Crown Prince Naruhito & Crown Princess Masako: Current Events Part 2

[Emily]

Thank you, mandyy. I was re-reading news articles to try and see what time they left Tokyo for what must have been about a 15 hour flight so I could figure out when they arrived. Do you have any idea if there were photos taken on their arrival? I'm looking forward to tomorrow's photo session.

[monica17]

I'm very happy for this family and for their opportunity to be away from the IHA (most of the IHA, anyway, or at least, those who aren't on their side).

Thanks, everyone, for the updates!

[wlee]

A tale of two princesses

Contrasting struggle to adapt to an ancient monarchy

[TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -- Two princesses, one demure and seemingly satisfied with her status as royal wife and mother, the other stressed-out from struggling to redefine her role.

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/as...incesses.reut/

[mandyy]

A video of their arrival from ANN news
Doesn't have any footage of them arriving in the Netherlands, just a video of them sat in a car heading to the palace and the part where they left Narita Airport
http://meta.cdn.yahoo-streaming.jp/c...1&media=wm300k

[GrandDuchess]

Does anyone know who all of these people in their entourage for the vacation are? 11 people seems a bit excessive (and the Chief Chamberlain, for a vacation?), and it makes me worry that the Crown Princely family won't be left alone by the IHA officials even on their vacation, when they should really be able to relax, do fun things and just take it easy...

[grevinnan]

By the time you count baby sitter, chef, personal aides, personal physicians, security and other staff that are part of their daily lifes the vacation staff is reasonable. I doubt they just pop into the kitchen in the morning and make breakfast and catch up on email and phone messages by themselves. This is probably a skeleton staff compared what they have to deal with in Japan.

[bbb]

i'm not surprised the evil IHA went with them, isn't that their purpose to hound and harrass and generally make their life a misery. if i were masako i'd plead for political asylum and never go back to japan.

[monica17]

Originally Posted by bbb

i'm not surprised the evil IHA went with them, isn't that their purpose to hound and harrass and generally make their life a misery. if i were masako i'd plead for political asylum and never go back to japan.

Haha. I won't blame Masako if she does that. I hope the IHA people who went with them are on their side; otherwise, what would be the point of this trip if they would still hound the family? But from the first photo session, all seems very well.

[monica17]

Originally Posted by grevinnan

By the time you count baby sitter, chef, personal aides, personal physicians, security and other staff that are part of their daily lifes the vacation staff is reasonable. I doubt they just pop into the kitchen in the morning and make breakfast and catch up on email and phone messages by themselves. This is probably a skeleton staff compared what they have to deal with in Japan.

Yes, the IHA employs more than a thousand people.... just to run the Imperial Family's life. I hope the friend of Masako's father who became the chief of the Crown Prince's Household went with them.

[Emily]

Originally Posted by monica17

I hope the friend of Masako's father who became the chief of the Crown Prince's Household went with them.

Yes I was thinking the same thing. I was also wondering if he is the reason this trip is happening -- that perhaps he was hired because he is a person sympathetic to the needs of the Crown Princess. I also must say that I am so impressed with Naruhito -- I really think it is his stalwart support of Masako that is causing many changes to be made behind the scenes. What a guy...

[Zonk]

For better or for worse. Considering that Masako despite her love for him didn' want to marry Naruhito because of the restrictions she knew she would face. He implied he would face it together and they have. But I feel for him (them). He is like ant trying to run up a big hill. The IHA is a mess!

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by GrandDuchess

Does anyone know who all of these people in their entourage for the vacation are? 11 people seems a bit excessive (and the Chief Chamberlain, for a vacation?), and it makes me worry that the Crown Princely family won't be left alone by the IHA officials even on their vacation, when they should really be able to relax, do fun things and just take it easy...

I don´t know the awnser but Dutch television said that they took their own cook, as the closest nearby restaurant with good Japanese food is about 100 kms away from the castle.

Most (or all?) of their entourage is NOT staying in the Castle itself as they booked rooms in nearby hotel ´de Kroon´ and thus ironically shared the same hotel/ sat in the same dining room as most Japanese journalists, cameramen and photographers.

--
Dutch tv interviewed a japanese reporter about why women can not inherit the throne but the poor man got so nervous and shut down. Later he was overheard telling a Japanese collegue (in Japanese) that it was to difficult to explain to foreigners. Though I have little sympathy for the IHA myself we must remember that most of us are judging the situation from our own western values.

[puresnow]

Congrats to the family! Aiko looks pretty.

[bbb]

Thanks for the info Marengo i'm glad they are able to be somewhat "alone". OMG all the smart strong princessess meeting for tea would be so cool, it would also give the evil IHA a scare, can you imagine how they would feel about a room full of women so much smarter than them. i think that's why they hate her, their "manhood" is threatened by masako she sees right though them. they have tried to destroy her spirit and light and it is plain to see they haven't achieved it, the princess is glowing and the prince is on top of the world. this is so good for them, bless Queen B she's so wonderful for giving them this deserved vacation.

[galuhcandrakirana]

Originally Posted by kdt13

i have never seen Aiko laughing. What a sad girl.

Take a look at Mandyy's avatar, Aiko is gigling .

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=190689&d=1126084494 posted by Ianna
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=229812&d=1140729767 posted by Fanletizia

Some picture were posted by Mandyy
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=174016&d=1122568319
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=212901&d=1131925573
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=218023&d=1133436653
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=218024&d=1133436653
My favourite: Smile to grandma empress http://img101.imageshack.us/my.php?image=75qv.jpg
You can see more herehttp://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/f84/princess-aiko-picture-thread-part-1-a-6624.html
What an adorable child.

[mandyy]

Originally Posted by GrandDuchess

Does anyone know who all of these people in their entourage for the vacation are? 11 people seems a bit excessive (and the Chief Chamberlain, for a vacation?), and it makes me worry that the Crown Princely family won't be left alone by the IHA officials even on their vacation, when they should really be able to relax, do fun things and just take it easy...

There is info about who the 11 people are in the following link
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/492419-post40.html

A cute photo of Aiko from joseijisin

[Eliza]

What a beautiful family. I saw on another website some pictures and Aiko looks like a future queen to me - so regal and pois - even at such tender age.

I think this holiday is good for CP Masako. To be able to get out of the country, visit her family and away from the stress that surrounds Kiko's coming delivery. It's sad that the IHA doesn't see full potential and strength of CP Masako but again it really boils down to a cultural issue of the country.

Don't know if anyone has picked up this point.
they have allowed the CP family to travel together - usually a CP family isn't allow to travel together. And by allowing this the IHA has shown by actions that they don't respect the CP family and really Aiko as a possible future monarch. This is really sad.

[Jo of Palatine]

I like the idea that has been posted here that Queen Beatrix invited Masako over because she had firsthand experience with a depressed consort. I hope that Masako can consult the doctors who treated prince Claus as they had been quite sucessful for a lot of years, when the prince could live and even work with and for his family before depression hit again.

Maybe that's the reason why the couple decided to come to the Netherlands, as it is surely possible to receive the doctors there discreetly while their coming to Japan would probably considered a snub to the Japanese medicine.

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by mandyy

There is info about who the 11 people are in the following link
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/492419-post40.html

Thank You for the link.

[mandyy]

Some bitterness remains among Dutch, host of Japan imperial family
...................Col. Bert Wassenaar, the crown equerry of the Dutch Royal Military Police who was in the city last week, said the royal visit was attributable to the current relations between Japan and the Netherlands.

"I think good relations between the two countries have made this trip possible," he said. Many Dutch people have welcomed the royal visit.

"I read about her in a magazine," said Nadia Lorenzini, 37, a hotel receptionist in Amsterdam. "I feel sorry for her and hope she feels better during her stay."
Norman Smit, 47, a tourism employee in Apeldoorn, wished Princess Masako well, and said, "I hope this stay becomes a special one for her." For an ordinary Dutch citizen such as Ronald Admiraal, the bilateral relations cannot look better than now. "I think Dutch-Japanese relations are already pretty good. I don't know what more can be added," said the 53-year-old bookstore owner in Amsterdam who likes to play the Japanese board game go..................
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060822/kyodo/d8jlfpoo0.html

JAPAN: Royal visit, tag-along Japanese press get Dutch media play
.....................Dutch newspapers, including Algemeen Dagblad and De Telegraaf, all ran big photos of Friday's event in their Saturday editions.
In its photo caption, Algemeen said, "The Japanese have shown great interest in the Imperial holidays because the Crown Prince's family rarely appears in public."
De Telegraaf, in its Saturday edition, referred to a rumor apparently circulating in the Netherlands that the Crown Princess wants to see a "European specialist" during her trip to consult about her condition. A Japanese newspaper reporter quoted in the article called the rumor unfounded.............................
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/articl...parentid=51366