Dutch King and Queen Begin State Visit to Portugal

At the invitation of the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands began today, Tuesday October 10, a three-day state visit to Portugal along with Bert Koenders, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Lilianne Ploumen, Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.

The Royal Couple was officially welcomed by President Rebelo de Sousa in the courtyard of the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, the Presidencial Palace, in Belem, Lisbon. The King and the President inspected the guard of honour and the national anthems were played.

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Then the King and the Queen laid a wreath at the tomb of Portugal’s greatest poet Luís de Camões, buried in the Church of Santa Maria inside the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. After a tour of the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos and the signing of the Guest Book, the King and the President held a short press conference.

In early afternoon the Royal Couple paid a visit to the Portuguese Parliament, Palácio de São Bento, where they were received by its President, Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues. Along with the President of the Parliament the King and the Queen visited an exhibition that marks the 150th anniversary of the abolition of the death penalty in Portugal.

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Later the Royal Couple was received at the Lisbon City Hall by the Mayor of Lisbon, Fernando Medina, and then a reception took place in the Noble Hall where the mayor presented to King Willem-Alexander the Key of the City and then the King and the Queen signed the Lisbon Book of Honor. Afterwards, accompanied by the mayor, the Royal Couple paid a visit to a photographic exhibition held at the Photographic Municipal Archive. Then the King and the Queen made a tour by tram through the oldest neighborhoods in Lisbon.

Afterwards the Royal Couple visited social project “Largo Residência” that was established in 2011 in collaboration with Pakhuis de Zwijger, a Dutch cultural organization. The project aims to promote culture and creativity.

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The first day ended with a state banquet offered by President Rebelo de Sousa to the King and the Queen held at the Palácio da Ajuda.

King Willem-Alexander started his speech by thanking the President for his warm welcome to him and the Queen. The King continued his speech praising Portugal for the efforts made to build the nation that it is now and he also stressed all the successes of Portugal in the fields of sustainable energy, “blue economy” and the contribution to peace and security as NATO ally.

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Filed under The Netherlands
Tagged King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands, Portugal, President Rebelo de Sousa of Portugal, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, State Visit.

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