Royal joy as Mathilde gives birth to baby boy

4 October 2005

BRUSSELS — Princess Mathilde gave birth to baby boy in the Erasmus Hospital in Anderlecht at 1.06pm on Tuesday.

The prince has been given the forenames of Emmanuel Leopold Guillaume François Marie.

Both mother and son are doing well, the royal palace website said. The child weighed 3,900g and is 50cm long.

Prince Emmanuel is the third child of Mathilde and Crown Prince Filip and the ninth grandchild of King Albert and Queen Paola.

His sister, Princess Elizabeth, was born on 25 October 2001 and his brother, Prince Gabriël, was born on 20 August 2003.

Emmanuel is fourth in line to the Belgian throne following his father and siblings.

In the lead-up to the birth, Princess Mathilde was admitted to hospital at 8.15am on Tuesday. Prince Filip was by his wife’s side.

The royal couple’s third child was due to be born in the second half of October. However, Gabriël had also been born early.

Subject: Belgian news