Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan on Sunday hosted Belgian Queen Mathilde at Istanbul’s Dolmabahce Palace during the royal’s visit to Türkiye as part of an economic mission.
The two greeted each other with a hug and chatted briefly before posing for photos in front of the palace’s crystal staircase and proceeding to the Medhal Hall.
The two later toured the Century-Old Elegance exhibition organised by the Maturation Institute, which reinterprets Türkiye’s inherited cultural heritage as a dynamic building block shaping the future.
During the visit, Erdogan and Mathilde viewed products displayed in the exhibit, which aims to reflect Türkiye’s traditional artistic richness through weaving looms, and learned about the works.
Erdogan also presented Mathilde with a brooch featuring honeysuckle, chrysanthemum, and tulip motifs, handcrafted over one week by instructors from the Maturation Institute using traditional needle lace and embroidery techniques.
