Belgian State Visit to the Netherlands – Day One

This morning, Monday November 28, Their Majesties King Philippe and Queen Mathilde began a three-day state visit to The Netherlands.

Upon their arrival the Royal Couple was officially welcomed by Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima with a welcoming ceremony held in the Dam Square outside the Royal Palace. King Willem-Alxeander and King Philippe inspected the guard of honour. The Belgian Royal Couple also laid a wreath at the National Monument on Dam Square.

Afterwards in the Royal Palace took place a reception for the Belgian delegation and the Dutch autorities and then was signed a border correction treaty between Belgium and The Netherlands in the presence of the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bert Koenders, and the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Didier Reynders.

In the early afternoon, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima along with King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visited the Flemish Cultural Centre de Brakke Grond. The cultural center provides cultural projects with photo exhibition, theater and musical performances focused on the three Communities of Belgium.

Later the Royal Couples continued with separate events: King Willem-Alexander and King Philippe partecipated in a conference titled ” Belgian-Dutch Innovative Entrepreneurs & Finance” held at the Euronext, an European stock exchange; meanwhile Queen Máxima and Queen Mathilde were at the Amsterdam Theater to attend a symposium about the urbanization and the importance of the cooperation between Belgian and Dutch cities in this field.

Koning Filip en Koning Willem-Alexander bezoeken de Belgian-Dutch Innovative Entrepreneurs & Finance Conference @euronext #BELNL2016 pic.twitter.com/Ioz0dbEMMc

— Koninklijk Huis (@koninklijkhuis) November 28, 2016

The first day ended with a State Banquet held at the Royal Palace.  At the banquet were also present Princess Beatrix, Prince Constantijn, Princess Laurentien, Princess Margriet and Prof. Pieter Van Vollenhoven.

In their speeches, both King Willem-Alexander and King Philippe expressed their delight for the realization of the state visit. They stated that between the Netherlands and Belgium there are solid good neighborly relations. King Willem-Alexander said that both countries are proud to be partners in the field of championing peace, justice and development.

King Philippe stated that “the interconnection between our two countries is greater than ever” and stressed that what unite the countries is more than a history, and language, they both “share the same deep-rooted values”.

Filed under Belgium, The Netherlands
Tagged Bilateral Relations, Culture, King Philippe of the Belgians, King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands, Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, Prof. Pieter van Vollenhoven, Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, State Visit.

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