Exhibition in Cairo reveals Queen Elisabeth’s passion for Egypt

Our embassy in Cairo organised an exhibition about Queen Elisabeth’s travels to Egypt, exactly 100 years after she attended the opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb. Queen Mathilde and Crown Princess Elisabeth retraced the journey of their illustrious ancestor.

Egypt, a land of enchantment! Who is not at least a little fascinated by the mysterious civilisation of ancient Egypt with its pyramids, temples, royal tombs, and mummies?

That fascination dates back to the 19th century. None other than our future Queen Elisabeth embarked on a cruise to Egypt in 1891 at the age of 15, accompanied by her famous aunt Elisabeth (Sisi), Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. From that moment on, she remained deeply passionate about ancient Egypt. In 1911 – one year into her reign as Queen of the Belgians – she returned to Egypt, this time with her husband King Albert I.

But the most remarkable journey was undoubtedly the one in 1923. She visited Egypt with her son Leopold, the future Leopold III. Howard Carter had just discovered the undisturbed tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, which was filled with magnificent objects. The visit of Queen Elisabeth and Crown Prince Leopold was internationally recognised as the official opening of the royal tomb.

In 1923, her guide was none other than the Belgian Egyptologist Jean Capart, the father of Belgian Egyptology. In honour of the Queen’s visit to Tutankhamun’s tomb, he founded the Fondation Égyptologique Reine Élisabeth in 1923, Belgium’s renowned research and study society dedicated to ancient Egypt.

It is safe to say that Belgian Egyptology was given a strong impetus by Queen Elisabeth and her friendship with the ambitious and flamboyant Jean Capart. Thanks to Capart’s numerous initiatives, Brussels was at one point even considered the world capital of Egyptology.

In 1930, there was a third trip, this time an official state visit with King Albert I, followed by a private trip. The Queen visited several archaeological sites where excavations were underway, once again excellently guided by Jean Capart.

Fast forward to 2023, marking one hundred years since the official opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb in the presence of our former Queen. The Belgian embassy in Cairo saw this as the perfect moment to highlight this event with a real exhibition.

Egypt has exceptionally allowed our colleagues in Cairo to hold the exhibition on the ground floor of the Empain Palace. This iconic Hindu-style building, well known across Egypt, was constructed between 1907 and 1911 on behalf of the Belgian Édouard Empain as part of the brand-new suburb of Heliopolis (see box). This ‘Hindu Villa’ – as it is known in Egypt – was neglected for many years but has recently been restored, partly with Belgian support. The palace was officially reopened in 2020 to serve as a museum dedicated to the history of Heliopolis.

The exhibition, 1923-2023: Queen Elisabeth of Belgium in Egypt, was curated by a team of Belgian historians and Egyptologists, led by Professor Marie-Cécile Bruwier. Its aim was to evoke Queen Elisabeth’s three visits to Egypt, with a particular focus on her 1923 journey. As it happens, there are many photographs of those journeys. The team could draw not only on the archives of the Royal Palace of Brussels, but also on the library of the Art & History Museum in Brussels, the Capart Fund, and private archives.

Films preserved at Cinematek, Belgium’s royal film archive, were also screened. Moreover, a film of Queen Elisabeth’s arrival at Cairo’s central station in 1923 will be projected for several days on a giant screen in that very station!

The exhibition strongly highlighted the close cultural and economic ties between Belgium and Egypt, which date back to the 19th century. It also reminded Egyptian visitors of the Belgian origins of the iconic Empain Palace and strongly emphasised the presence of Belgian scholars in the field of Egyptology in Egypt.

The exhibition gained even more prestige thanks to the presence of Queen Mathilde and Crown Princess Elisabeth at the opening. The Royal Palace had decided to follow in the footsteps of Queen Elisabeth – 100 years later. Crown Princess Elisabeth was, in fact, named after her illustrious great-great-grandmother.

Queen Mathilde and Crown Princess Elisabeth also visited several Belgian archaeological research projects in Egypt, including the painted rock tombs of high-ranking pharaonic officials in Al-Kab, in the Nile Valley south of Luxor. This research project is considered the starting point of Belgium’s long-standing tradition in Egyptology, as Jean Capart himself launched it in 1937. Today, ULB and ULiège are actively involved there. Our embassy in Cairo helped prepare the royal visit down to the finest detail.

The exhibition at the Empain Palace was, in any case, a resounding success. The Egyptian press covered the initiative and the visit of the Belgian royals in detail. In Belgium, the royal trip to Egypt received a lot of publicity. The exhibition proved to be a unique opportunity to boost Belgium’s positive image in Egypt and to strengthen academic and cultural ties.

Also fascinated by all things Egyptian? The Art & History Museum is hosting an exhibition from 31 March 2023 to 1 October 2023, showcasing two centuries of fascinating archaeological discoveries in the land of the pharaohs and the development of the museum’s Egyptian collection.