Princess Margriet and Prof. Mr. Pieter van Vollenhoven: Current Events - Part 2

[Marengo]

Welcome to a new thread for the current events of Princess Margriet and Prof. Mr. Pieter van Vollenhoven.
The old thread can be found here.

Before posting, please bear in mind TRF Posting Rules & Guidelines

• Remember that this is a thread for current events only
• Do not forget to provide sources for all information and images
• Be respectful

[JessRulz]

27-11-2006 Wije Mr. Pieter van Vollenhoven has opened the new railwaypassway under the gound, the Omloop, in Wije.

Pictures from PPE here

[Marengo]

Good to see Pieter again, he is keeping up a happy face, dispite his present state.

[Henri M.]

Professor van Vollenhoven (husband of HRH Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, sister to Queen Beatrix) .

Professor Van Vollenhoven is Chairman of the Safety Investigation Board, which is responsible for independent safety investigations in the broadest sense. It carries out investigations in sectors such as defence, industry, health care, nature, transport and the environment.

This Board is very influential. Only a few months ago a report by this board caused the resignation of the Ministers of Justice and of Housing because of the in-correct workings and acts of services working under their responsibility during a fire in the Amsterdam Airport Detention Centre, which caused the death of 11 detainees.

Now Professor Van Vollenhoven will investigate the workings of the Child protection, -care and -support systems in the Netherlands. This because of a few recent tragic dramas in which a child was abused, tortured or killed while there were signals to general practitioners, schools, police, child care, mediators, etc.

Professor Van Vollenhoven wants to investigate how it is possible that so many thousands of professionals together seems not able to prevent or to end to these dramas with children and youth. Does the system fail? Do the welfare workers have more eye for efficiency and bureaucracy and have they lost the interests of the child out of the eye?

It is possible that the report by Van Vollenhoven will again cause the downfall of a minister because the services working under his/her responsiblity have failed in their core business.

It is very remarkable that a member of the Royal House, for which the Cabinet is responsible, can do such political acts. It tells a lot about the entanglement of the Netherlands monarchy in politics. Not only the Queen who is very influential. Also the Prince of Orange with his high profile and politically outspoken views on sustainable development, the climate change, watermanagement and international sports policies. Princess Mabel as director of the very influenatial lobby-network and think-tank OSI in Brussels. Prince Constantijn as politic and strategic analyst at RAND (a think-tank), the marriages with minister's-daughter Máxima, minister's-daughter Laurentien, minister's-daughter Marilène....

[Marengo]

This week TROS will show a progamme about the marriage of Pieter and Margriet (they will celebrate their 40th wedding aniversairy on January 10th). The couple will be interviewed by Ivo Niehe and I just heard on television that they will say something about the supposed marriage crisis they were rumoured to have had. Aparently the rumours were true but Queen Beatrix acted as an intermediary and the couple got reconsiled.
I have to see the programme first to know if this is actually true but will keep you informed.

[Squidgy]

I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts on the interview Marengo.

I 'm not surprised to hear rumours that there were difficult moments in their marriage. I wouldn't trust anyone who told me that they had been married for 40 years and that it was always smooth sailing. Maintaining a private relationship while living in the public spotlight would be an added stress that most of us will never have to deal with. As well, Pieter seems like a smart and talented man, so it must have been difficult to live in his wife's shadow and to try to carve out a role that would be meaningful for himself and yet acceptable to the public.

I guess there are no plans for a public celebration of the marriage? I hope at least we get a new portrait of the couple - maybe even one of them with their children & grandchildren. It's long overdue & there have been many additions to the family since the last portrait.

[Ana]

New photo of van Vollenhoven family:

http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/content.jsp?objectid=17241

[Her_Majesty]

Thanks for the link, Ana!
These new pictures are great! The Van Vollenhoven Family always looks so happy . Especially Margriet and Pieter!

[Squidgy]

Finally! Some new portraits. How wonderful to see everyone together (except for little Emma).

[Her_Majesty]

There are some more pictures at RoyalImages.nl.
I love the picture of Margriet and Pieter joking with their grandchildren!

[christinacg]

oh my! What a beautiful family. Its so nice to see new pictures of the children. They've all gotten so big. Isabella is a mini Annette and Samuel is a mini Bernhard. They're so cute!

[Marengo]

Lovely pictures indeed. A pity they took them before little Emma was born though.

I just saw a short add on television for the interview with Pieter and Margriet. I was happy to see that the children and daughters-in-law of the couple were also interviewed about their parents and according to the presenter The Prince of Orange and Princess Maxima will also share some memories about Pieter and Margriet. The programme will be aired on wednesday on TROS, Nederland 1.

[lucien]

On wednesday and friday actually.Wednesday it's family time,the sons and daughters-in-law,W-A and Máxima as well as friends who know the couple since Leiden University.On friday evening it's the politicians,(ao,Gerrit Zalm,Hans Wiegel)musicians (Louis van Dijk,ao,)Freek de Jonge and Dorine Hermans.

Part I:Wednesday january 10th at 21.30 PM Ned1

Part II:Friday january 12th at 22.00PM Ned1.

Apparently Ivo Niehe has gathered so much material on/of the couple the TROS decided to air it in two parts.

Courtesy HJA at Royalblog.

40 Years:
http://www.royalimages.nl/theme/theme.asp?themeid=703

Also on january 10th,a Profile on Prof.mr.Pieter van Vollenhoven,KRO Ned2 at 22.40PM.
(I think this programm was aired before a year or two ago,highly recommended.)

[sara1981]

i found new pictures on ANP of Princess Margriet and Prof.Pieter Van Vollenhoven about past and present of pictures since couples got married,have children and grandchildren also
http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?s...id=633&flush=1

[Marengo]

Thanks Lucien, I am really looking forward to the programmes!

In today's Telegraaf a long article about Pieter and Margriet with quotes from Erica Terpstra, a baron (Kraaienman ?, or something like that), Jaap Rost Onnes, General Berlijn and others.

The couple will be celebrating their marriage with their children and grandchildren in Austria, later they will probably give a small party for family and friends.

[Marengo]

This was posted by Joris on the Benelux Royals MB:

In a NOS TV survey held among 129,000 persons Pieter van Vollenhoven was attrributed the 3rd place of "Dutch Newsperson of the Year 2006". (Nr. 1 was The Unknown Dutch Soldier in Afghanistan. Nr. 2 Jan Marijnissen, Leader of the Socialist Party.)

And there is no time for resting on his laurels: Pieter van Vollenhoven just continues to be active to do anything to safeguard people's security (traffic, disasters, safety norms, etc.) in general by giving a press conference again at the very beginning of the year to advocate that there be a Minister of Safety and a rehabilitation of all "whistleblowers" who see things go wrong in their direct professional environment.