to read aloud to you the provisions of Chapter VI of the Civil Code concerning the respective rights and duties of the spouses.
Article 212 : Marriage does not modify the legal capacity of the spouses.
Article 213 : The spouses have the duty to live together; they owe it to each other to be faithful and provide help and assistance.
Article 221 : Each spouse shall contribute to the charges of the marriage in proportion to their means.
Consents and signing of the Certificates
After having read the articles of law Mayor Freddy Thielemans contracted the marriage in all three languages. Already after the French text Prince Laurent said 'Yes' - everybody laughed as he should have waited until it also had been read in Dutch and German - so he had to say 'Yes' again. Claire Coombs also said 'Yes', after which the couple was officially married. A short congratulatory address by the Mayor was followed by the signing of the certificates by both bride and groom and their witnesses.
The Kiss
As the weather was good, bride and groom, followed by their parents, appeared at the balcony of the Town Hall after the civil ceremony. To the big enthusiasm of the public the bride took the initiative to kiss the groom at the balcony.