April 10th, 2003
While passing the cathedral of Brussels on Thursday evening around 18:00 I just saw King Albert II and Queen Paola of the Belgians entering the cathedral through the side entrance. With the presscard I just had collected that afternoon in the press centre I was allowed to go inside. I found myself there with several Belgian television-crews and some Belgian photographers. And next to the king and the queen I also discovered Mr Nicholas Coombs and Mrs Nicole Coombs-Mertens, parents of the bride. It turned out I was just in time for the rehearsal of the choir and orchestra for the wedding on Saturday.
While I enjoyed the choir singing and the orchestra playing I had a look at the flower decoration - they were still very busy with it - and in the meantime I kept an eye on the parents of the bride and groom. When the choir started singing I saw the parents of the bride sitting on a small bench silently enjoying the singing.
King Albert II and Queen Paola left the cathedral at around 18:45. I went outside to take a picture of them leaving. I had a short talk with a Belgian royalty watcher outside when a motorcyclist arrived at the cathedral and she immediately said that it was Prince Laurent. He parked his motorcycle around the corner and we waited for him. Somewhat surprised he allowed us to make a photo of him, and I managed to congratulate him on his wedding and to shake his hand. Inside I was interviewed by TV1, a Belgian tv-channel. They kept Prince Laurent in the background, but after a while the Prince came to us asking if we could find us another background. Unfortunately I heard later on from my mother that it hadn't been broadcasted in the programme De Rode Loper on Friday evening.
Of course everybody in the cathedral was wondering now if also the bride would show up. I think it must have been about half an hour after Prince Laurent that also Claire Coombs arrived, together with the befriended couple De Meulenaere with their son and daughter Clothilde, who will be one of the bridesmaids on Saturday. After a talk to her husband-to-be and her parents Claire Coombs took a walk in the cathedral together with Clothilde de Meulenaere. Afterwards the whole group started walking round to have a look at the flower decoration. The bridal couple looked pretty relaxed and were talking and joking with the bride's parents. After silently joining the "Ave Maria" sung by Yvette Fanna, the couple left: Claire Coombs by car and Prince Laurent on his motorcycle, this time accompanied to the motor by several tv-crews and photographers.
Photos: Netty Leistra