Willem-Alexander & Máxima Visit Australia & New Zealand; Oct. 23rd-Nov. 4th, 2006

[Her_Majesty]

http://img99.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3jb6.jpg This one is really cute! I don't know what to think about Máxima's very very pink thousers...

[viola]

Princess Maxima looks beautiful in the orang gala dress

[HRH Mims]

It's always so lovely to see their love gestures it's great picture

[ricarda]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

Here is a video from NOS Journaal;

'Visit is hard to bear for Princess Máxima'. It plays in RealPlayer.

http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/artikelen/2006/10/25/251006_wamax_tasmanie.html

Go to 'mediatheek' (at the right, scroll down) and click on:

Bezoek aan Australië valt Máxima zwaar.

Thank you for the video.
Funny, I had the feeling that this trip might be too much for Maxima,
though I did not think the problems would start on the second day already.
I don't think their daily schedules have been that busy until now
but all those flights and changes of climates, dresses etc. must be exhausting for a pregnant woman.
She did not look well from the beginning IMO (and I don't mean her dresses).

[Beate]

I am wondering if she has a doctor accompanying her, just in case..Very unlikely though..it would be interesting to know..

[LadyK]

I doubt it. She probably just has a lady-in-waiting with her and their security. Austrailia has pretty good medical care, so I don't think it is as important as if she was in a developing country where there might be more risk for her to be away from proper medical attention. I believe that she is either late in her first trimester or early in her second trimester, when the risks are lower, anyway.

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by Beate

I am wondering if she has a doctor accompanying her, just in case..Very unlikely though..it would be interesting to know..

The Prince and Princess are escorted by some 20 persons, under them one or two hofdames. The office of the 'Court Doctor' has been abolished somewhere in the Eighties.

The Queen and the members of the royal family choose their own general practitioners.

[monica]

Thankssss,The princess is wonderful in the photos

[Emily]

[quote=LadyK]I doubt it. She probably just has a lady-in-waiting with her and their security. Austrailia has pretty good medical care, so I don't think it is as important as if she was in a developing country where there might be more risk for her to be away from proper medical attention. quote]

Do you? I was thinking it was pretty standard fare for a Dr. to accompany them even if she wasn't pregnant -- so I was assuming a Dr. would have come along. Maybe not -- as you say, Australia would have first rate medical care.

I think Maxima has had a very busy schedule up to this point, and on top of that, a very long flight. I know she is up for a four day rest between the end of their visit to Australia and the start of their visit to New Zealand. It think this will be good. IMHO it seems she should have arrived a couple days early to rest, recover from the flight and acclimate to the time change -- at age 35, a third pregnancy in three years, a smoker -- her body is bound to be tired anyway.

[Beate]

[quote=Emily]

Originally Posted by LadyK

I doubt it. She probably just has a lady-in-waiting with her and their security. Austrailia has pretty good medical care, so I don't think it is as important as if she was in a developing country where there might be more risk for her to be away from proper medical attention. quote]

Do you? I was thinking it was pretty standard fare for a Dr. to accompany them even if she wasn't pregnant -- so I was assuming a Dr. would have come along. Maybe not -- as you say, Australia would have first rate medical care.

I think Maxima has had a very busy schedule up to this point, and on top of that, a very long flight. I know she is up for a four day rest between the end of their visit to Australia and the start of their visit to New Zealand. It think this will be good. IMHO it seems she should have arrived a couple days early to rest, recover from the flight and acclimate to the time change -- at age 35, a third pregnancy in three years, a smoker -- her body is bound to be tired anyway.

I think that would have been a good idea..But perhaps she had obligations back home and couldn't arrive earlier..Do we kow for sure whether or not she still smokes?
Also one can still lose a baby in the second trimester..Unfortunately it happened twice to my cousin..:(

[Beate]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

The Prince and Princess are escorted by some 20 persons, under them one or two hofdames. The office of the 'Court Doctor' has been abolished somewhere in the Eighties.

The Queen and the members of the royal family choose their own general practitioners.

Henri, Do we know who these 20 people are and what their functions are? I am sure some of them must be security..

[ricarda]

Originally Posted by Emily

IMHO it seems she should have arrived a couple days early to rest, recover from the flight and acclimate to the time change -- at age 35, a third pregnancy in three years, a smoker -- her body is bound to be tired anyway.

I thought she did arrive earlier.
Is this information not correct?

[ap3]

I love her evening gowns (at least so far into the trip)!

But I agree with some previous posters and wish she would lose the shawl and allow us to see the whole dress. Maybe she bought the dresses before she became pregnant, decided to bring them on the trip anyway, and is now self-conscious about just how tight they are pulling across her belly?

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by Beate

Henri, Do we know who these 20 people are and what their functions are? I am sure some of them must be security..

Since it is a considerable long visit with a tight program and many travels:

(the crew of the Royal Flight / I do not count these)
2 hofdames
1 valet (the Prince)
1 or 2 dressers/seamstresses (the Princess)
1 official from the bureau Protocol
1 official from the Royal Household (representing the Grandmaster or the Master of the Ceremonies)
2 Aide-de-Camps
1 beautician/coiffeuse (the Princess)
2 or 3 officials from the Government Information Service
1 secretary (the Prince)
1 personal assistant (the Princess)
4 to 6 members from the Royal- and Diplomatic Protection Service
2 to 4 officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and other Departments
1 the Netherlands Ambassador in Australia
1 the Military Attaché of the Netherlands in Australia

That will be the group, I think. I base this on the book 'At the Court' by Remco Meijer, the 'bible' for all who wants to know how the Royal Courts works

[Opal]

That's very interesting Henri M. Thanks for sharing the info.
I wonder how many people all of the royal couples travel with. Would be interesting to know.


I loved Maxima's gowns, especially the orange one. Very soft and feminine looking. The solid colored sheath (scarf) helped balance out all the print and ruffles on the dress. Very nicely done!

[popy]

Thanks Henri M for all the information

[princess olga]

Originally Posted by prinsesbeagle

Princess Olga, both the Queen's mother and grandmother abdicated about the age of 70. It seems very very likely that the presentday Queen will do the same. I don't even think it would even be accepted by the general public here in Holland if she stayed on beyond 75. People here don't want a situation as in the UK, where the heir to the throne is allmost 60 and the ruling monarch 80+.

The Dutch wouldn't accept a queen beyond age 75? Again, your source is? I'm Dutch myself, thank you very much, and a big fan of Beatrix, so you are wrong on at least <one> Dutchie. For the life of me I don't see her retire soon, I think she'd get bored frankly, and lonely all alone at Drakensteijn. She's doing so great currently, better than ever, so why retire?! I say she is welcome to stay on until she's had enough, even if that would be at, say, age 80 or older.

Originally Posted by prinsesbeagle

And yes, I do think it's smart to have her children with little time in between. It's the way lots of careerwomen chose to have their children here.

Ok let's not tout the Netherlands here as the nirvana for working women. Everyone worth his salt knows that the Netherlands has the lowest percentage of working women in the entire European Union. But you are right that Dutch women like to have lots of kids, that is true.

[princess olga]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

Since it is a considerable long visit with a tight program and many travels:

(the crew of the Royal Flight / I do not count these)
2 hofdames
1 valet (the Prince)
1 or 2 dressers/seamstresses (the Princess)
1 official from the bureau Protocol
1 official from the Royal Household (representing the Grandmaster or the Master of the Ceremonies)
2 Aide-de-Camps
1 beautician/coiffeuse (the Princess)
2 or 3 officials from the Government Information Service
1 secretary (the Prince)
1 personal assistant (the Princess)
4 to 6 members from the Royal- and Diplomatic Protection Service
2 to 4 officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and other Departments
1 the Netherlands Ambassador in Australia
1 the Military Attaché of the Netherlands in Australia

That will be the group, I think. I base this on the book 'At the Court' by Remco Meijer, the 'bible' for all who wants to know how the Royal Courts works

Interesting list, thanks! Would you happen to know what an aide-de-camp does exactly?

[popy]

New pictures http://editorial.gettyimages.com/sou...%7c0&p=7&tag=2

[Tartucat]

Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima move about on board the Dutch replica ship the Duyfken prior to a cruise on Sydney Harbour, 27 October 2006.

Photos from ANP Photo, Polfoto and Profimedia