Fact of the day Ten years of reign | National Day Highlight From parades to the popular ball

The King among bikers, Prince Philippe with cyclists, Prince Laurent and Princess Claire in the Marolles...: each member of the royal family participated, in their own way, in the weekend's many events and festivities. On Sunday at the foot of the Atomium, Albert II thus kicked off the Motorbike Parade, a motorcycle ride organized by the MotorCycle Council. The approximately 10,000 participants gave a warm welcome to the man who was awarded, for the occasion, the title of “first biker of the country”, even though he had to give up riding large-capacity bikes for health reasons. As for the first heir to the throne, he took part in the bicycle ride that gathered 1,100 people on an 8.5-kilometer route through the streets of Brussels. His younger brother with his wife went to encourage the 600 fans of the Roller Parade. Princess Astrid attended a performance of the “Kindercircus” with her family. Queen Fabiola visited the Musical Instruments Museum. Sunday evening, Laurent and Claire appeared at the popular ball in the Marolles district, where they had already been a “hit” the day after their wedding. The prince called the winner of the SMS contest on stage via mobile phone, who won a hot-air balloon ride. On Monday, after the Te Deums (in Brussels, Bruges, Eupen, and Namur) and the military parade, the Sovereigns, princes, and princesses went to the various activities organized in the Park and in other districts of the capital, while awaiting the evening's grand concert at Place Poelaert.