Queen Beatrix & The Bilderberg Group

[Squidgy]

Yesterday, Queen Beatrix made a discrete arrival in Ottawa for the annual Bilderberg meeting.

Photo: Jean Levac, Ottawa Citizen

[xxPatrickxx]

Originally Posted by Squidgy

Yesterday, Queen Beatrix made a discrete arrival in Ottawa for the annual Bilderberg meeting.

Photo: Jean Levac, Ottawa Citizen

its very unusual that there is a picture of!

[Alexandria]

Originally Posted by xxPatrickxx

its very unusual that there is a picture of!

I think you underestimate the soft spot Canadians (especially Ontarians) have for the Dutch royal family, especially Beatrix and Margriet. :) Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard's deaths and funerals were both covered here, too, even though the deaths of the Countess of Barcelona of Spain or Queen Ingrid of Denmark had not been covered.

We Canadians like the Dutch royals and are as interested in their lives as much as we are interested in "our" royal family, the British royals. :)

[Oppie]

That and she is at a top-secert meeting. The picture was of her and five others on the Ottawa Citizen, although she is the only one that I immediatly recgonized. Her is the story as to why she is in Ottawa (and yes this is a credible new site)

http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/A...g_group_060609

[Alexandria]

Originally Posted by Oppie

That and she is at a top-secert meeting. The picture was of her and five others on the Ottawa Citizen, although she is the only one that I immediatly recgonized. Her is the story as to why she is in Ottawa (and yes this is a credible new site)

http://sympaticomsn.ctv.ca/servlet/A...g_group_060609

Interesting article Oppie. It is about the Bilderberg group, which was established by the Queen's father Prince Bernhard in 1954. I believe that I have heard other members mention this in the past. I wonder if the Queen goes every year because her father founded it?

[princess olga]

Originally Posted by Alexandria

Interesting article Oppie. It is about the Bilderberg group, which was established by the Queen's father Prince Bernhard in 1954. I believe that I have heard other members mention this in the past. I wonder if the Queen goes every year because her father founded it?

yes I have read somewhere she goes every year. Of course, such a hush-hush group is food for conspiracy theory lovers, but I actually lean here to buying into what Prince Bernhard, Beatrix's father, said about why he founded the group:
He explained once to a reporter that whenever there was, say, a state visit of some sort that he was either on the receiving end of or on the other, that it always occurred to him that because of the formality of such events, and because of all the hoopla and circus surrounding him and his wife during such occasions, he would hardly have the chance to really exchange thoughts with the other parties, be they presidents or other monarchs or what have you.

He said he just felt over the years that to really speak his mind to these people, and to really get a feel for <their> points of view on all kinds of things, he would have to create an opportunity, a sort of platform, for this himself, but out of the spotlight. Not to foster secrecy, but rather to create the kind of environment where people in powerful positions--who typically have to watch every word they utter--could really speak their minds.

I for one believe that this initiative is great and if anything, is really peace building in scope, because it allows for honest communication between leaders of countries and governments, far away from the lime light, which in turn can foster mutual understanding.

[Oppie]

First off eek my bad on all the typos in my last post. (spell check is your friend Oppie always remember that )

I agree with you princess ogla I think that this is a good idea. Allowing world leaders should they be business, political or royal get together just to throw ideas around is a great idea. I don’t really buy the conspiracy stuff, and besides what was already said I imagine some of the secrecy is security related as well (and I think that it is great that they didn’t cancel the meeting due to the events in Canada over the past week).

[Alexandria]

Originally Posted by princess olga

He explained once to a reporter that whenever there was, say, a state visit of some sort that he was either on the receiving end of or on the other, that it always occurred to him that because of the formality of such events, and because of all the hoopla and circus surrounding him and his wife during such occasions, he would hardly have the chance to really exchange thoughts with the other parties, be they presidents or other monarchs or what have you.

He said he just felt over the years that to really speak his mind to these people, and to really get a feel for <their> points of view on all kinds of things, he would have to create an opportunity, a sort of platform, for this himself, but out of the spotlight. Not to foster secrecy, but rather to create the kind of environment where people in powerful positions--who typically have to watch every word they utter--could really speak their minds.

I too agree with Prince Bernhard's reasons behind these meetings. I think it's important that leaders really speak their mind without having to mind their p's and q's or be consciously politically correct.

I find it interesting however that Prince Bernhard, as a Prince Consort was the one to initiate this idea. Perhaps those with more knowledge of this group and its roots could tell how it was received in Netherlands (if it was known at the time even that it was happening) and how Queen Juliana felt about it?

And when did Queen Beatrix start going? And will Willem be going in the future?

They covered the meeting on CTV News last night. It seems that Beatrix is the only royal who attended this year's meeting. They mentioned some Canadians who had attended in the past and the list was pretty much a political who's who from the last few decades. I wonder if the Dutch PM attends with Beatrix?

[Marengo]

I think Queen Juliana usually supported her husband, and after the debacle with prince Hendrik, dutch politicians were happy to have such a consort (untill the Lockheed affair).

Usually Queen Sofia of Spain attends as well, as does the Duke of Brabant (ovber the last years anyway), sometimes also the King of Sweden or the King of Spain.

[lucien]

In the early fifties Prince Bernhard was given carte blanche,more or less,with a government and a family backing him wholeheardtedly in order to put post-war The Netherlands on the map again,both economically and politically.Seen in the light of that time and age,then as now,there were horrific world issues,the then Cold War being one of them,and a growing divide,then as now,between the US and Europe,it was Prince Bernhards idea to bridge these dividing issues.Over the years this conference has grown into one of the worlds most influential yet informal meetings.Beatrix as a Princess accompanied her father to those meetings several times during the fifties and onwards.

On the side,
It was upon returning from one of those meetings,in the US,that their aircraft got into horrific turbulence with an emergency landing as a result.During those bumpy minutes the bond between father and daughter grew even more stronger,if possible.

[Marengo]

Thanks Lucien, I never heard that story about Benrhard and Beatrix before! It must have been a scary experience. I even get upset with the slightest turbulence in the airplane.

[anirac]

Last weekend Beatrix was in Istanbul again. It was time for Bilderberg again.
See the link:

YouTube - 2007 Bilderberg Meeting In Istanbul, Turkey - Dutch TV

Also Queen Sofia and Prince Philipe joined the "Royal Club" inside the conference.

[Marengo]

Again lots of talk about the secretive side of this organistation.
Has a list been published of the participants btw?

[princess olga]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Again lots of talk about the secretive side of this organistation.

yes, the media and the folks who see a conspiracy where there really, in my opinion isn't one. I think the Bilderberg get together is the only gathering where Beatrix can speak her mind and not worry about it

[Marengo]

Queen Beatrix will attend the Bilderberg conference that thyey have in the beginning of June in Chantilly Virginia. Any idea who else will be joining her there?

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Queen Beatrix will attend the Bilderberg conference that thyey have in the beginning of June in Chantilly Virginia. Any idea who else will be joining her there?

As far as The Netherlands is concerned,P-M Balkenende and Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen.The latter two visiting George W. first on june 5th.

[Marengo]

Apparently the Prince of Orange attended the conference too.