Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, on a state visit to Vietnam, immersed themselves in Hanoi's culture by savoring egg coffee at a café built with recycled materials, following their visit to the Thang Long Imperial Citadel and a stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake.

The royal couple visited Hidden Gem Coffee on Hang Tre Street on Tuesday afternoon as part of their five-day trip to Vietnam.

Queen Mathilde, dressed in a cobalt blue traditional Vietnamese ao dai, joined King Philippe in trying the renowned egg coffee.

The couple also learned about the history of Vietnamese coffee.

Tran Thi Thu Phuong, a staff member, introduced the beverage, describing it as an iconic drink that has become a must-try for both local and international visitors to Hanoi.

Intrigued by the preparation process, King Philippe sought to know the best way to enjoy the drink. Playfully, he clinked his cup against the queen’s.

Belgian journalist Wim Dehandschutter, accompanying the royal delegation, shared images of the king and queen enjoying their coffee on his personal social media account.

As they had their coffee, the distinguished guests admired the café’s artistic decorations, which creatively repurpose plastic and glass bottles.

Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, a representative of the coffee shop, revealed that they received a request to host the royal couple two weeks earlier.

“We were both excited and nervous upon learning that we would welcome the King and Queen of Belgium,” Trang said.

She speculated that Hidden Gem Coffee was chosen for its commitment to sustainability, aligning with the royal couple’s interest in green initiatives.

VnExpress cited café owner Nguyen Van Tho as noting that security checks were conducted beforehand.

The café remained open to regular customers as the king preferred a normal and authentic experience.

After finishing their coffee, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde posed for photos with the staff.

The Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs previously stated that one of the main focuses of this visit to Vietnam is to promote cooperation in the field of sustainable development, in addition to economy, trade, and investment.

Belgium aims to act as a 'sustainability ambassador' in Vietnam, sharing experience and technology in areas such as the green economy, renewable energy, environmental management, and sustainable urban development.

Prior to visiting the café, the Belgian monarchs visited the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Hanoi, accompanied by Vietnamese President Luong Cuong and his spouse, following the official talks between President Cuong and King Philippe.

On March 31, upon arriving in Hanoi, the royal couple took casual strolls around Hoan Kiem Lake and some streets, where they blended into the crowd and waved hands to locals.

They were accompanied by a delegation including over 30 CEOs from major Belgian and European firms, with the aim of boosting multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam.

This marks the first state visit by a Belgian head of state to Vietnam since diplomatic relations were established in 1973.

The visit underscores Belgium’s strong ties with Vietnam. Previously, the royals visited Vietnam three times as Crown Prince and Princess.

Currently, Belgium is Vietnam’s sixth-largest European export market, while Vietnam is Belgium’s top trading partner in ASEAN.

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