Rose petals, smiles and cries of delight greeted Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Parma and his new wife Princess Annemarie after they were united in marriage during a moving ceremony conducted in Dutch and French.Among those wishing the couple joy at the celebrations in Brussels was Princess Maxima, who was escorted by her husband Willem-Alexander and mother-in-law Queen Beatrix, the aunt of the 40-year-old groom.
Despite the impressive guest list and grand surroundings – it took place in La Cambre Abbey, which was founded in 1196 and remodelled in the 18th-century – the wedding had the feel of a happy family event.
Carlos, the son of Queen Beatrix' sister Princess Irene, lived for a number of years with his grandparents, Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard when his parents divorced and is consequently very close to the royal family.
For her big day she arrived in a vintage Bentley, resplendent in a breathtaking ivory silk creation in a mermaid silhouette and featuring a four-metre train.
A diamond and pearl tiara lent her by the Dutch monarch and a diaphanous, full-length veil gave her a regal touch and she carried a posy of pink and white flowers.
Meanwhile, the 33-year-old bride, Annemarie Gualtherie van Weezel, a Brussels-based journalist hails from a distinguished political family in the Netherlands.
The happy couple were married in a civil ceremony in June. But a religious blessing planned for August sadly had to be postponed because of the death of the groom's father, also named Carlos.