Then heir to the Belgian throne, Crown Prince Philippe found his perfect match in Belgian aristocrat Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz, who had been born into nobility as the daughter of Count Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz and Anna Maria Komorowska, a countess in her own right and daughter of a Polish princess. Mathilde, who was a talented student as she grew up and eventually became a speech therapist with her own practice in Brussels, met the future king while playing tennis in 1996. The pair kept their relationship a secret – it was a bombshell announcement when they made their engagement public three years later. The couple tied the knot on December 4, 1999, when Mathilde became Princess Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant and also the first Belgian-born future queen consort. With royals and dignitaries from around the world invited to the ceremony, held at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels, the occasion was the quintessential winter wedding, with the page boys and flowergirls dressed in festive – and warm! – red velvet ensembles.Photo: Tim Graham/Getty Images
The 39-year-old son of King Albert II and Queen Paola was dashing in his uniform as he wed his aristocratic love at the Cathedral following a civil ceremony at the Town Hall. The wedding was seen as helping bridge the gap between Belgium’s two communities, as Mathilde had been living in the French-speaking part of the country, but came from a noble Flemish family.Photo: Getty Images
Mathilde’s bespoke ensemble by Edouard Vermeulen – a favorite couturier of her mother-in-law Queen Paola – was a silk crepe dress and coat. The wedding dress' simple lines and and upturned collar made it seem straight from a medieval fairytale. Photo: Getty Images
The wedding gown's dramatic train was 15ft long, and was an elegant combination with Mathilde's treasured heirloom veil, which was made from finest Brussels lace and first worn 120 years earlier by the groom’s great-grandmother. Mathilde borrowed the delicate piece from Queen Paola, who had worn it for her own wedding to King Albert. The bride also borrowed her antique diamond tiara from her mother-in-law's collection. Photo: Getty Images
For her big day, future Queen Mathilde arrived in a glass-topped Mercedes along with her father, Count Patrick d'Udekem d'Acoz. While 200 family and friends attended the Town Hall ceremony, there were another 1000 guests invited to St Michael’s.Photo: Tim Graham/Getty Images
Here we spy royal guest Prince Charles! Prince Albert of Monaco and then-Crown Prince Felipe of Spain are also seen here at the wedding, which was also attended by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, King Harald of Norway, Queen Margrethe of Denmark, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Sofia of Spain and the Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg.Photo: Getty Images
Crown Prince Philippe's father, King Albert II is seen here, left, along with wife Queen Paola, center, during the ceremony. Also captured in this photo is Queen Silvia of Sweden, right. Photo: Tim Graham/Getty Images
A sweet kiss as husband and wife! Around 750 guests celebrated with the newlyweds after the civil and religious ceremonies at a lavish banquet of lobstser and venison, with chocolate gateau for dessert. An evening reception at Laeken Castle also followed. Photo: Getty Images
Today, Philippe and Mathilde are king and queen. Philippe ascended the throne upon his father Prince Albert's abdication in 2013. The couple also have four children: heir to the throne Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant, born in 2001; Prince Gabriel, born in 2003; Prince Emmanuel, born in 2005; and youngest Princess Eléonore, who arrived in 2008.Photo: Getty Images