QUEEN MATHILDE, ON CRUTCHES, MEETS POPE FRANCIS AT THE VATICAN

Queen Mathilde, on crutches, meets Pope Francis at the Vatican

   Belgium Royals
   Queen Mathilde
   King Philippe

Mar 09, 2015

Not even an injured knee could keep Queen Mathilde from having the honor of meeting Pope Francis. Just a little over a week after attending a meeting at the EU Parliament on crutches, the 42-year-old ventured to the Vatican with husband King Philippe to have a private audience with His Holiness on Monday.

The Pope exchanged gifts with the King and Queen Photo: Getty Images

Clearly still suffering from her injury, the Queen arrived in a wheelchair before transitioning over to crutches for the remainder of her visit.

Queen Mathilde arrived in a wheelchair to the Vatican Photo: Getty Images

The fashionable royal looked elegant in a cream knee-length dress with a matching coat and nude pointed flats. Out of respect for the holy nature of their settings, she kept her head covered with a white lace veil.

The Queen happily accepted a rosary from the Pope Photo: Getty Images

During their visit, the Pope exchanged a series of gifts with the royal couple and gave them each a rosary. Both the King and Queen appeared delighted at the meeting, having warm smiles throughout. But despite her obvious joy, Mathilde was also in obvious discomfort, needing help to stand and walk.

The Pope gave the Queen a helping hand with her knee injury Photo: Getty Images

This is the third public engagement the Belgium royal has made on crutches, the first being on February 25. The royal palace declined to comment much about the Queen's accident, only confirming that Mathilde had sustained a knee injury during a fall.

Queen Mathilde first showed up on crutches on February 25 Photo: Getty Images

The accident seems to have happened in late February as she was not pictured wearing the brace during a meeting with Ertharin Cousin, director of the United Nations World Food Program, on February 23. She will have a brace for several weeks, but in the meantime will attend her pre-scheduled engagements.