It's a girl - Ariane Wilhelmina Máxima Ines

[Pooky]

At the press conference today, they asked the Prince if they'd go for the boy and he said they're quite happy as they are for the moment...

[zarat]

Congratulations!
And only one question- why the presentation was made so fast? I mean why they didn't wait 1 or 2 days for princess Maxima? It will be a photo of whole family.

[Her_Majesty]

Originally Posted by zarat

Congratulations!
And only one question- why the presentation was made so fast? I mean why they didn't wait 1 or 2 days for princess Maxima? It will be a photo of whole family.

The Dutch Royals always do it like this:
The Crown Prince presents his new child a few hours after the birth.
Some days later there will be photos of the whole family.

[LadyK]

What a sweetheart! Those pictures just make you say awww, and melt. So cute!

Two sidebar points: 1) Queen Beatrix looked lovely when she came to visit Maxima and Baby Netherlands, really happy, but those black trousers and black wrap- stylish and pretty!

2) Is it just me, or is Willem-Alexander's hair looking darker these days? He was much more a light blonde before, and now he is rather tawny.

[Marengo]

For those who want to congratulate the couple themselves, the court has opened a congratulations register on the website of the royal house:

Het Koninklijk Huis

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The court just announced that Maxima, the Prince of Orange and the new baby just arrived home at Villa Eikenhorst.

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Congratulations are pouring in from all sides of Dutch society. Chariman of the 2nd chamber,Gerdi Verbeet contgratulated the couple on behalf of the Dutch parlament. Among the first who sent their congratulations were the joint (catholic) bisshops. The little girl already received a set of popular characters of the 80-ties and 70-ties children show 'Meneer de Uil', they also gave a set to all the other children that stayed in the hospital at the time of birth.

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I didn't see this link here yet, so here a clip of the press presentation by the prince at Bronovo hospital by NOS: NOSJOURNAAL - Trotse prins toont dochtertje

[acdc1]

does anyone know if they've brought her home yet?

[Marengo]

yes, they went home this morning.

[Pooky]

Originally Posted by Marengo

yes, they went home this morning.

It's not even been 24 hours, right? It seems rather too soon for me, but I guess that this is normal here in the Netherlands, if there are no complications and mother and child are alright...

[Pooky]

I have a question for the Dutch members: this morning on TV, in the intro preceding the presentation of the new baby at the hospital, they showed images of the family in Lech, I think, with baby Alexia crying her eyes out after falling in the snow. The presenter remarked something that I didn't get, about Maxima kissing the girl's hand where it hurt as if it were something strange? Did anyone see it?
Sorry if it's a bit out of topic...

[Marengo]

I think he/she (Jeroen van der Westelaken or Astrid Kerseboom) commented about how cold the snow must have felt for little Alexia. I don't recall any other remark about it, but I only put on the television a few minutes before the presentation itself.

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BTW Many funny comments in online newspapers about the Prime Ministers speech, esp. how he looked (his smile seemed somewhat forced).

[Pooky]

Originally Posted by Marengo

I think he/she (Jeroen van der Westelaken or Astrid Kerseboom) commented about how cold the snow must have felt for little Alexia. I don't recall any other remark about it, but I only put on the television a few minutes before the presentation itself.

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BTW Many funny comments in online newspapers about the Prime Ministers speech, esp. how he looked (his smile seemed somewhat forced).

Thanks Marengo, I thought the remark was about Máxima's gesture Thing is, we in Argentina and I guess Spain too, have this ritual of singing a cute song and kissing the fingers, or whatever hurts, when a kid falls down or has a little accident, and I thought they found that strange.

[Pooky]

Just saw on nu.nl that the baby will be registered at the Town Hall in The Hague on Friday morning, so I guess we'll have to wait till then to know what they're going to call her

[Marengo]

How unfortunate, to get your name on friday the 13th... well, at least it won't her birthday.

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by zarat

I have one question for rappresentatives of Dutch nation- are ordinary people hoisting the national flag to celebrate the birth of little princess?

It is only requested for official or public buildings (town halls, police stations, schools, etc.) but here and there you can see private flag flying indeed.

The 'open' flag flying is only three days a year:
- Queen's Day (April 30th) with an orange pennant
- Remembrance Day (May 4th) at halfmast from 18.00 until sundown)
- Liberation Day (May 5th)
- in The Hague only: Princes' Day (3rd Tuesday in September)

On these days there is a lot of flag flying in the streets.

[Heather1]

there is a picture of princess maxima leaving the hospital she looks radiant on the hola site

[lucien]

Originally Posted by crm2317

Where are the pictures of Queen Beatrix ariving?

Last night:You"ll find both grandmothers here:

PPE Agency

This morning,sorry if it was already posted:

PPE Agency

[LaChicaMadrilena]

Originally Posted by Heather1

there is a picture of princess maxima leaving the hospital she looks radiant on the hola site

Here they are:

http://www.hola.com/casasreales/2007.../maxima-5a.jpg

Galerías de imágenes

[Her_Majesty]

Video from ZDF

ZDF.de - Mediathek - Royaler Nachwuchs

I love the way WA described his daughter: "She's sleeping all the time and just wakes up to eat." Cute.

[Beate]

Originally Posted by Pooky

Hey, picture of Máxima leaving the hospital on HOLA magazine from Spain

http://www.hola.com/casasreales/2007.../maxima-5a.jpg

Wow, she looks great! And that so soon after having the baby!!

[Paty]

She is at home after just 24 hours, after a birth without sedation! Wow Maxima you are inhuman!!!!