Willem-Alexander, Máxima and Family, General News Part 2 (May 2013 - May 2017)

[hana]

Where the family spend the christmas

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Where the family spend the christmas

This year they will celebrate Christmas in Argentina, I believe. Mr Jorge Zorreguieta Stefanini, the father of Queen Máxima is seriously ill. This is a good opportunity to see his daughter, his son-in-law and his Dutch grandchildren.

The Zorreguieta family lives in La Recoleta, in the city of Buenos Aires, but also have a property in San Carlos de Bariloche (bordering Chile). The King and Queen themselves own a property in La Angostura, in the heart of a nature reserve in Patagonia (South Argentina).

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

[...] I also don't think she attends mass , at least not regularly. All that makes me question her true committment to Catholicism.

[...]

The average attendance of Mass for Roman-Catholics is only 2,5% in the Netherlands. By far the majority of Catholics never see a Church inside, except for the occasional wedding or funeral. The King however, is a loyal member of a Bible Class he attends for 25 years now. The "Court Chaplain" (the Rev. Minister Carel ter Linden), has been the King's guide all these years, he also "did" various royal weddings, funerals and baptisms. It seems the couple regularly attends service in the village church of Wassenaar. Also the family chapel at Het Loo Palace is regularly used. So the Catholic Queen joins her husband and children to Protestant service. That is no problem, after all we are talking about the same Bible.

 

[Marengo]

The queen travelled ahead to Argentina while her husband and daughters will follow tomorrow or saturday, as the princesses still have attend school tomorrowand the king still needs to record his christmas speech.

ROYALBLOG.NL: Máxima reist vooruit naar Argentinië

A thread for the photo session can be found here: http://www.theroyalforums.com/forum...ura-22-december-2014-a-37861.html#post1732603

 

[Mbruno]

King Willem-Alexander's 2014 Christmas speech.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEus-BrNU0Y

 

[An Ard Ri]

The King's Christmas Message 2014


Belga

Belga Image - Editorial

 

[fortimo]

Can somebody help: Where can I find (written) interviews with WA and Maxima?

 

[ashelen]

Wonder if the triple A celebrate the The three wise men or the three magic kings on January 6? It is a tradition in Argentina and I was wondering if Maxima introduce it to them?

 

[royalfanvivian]

Queen Máxima and Princess of Orange visits representation ANNE

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Wonder if the triple A celebrate the The three wise men or the three magic kings on January 6? It is a tradition in Argentina and I was wondering if Maxima introduce it to them?

The Three Kings are a tradition in Spain and Argentina indeed, but the equivalent of that (someone from overseas bringing presents) is celebrated on December 6th (Saint Nicholas). In recent years we have seen the Princesses welcoming the Saint. So most likely Queen Máxima follows the Dutch habit for her children, after all Dutch Princesses. See picture.

 

[ashelen]

The Three Kings are a tradition in Spain and Argentina indeed, but the equivalent of that (someone from overseas bringing presents) is celebrated on December 6th (Saint Nicholas). In recent years we have seen the Princesses welcoming the Saint. So most likely Queen Máxima follows the Dutch habit for her children, after all Dutch Princesses. See picture.

So do you get presents on December 24? or just on the December 6th?

 

[SLV]

This mainly depends on the age of the children and the family-customs. Some families stop celebrating Sinterklaas (on the 5th of December) once the children stop believing in Sinterklaas, and do presents on Chrismas-eve. Others keep celebrating S'klaas, or even do both.

 

[Marengo]

The king, queen and their two youngest daughters visited 'Jumping Amsterdam' today. They were accompanied by Princess Margarita of Bourbon-Parma and her daughter Paola ten Cate.

Koninklijk bezoek voor paarden|Binnenland| Telegraaf.nl

 

[dazzling]

PPE Agency ** ANP gallery

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

It's nice to see King WA and Queen Maxima bring their daughters, but I wonder why Princess Amalia wasn't there, perhaps she was ill. It's also nice to see Princess Margarita's daughter, I haven't seen a photo of her for a while. How old is she now? I don't follow Princess Margarita and her children as much as I do the other members of the Bourbon-Parma family, so I'm unaware.

 

[royalfanvivian]

Royal couple, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane at Jumping Amsterdam

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

It's nice to see King WA and Queen Maxima bring their daughters, but I wonder why Princess Amalia wasn't there, perhaps she was ill. It's also nice to see Princess Margarita's daughter, I haven't seen a photo of her for a while. How old is she now? I don't follow Princess Margarita and her children as much as I do the other members of the Bourbon-Parma family, so I'm unaware.

Last Friday the King made a strictly private surprise visit to the musical Soldaat van Oranje (Soldier of Orange) with his eldest daughter, the Princess of Orange. So he already had a "daddy moment" with her. Now it was the turn for his other daughters to have a "daddy moment". That is my guess....



Since a couple of years Princess Margarita de Bourbon de Parme is in the board of Jumping Amsterdam, and therefore one of the hosts receiving her aunt Princess Beatrix and her cousin the King and his family. Princess Margarita is married to Mr Tjalling Siebe ten Cate LL.M. He is a jurist, until recently working as legal supervisor at De Nederlandsche Bank (the central bank) but now he has joined the board of Juno Investment Partners, a private equity firm. The couple have two children: Julia ten Cate (6) and Paola ten Cate (3).

 

[iceflower]

.

Seeing Máxima in her enthusiastic and (com)passionate cheering mode at sports events is always great


** dpp gallery: Dutch royals at Jumping Amsterdam 2015 **


** pm mixed gallery: Avec Alexia et Ariane, Maxima ne veut rien voir **

 

[Marengo]

They show a photo of Marta Ortega at the same event. I believe she is the heiress of Zara fashion.

 

[royalfanvivian]

Royal couple to visit in Brabant

 

[Marengo]

Italian newspaper 'Il Tempo' has the headline: 'Care Re paga il conto' (dear king pay the bill). Urging the king/ the Dutch state to pay the bill for the distruction of Rome by football hooligans of Feyenoord, Rotterdam.

Italiaanse krant: 'Beste koning, betaal de rekening'|Binnenland| Telegraaf.nl

They calculated that the costs were estimated at 8 million euros.

A rather idiotic request IMHO. They should make the arrested hooligans foot the bill, and the football club. Apparently they can not throw the hooligans in prison as in Italy you only go to prison if you are convicted for more than 3 years.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

King Willem-Alexander is "proud" that Queen Máxima remained Roman-Catholic

King Willem-Alexander has no problem with the fact that his spouse Queen Máxima remained Roman-Catholic. He supports her in full. The King said that in an interview with Danish journalists in the run-up to the State Visit to Denmark which will take place next week.

The King remarked he would have found it "strange" if his spouse had to make a conversion. "I think it is quite worse when you convert to something you maybe do not believe in yourself. The conversion from Protestant to Roman-Catholic might not seem the greatest leap, but if you only do it just because you have to, you are not honest."

In the interview the King stressed the separation of Church and State in the Netherlands. "When my spouse decided to remain Roman-Catholic, that was no problem at all. Our Constitution also states that discrimination against people is not allowed. This applies to race, and gender, and religion. It is simply a natural and separate element in our lives."

In the interview the King stressed the difference between his position and that of his godmother Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. By law the Danish Sovereign must be a member of the Folkekirke, the Lutheran State church in Denmark. "There is nothing in our Constitution about the religion of the King. It has been removed from the Constitution in 1815. It is true that the origins of the royal family are Protestant, but we do not have a State Church and therefore there is no reason to convert to Protestantism. We believe that religion is a private matter, which has no relation with the State." Before 2002 the then Prince of Orange informed that his eventual children would be raised in the Protestant Church but would "learn Roman-Catholic elements as well".

The words above are based on a article in Billet-Bladet and were in various versions in the Dutch online media. The first Roman-Catholic in the Dutch royal family after WWII was Princess Armgard zur Lippe-Biesterfeld née Freiin von Sierstorpff-Cramm, the mother of the King's grandfather Prince Bernhard. Later the King's aunts Princess Irene and Princess Christina converted to Roman-Catholics. Their children ad furtherer offspring all are Roman-Catholic.


The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima in the Cathedral of the Saints Laurentius and Elisabeth in Rotterdam

The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima in the Cathedral of Saint Bavo in Haarlem

The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima at the Piazza San Pietro in Rome

 

[Marengo]

Considering the recent criticism towards the Queen & RF from the orthodox-protestant corner, it is curious that the king couldn't evade the term 'proud'. I also do not see what there is to be proud of. Still, the king is correct in his assesment that it would be idiotic if Maxima would have to convert when she doesn't believe in protestantism. Considering the family history it is fortunate that the daughters are raised as protestants.

Although the king doesn't refer to it in the interview, he must know that King Willem I tried but failed to create a state church which was to be a mix of protestantism and catholicism, as a way to reconsile the North and the South of his kingdom.If the king succeeded we would have had a state church today and WA would have been the head of it.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I think that with "proud" the King probably meant Máxima's concise choice to remain loyal to the Roman-Catholic church and not go the "easy way": Oh I marry some Dutch Prince, a Protestant. Okay, I give up my faith, no problem. One-two-three and hop! Now I am "Protestant"...

Back then, during the formal engagement, the couple stated that Máxima would "study Protestantism" and decide later. In the end she never converted and requested a formal dispensation from the Roman-Catholic Church to marry a Protestant. That dispensation was given indeed. When Mgr A. van Luyn s.j., the Bishop of Rotterdam (The Hague is in the diocese of Rotterdam) retired, the Prince and Princess did attend the last Holy Mass with Mgr Van Luyn as residing Bishop, which shows that there was a genuine relationship with the couple and the monseigneur.

 

[casualfan]

Considering the recent criticism towards the Queen & RF from the orthodox-protestant corner, it is curious that the king couldn't evade the term 'proud'. I also do not see what there is to be proud of. Still, the king is correct in his assesment that it would be idiotic if Maxima would have to convert when she doesn't believe in protestantism. Considering the family history it is fortunate that the daughters are raised as protestants.

Although the king doesn't refer to it in the interview, he must know that King Willem I tried but failed to create a state church which was to be a mix of protestantism and catholicism, as a way to reconsile the North and the South of his kingdom.If the king succeeded we would have had a state church today and WA would have been the head of it.

I don't understand your last point. That DIDN'T happen, so why should the King be bound by it? It is absurd to think that people should be bound by what doesn't happen, but maybe almost does.

 

[Marengo]

There was no point at all, just a small tidbit of extra information as I am just reading a biography of Willem I. Since HM talked about a state church I thought the extra info. was relevant.

==
To Duc: I suppose he must have meant that, and quite frankly I am glad HM didn't convert for show.

In 2013 it became clear that Mgr. van Luyn refused to help a child who was raped by several priests in the late forties. So I wonder if the prince and princess will still be meeting him today. Though in fairness, the Mgr. has been examplary in many other ways.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I think it is clever by the King. It is always good to have some link to the largest religious denomination in the Netherlands: the Roman-Catholics. Of course the King should not forget his Protestant roots. I understand his remark that religion is a private matter but I would not mind seeing the King and his family going to church. They seem to attend services in the Wassenaar village church, according Reformatorisch Dagblad, but I have never seen a picture. Maybe because it is considered private and then the so-called media code is working.

Pic: the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima arrive at the Wassenaar village church for a memorial service in honour of Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema (The Soldier of Orange).

 

[casualfan]

There was no point at all, just a small tidbit of extra information as I am just reading a biography of Willem I. Since HM talked about a state church I thought the extra info. was relevant.

I guess my question is - why was that extra info relevant? After all, HM is not bound by failed attempts 200 years ago.

 

[Mbruno]

King Willem-Alexander is "proud" that Queen Máxima remained Roman-Catholic

King Willem-Alexander has no problem with the fact that his spouse Queen Máxima remained Roman-Catholic. He supports her in full. The King said that in an interview with Danish journalists in the run-up to the State Visit to Denmark which will take place next week.

The King remarked he would have found it "strange" if his spouse had to make a conversion. "I think it is quite worse when you convert to something you maybe do not believe in yourself. The conversion from Protestant to Roman-Catholic might not seem the greatest leap, but if you only do it just because you have to, you are not honest."

In the interview the King stressed the separation of Church and State in the Netherlands. "When my spouse decided to remain Roman-Catholic, that was no problem at all. Our Constitution also states that discrimination against people is not allowed. This applies to race, and gender, and religion. It is simply a natural and separate element in our lives."

In the interview the King stressed the difference between his position and that of his godmother Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. By law the Danish Sovereign must be a member of the Folkekirke, the Lutheran State church in Denmark. "There is nothing in our Constitution about the religion of the King. It has been removed from the Constitution in 1815. It is true that the origins of the royal family are Protestant, but we do not have a State Church and therefore there is no reason to convert to Protestantism. We believe that religion is a private matter, which has no relation with the State." Before 2002 the then Prince of Orange informed that his eventual children would be raised in the Protestant Church but would "learn Roman-Catholic elements as well".

The words above are based on a article in Billet-Bladet and were in various versions in the Dutch online media. The first Roman-Catholic in the Dutch royal family after WWII was Princess Armgard zur Lippe-Biesterfeld née Freiin von Sierstorpff-Cramm, the mother of the King's grandfather Prince Bernhard. Later the King's aunts Princess Irene and Princess Christina converted to Roman-Catholics. Their children ad furtherer offspring all are Roman-Catholic.


The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima in the Cathedral of the Saints Laurentius and Elisabeth in Rotterdam

The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima in the Cathedral of Saint Bavo in Haarlem

The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima at the Piazza San Pietro in Rome

Maxima claims to remain Catholic. Nevertheless, she didn't marry in the Catholic Church and didn't baptize her daughters in the Catholic Church either. She also attends Protestant services with her husband and doesn't seem to attend Mass, at least not regularly. As far as I know, her daughters are being raised in the Protestant faith.

 

[Marengo]

I guess my question is - why was that extra info relevant? After all, HM is not bound by failed attempts 200 years ago.

Well, HM said that The Netherlands does not have a state church of which he is the head. So I thought it would be interesting to point out that he could have been the head of a state church if history went a bit differently and if king Willem I had succeeded in creating one. He is not bound by it whatsoever and I hope I did not give the impression that he is.