BELGIUM’S WELCOME TO THE KING AND QUEEN.

RECEPTION IN BRUSSELS. POPULAR ENTHUSIASM.

The stirring reception given to the King and Queen when their Majesties reached Brussels this evening is a happy augury for the future of Anglo-belgian relations. The people’s welcome obviously came from their hearts, and the cheers which resounded through the streets of the capital were an eloquent as well as a spontaneous tribute of admiration for King George and at the same time a testimony to the high place which Great Britain holds in the affections of Belgians,. The Genoa Conference has profoundly disappointed Belgium, and she has many fears concerning the outcome of the deliberations, but despite this the people seized the opportunity of displaying their cordial feelings towards Britain, and assuredly they could have given no better manifestation of their friendship than that we have just witnessed. The resounding plaudits of the multitude were not merely an act of courtesy towards the honoured guests of the Belgian Sovereign, but a free expression of the people’s feelings of cordiality for the King and for Britain. Politics had nothing to do with today’s welcome. The only concern of the citizens was to show how lively is their recollection of the way the two nations had stood, together in the dark periods of recent history, and the stentorian shouts told that the comradeship on the warscarred fields is held in cherished memory in this wronged land. The value of tonight’s enthusiastic scenes is that we heard democracy speaking in its true voice, and there was no mistaking its meaning.

AT THE GARE DU NORD.

Ten minutes before the finely appointed Royal train came into the Gare du Nord, the King of the Belgians, with the Queen, reached the station, and they spent the interval conversing with the staff of the British Embassy. King Albert’s eldest son, the Duke of Brabant, met King George and Queen Mary at the frontier station of Einghien. With him was Sir George Grahame, the British Ambassador, Mr. Eric Phipps, Counsellor of Embassy, and Mrs. Phipps, who travelled on the train. There was nothing formal in the reception in Brussels. Immediately the King alighted from the Royal saloon King Albert advanced to meet him, and the prolonged handshake was remarked by all. The King then saluted the Queen of the Belgians, while King Albert conversed with Queen Mary, and their happy smiles were reflected in the faces of the favoured company in the station. For nearly a quarter of an hour the King of the Belgians renewed his acquaintance with the distinguished officers of the King’s suite whom he met in the strenuous days of the war. With Earl Haig and Earl Beatty he talked awhile, and King George honoured many friends with cordial recognition, some Belgian officers among them. The absence of stiff formality in the ceremony was highly pleasing to everybody, and all voted it a charming beginning to the visit. The First Regiment of Grenadiers, with its band and colours, was drawn up on the platform as a guard of honour. The battalion was of particularly fine physique, including many men wearing war medals. In the entrance hall of the station, decorated with consummate taste with banks of choicest blooms and the flags of Great Britain and Belgium and the blue banner with silver star of the Congo Beige, the Royal party halted to hear the National Anthem sung by several hundred scholars. When the Anthem was finished the King walked over to the lady conductor, thanked her, and complimented her on the excellence of her choir. This gracious act so pleased the scholars that they threw off restraint and broke into rounds of cheering and shouts of “God save the King”. On leaving the station the two Kings took seats side by side in the first four-horsed open carriage, with the Duke of Brabant and Earl Beatty opposite them. King George wore the crimson sash of the Order of Leopold over the uniform of an Admiral of the Fleet, while on King Albert’s full-dress uniform of General-in-chief was the riband of the Order of the Garter. In the second carriage were the two Queens, both dressed in beautiful robes of delicate grey, and with them were Earl Haig and the British Ambassador. Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, in light blue, and the Earl of Athlone were in the third carriage, and the suites followed. The escort was provided by the famous Regiment of Guides, wearing field uniforms of khaki with steel helmets. The same regiment lined the first part of the route, the remainder being lined by infantry.

PROCESSION TO PALACE.

Then through streets that were radiantly dressed the splendid procession passed on its way to the Palais du Roi. Last night the highways wore simply their everyday cleanly, bright appearance. This morning wrought a wondrous change, and in unbroken sunshine the whole route was artistically draped with many flags by private hands, the whole scheme of decoration being wisely left to the citizens, who were at great pains to give of their best. Only large flags were used, the Belgian colours predominating, because the supply of full-size British flags was short. But if from the sides of the buildings Union Jacks hung at wide intervals, there was no lack of British colours among the crowd, thousands making it a point of honour to supplement their vocal efforts by waving a small emblem purchased from itinerant vendors of British flags. The citizens’ outbursts of enthusiasm were delightful to an Englishman’s ears. They were British in their heartiness and sincerity, and from the moment when the triumphant roar went up in the spacious square in front of the Gare du Nord until the King and Queen entered the Royal Palace there was never a yard of the journey traversed without a similar joyous note struck.