On June 22, 2011, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium arrived in New York City for a nine-day economic mission to the United States.  The royal couple travelled along with several hundred Belgian businessman in the hopes of strengthening economic relations with U.S. companies.

According to the newspaper, Nieuwsblad.be:

The Prince, Princess Mathilde, Minister of Foreign Affairs Steven Vanackere (CD & V) and Walloon Minister of Economy Jean-Claude Marcourt (PS) on Wednesday walked through Central Park. They also took some time to stop and eat some local Belgian waffles.

Prince Philip on Thursday morning brings a visit to Swift, the company that manages a super database of financial transactions in the world and has an establishment in the Walloon Brabant La Hulpe. Princess Matilde will have breakfast at the same time at a branch of the Belgian bakery chain Le Pain Quotidien. Later, the couple will visit Ground Zero.

The majority of the delegation consists of some three hundred business people representing 203 Belgian companies. The companies include sectors from pharmaceutical, biotechnology and ICT. Representatives from the financial sector and travel along the Belgian universities.

The next stop on this whirlwind economic mission trip is Washington, D.C. from June 26-29 and ending in Boston on June 30.

To view photos please click the links here and here. 

Source: Nieuwsblad.be

Photo courtesy of: Jason Kempin/Getty Images