Belgian royals open first state visit to Kazakhstan in Astana
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium have opened a four-day state visit to Kazakhstan, the first by a Belgian royal couple to the country and to Central Asia.
The visit, a state visit being the highest grade of formal visit between heads of state, runs from 11 to 14 October at the invitation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The programme takes in Astana and Almaty, according to Hello Magazine.
The King and Queen landed in Astana on Monday 12 October and were greeted by the president. The official welcome followed at the Akorda Presidential Palace at 11:00 local time, 08:00 in Belgium, as reported by VRT. It included an inspection of the guard of honour and the introduction of the two official delegations in what Akorda, the Kazakh presidency, described as a solemn ceremony.
Talks then moved behind closed doors. Akorda said President Tokayev held narrow-format talks with the King and Queen, followed by expanded talks with the wider delegations on 12 October. The two heads of state also gave a joint press briefing that day, as recorded by Akorda.
The daytime programme in Astana included the Baiterek Tower, the 97-metre-high monument that has become the symbol of the capital, and the national rehabilitation centre for children. The Belgian monarchy's official account confirmed the palace ceremony and bilateral talks were on the agenda for the day.
The first evening closed with a state dinner at the Reception House. A state dinner is a formal evening reception. It stops short of a white-tie state banquet, the still more formal evening format where tiaras are worn.
That protocol shaped the dress code. Queen Mathilde wore no tiara. For the daytime welcome she chose a coordinated red ensemble with a wide-brimmed hat. For the dinner she changed into a red jumpsuit with a cape from Elie Saab's Autumn/Winter 2025-2026 collection, paired with diamond earrings by Kazakh jeweller Saltanat. King Philippe wore a navy suit.
What makes this stand out is the local touch. Choosing earrings by a Kazakh maker for the opening dinner gave the visit an immediate talking point. So did the red-on-red wardrobe across day and night. The trip continues until 14 October.
