27 APRIL 2004               

Princess Astrid of Belgium, representing her country at the inauguration of re-elected South African president Thabo Mbeki in Pretoria, took the opportunity during her trip to visit young children suffering from AIDS.

The princess, a mother-of-five, was casual in beige trousers and a striped jacket as she made bedside visits to the little ones at Pretoria Academic Hospital on Monday. The Belgian government recently pledged millions to improve services to treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other diseases in South Africa.

Accompanied by her husband Prince Lorenz, Astrid was one of many illustrious guests from dozens of countries around the world expected to attend Tuesday's "Freedom Day" festivities. The celebrations, marking the tenth anniversary of the end of apartheid, include the inauguration ceremony for President Mbeki and a concert attended by 40,000 South Africans.