Some images say everything on their own, and this one was among the most affecting of the day. Queen Mathilde of Belgium was photographed in New York with tears in her eyes at the 9/11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan. The stop was one of her firsts after arriving in the city.
© Getty ImagesDressed entirely in black and undeterred by the rain, the wife of King Philippe stepped away from her schedule for a few quiet minutes to pay tribute to the victims of the September 11 attacks. She placed a white rose with a small Belgian flag tied to its stem and presented a floral wreath at the memorial.
The Belgian Victim of 9/11
Belgium's connection to that day is a small but poignant one. Of the 2,977 people killed in the attacks of September 11, only one is reported to have been Belgian: Patric Braut, a 31-year-old man from Brussels.
A computer specialist and manager at the insurance brokerage Marsh & McLennan, Braut worked on the 97th floor of the North Tower. According to the original report, his identity was confirmed years later through DNA testing.
© Getty ImagesThe scale of the loss was global. The victims came from more than 90 countries. Of the total 2,606 people who died in the Twin Towers and the surrounding area of the World Trade Center, there were 343 firefighters and 71 law enforcement officers who lost their lives while fulfilling the rescue efforts.
The remaining victims died aboard the hijacked planes and at the Pentagon.
Why the Queen Is in New York
Queen Mathilde is in the city for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, where she's an advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals. This year's theme is "Restoring trust and managing transformation, with a United Nations that delivers for everyone."
© Emile Windal/Belga/ShutterstockThe queen has already met with senior UN officials. Her agenda puts an emphasis on humanitarian action and peace, as well as the impact of climate change and the digital revolution on sustainable development. She is taking part in several working sessions and is scheduled to speak on these subjects on various occasions.
She has also sat down with the young delegates invited to the General Assembly as youth representatives, hearing their views on sustainable development and the challenges facing their generation.
Other Royals in Town
Mathilde will not be the only royal in New York this week. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands is expected to arrive Monday in her role as the UN Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Financial Health. Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg will also attend, and King Abdullah II of Jordan is expected to address the assembly, accompanied by Queen Rania.
© Getty Images
