Noteven an injured knee could keep Queen Mathilde from having the honor of meetingPope Francis. Just a little over a week after attending a meeting at the EU Parliament on crutches, the 42-year-old ventured to the Vatican with husband King Philippe to have a private audience with His Holiness on Monday.
Clearly still suffering from her injury, the Queenarrived in a wheelchair before transitioning over to crutches for the remainderof her visit.
Thefashionable royal looked elegant in a cream knee-length dress with a matchingcoat and nude pointed flats. Out of respect for the holy nature oftheir settings, she kept her head covered with a white lace veil.
Duringtheir visit, the Pope exchanged a series of gifts with the royal couple and gavethem each a rosary. Both the King and Queen appeared delighted at the meeting, having warm smiles throughout. But despite her obvious joy, Mathilde wasalso in obvious discomfort, needing help to stand and walk.
Thisis the third public engagement the Belgium royal has made on crutches, thefirst being on February 25. The royal palace declined to comment muchabout the Queen's accident, only confirming that Mathilde had sustained a kneeinjury during a fall.
The accident seems to have happened in late February as she wasnot pictured wearing the brace during a meeting with Ertharin Cousin, directorof the United Nations World Food Program, on February 23. She will have a bracefor several weeks, but in the meantime will attend her pre-scheduledengagements.
