Belgians paid tribute on Tuesday to their military, security and emergency services as well as citizens recognised for their bravery at the traditional National Day civil and military parade in Brussels, attended by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.
The King and Queen arrived at about 4.00 p.m. at the Place des Palais, where they greeted Brussels Mayor Philippe Close and other political dignitaries, including Prime Minister Bart De Wever, before joining their children in the official stand.
Defence Minister Theo Francken and Interior Minister Bernard Quintin were already in the stand when the royal family took their seats.
Citizens who had shown exceptional courage were also honoured during the ceremony. Seven of the nine people decorated this year were able to attend from places of honour in the official stand.
The parade began at about 4.10 p.m. with marching columns and a flypast, followed by a motorised procession. Some military personnel had much of their faces covered to prevent them from being identified.
Ukrainian troops also took part in the military parade, as they had done earlier this year in France’s 14 July parade.
Belgium’s new F-35 fighter jet made its first public flypast over the Place des Palais during the event. The F-35 is due to replace the F-16, and the first ones arrived last autumn at Florennes air base in Namur province.
A large civilian contingent also crossed the square, including the integrated police, firefighters, customs and excise, civil protection, the Federal Public Service for Public Health, the Belgian Red Cross and the Belgian First Aid and Support Team (B-FAST).
This part of the parade placed special emphasis on the services involved in responding to the floods that hit Belgium five years ago.
