Crash: 7 Victims & Perpetrator Dead, 10 Wounded at Queen's Day 2009

[TLLK]

I've read at another site that Prince W-A and Princess Maxima have been to the hospital to visit the recovering victims.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by TLLK

I've read at another site that Prince W-A and Princess Maxima have been to the hospital to visit the recovering victims.

Yes,as did HM,Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven.
They have visited 6 of the wounded this morning and this afternoon.Number 8 is still in critical
condition on a intensive care unit and can not be visited yet just as one other of the wounded.
The RF had especially invited family and loved ones to come to the hospitals.

HM visited wounded in the Isala Clinic in Zwolle,and talked to their families,Alexander and Máxima
visited wounded in the hospitals of the city of Tilburg,Utrecht and Amersfoort and talked with their
loved ones.Princess Margiet and Pieter van Vollenhoven visited the wounded at the Rijnstate hospital in Arnhem.


Het Koninklijk Huis

[carlota]

yes, i found it surprising that no royals approached the hospitals where the victims were. i'm sure it must be a great comfort for them and i'm glad they attended. they are such a lovely family..

[sgl]

Originally Posted by lucien

HM The Queen has decided to keep on celebrating Queensday as we are used to over nearly 3 decades.

Hail to The Queen!!

Our resilience plays up again,like it should be,we won't have anyone nor anything dictate our lives in fear.Contrary.
We won't have it and will continue business as usual,but a tad more carefull,ie,more security but invisible,just more of it.

HM already had decided to also attend the remembrance day ceremonies as well as the Liberation Day concert this
monday and tuesday as usual.
God Bless Her.

Queen Beatrix is a strong, intelligent, and honorable woman. This is wonderful news! She is sending a message that she will not be swayed by cowardly acts. Life must go on, and we must continue to celebrate the good, not hide in our homes out of fear. When we do that, those who wish to perpetrate violence and destruction have won. I am so happy to hear this news. May God continue to bless the royal family, and the people of the Netherlands.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by lucien

It is more like a gathering this evening,nothing official as that will probably take place next week.
Several members of the Royal Family have expressed their wish to attend then.

The Grote Kerk in Apeldoorn was packed last night as over 1000 gathered for the memorial.

The official memorial will be on friday may 8th,HM and several other members of the RF have expressed their wish to attend.

HM leaving hospitl this afternoon:
http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/...zoekt_gewonden

[Naggi]

This is so shocking news. I just heard this morning about this terrible attack on what was supposed to be a day of joy and celebration. Just why should someone try to attack the Queen Beatrix and her family? It really makes no sense at all. This is such a charming royal family, that it is not possible for me to think that there are people who hate them. Of course they do have critizers but no one can despise this family so much that they want to see them dead.
I have always enjoyed seeing the photos of the Queens Day every year because I had found it so amusing and touching to see this family so close with the people - celebrating such a beautiful national day! It was simply so great.

I can't forget to see the shock and terror in the eyes of Princess Maxima. This must be a traumatising experience....

[brucantuosi]

Originally Posted by Paty

So many people have really big problems in threir lifes, and not for that they kill inocent people.
The perpetrator was just a murderer, which blame do they have?

Big true what you say Paty. I watched the news and the royal family looked extremely shocked for this, it is vey sad.

My simpathy to the families that are suffering now.

[ghost_night554]

Originally Posted by lucien

President Barack Obama has send a letter of condolance to Her Majesty,the President also expresses his sympathy with all the wounded and their families

According to the RVD ( the Government Information Service) HM has also received many letters of support and signs of sympathy from abroad,according to the statement issued this morning.

Over 250 pictures and films have been send to the police after a public request to hand in as much material as possible as investigators try
to reconstruct the what and how that lead up to this tragedy.They are especially keen on material that could/would show the point were the perpetrator first hit into the public with over 100km an hour.

Of the ten wounded left,8 are still in hospital one of them still in a critical condition,2 have been discharged and at home again,but still HM is in close contact regarding all of them and their condition and that of their families as they still cope with the shock.

That's very nice of President Obama and nice of the public as well. Thank you for the continuous updates Lucien.

[Iain]

Originally Posted by lucien

HM The Queen has decided to keep on celebrating Queensday as we are used to over nearly 3 decades.

Hail to The Queen!!

HM already had decided to also attend the remembrance day ceremonies as well as the Liberation Day concert this
monday and tuesday as usual.
God Bless Her.

Should we really be surprised? We would have expected nothing less from this great and gracious lady, after all, she is her mother's daughter and her grandmother's grandaughter. Long live the Queen of the Netherlands, she's "simply the best."

[Paty]

Queen Beatrix leaving the hospital

Gallery
ANP Beeldbank

Apeldoorn, the day after
ANP Beeldbank

Article
Queen Beatrix reveals 'shock' over parade incident in rare TV address

[ghost_night554]

^Gosh I love Queen Beatrix, how thoughtful of her to go visit the victims in the hospital.

Originally Posted by Iain

Should we really be surprised? We would have expected nothing less from this great and gracious lady, after all, she is her mother's daughter and her grandmother's grandaughter. Long live the Queen of the Netherlands, she's "simply the best."

Course not, I'm so thrilled to hear that the festivities will continue as they always have.

[iowabelle]

May I say that one of the things I have liked best about the Dutch Royal Family is their desire to interact with people, but I have wondered whether that is really possible in today's world. Another forum I read mentioned that, had the worst happened, as many as a dozen young royal children could be orphans, and Princess Catherine-Amalia could be queen, a role which I'm sure none of us would want her to assume at too young an age.

Is it perhaps time to re-evaluate this royal family's security arrangements? I know at one time the Prince of Wales and at least one of his sons travelled separately, and in the U.S. you would never find the President and Vice-President travelling together (and only rarely being in the same place together).

I know that thinking of these things takes some of the joy out of these occasions, and I'm very sorry for it.

[vee]

I am very, very shocked and saddened by this occurrence.

My heart and prayers go out to the victims' families, as well as to and for the victims themselves.

I am grateful to know that none of the Dutch royals were injured, and I am sorry that they had to be witness to this, and victims themselves, in that their lives were threatened in the first place.

I very much admire Queen Beatrix for her strength and compassion in these dark times.

I can see why she and her family are much loved and admired by the Dutch people.

I am so sorry this happened.

[Roslyn]

I wish to make it clear that I do not seek to excuse what Tates did, merely understand it, and without having all the facts it is not possible to understand. Judgments should never be made until all the facts are known.

Absence of a long history of mental illness does not necessarily mean the man was rational when he did what he did. Sometimes people are overwhelmed by stresses that more stalwart types can weather, and this man had been under a lot of the types of stress that not uncommonly make people snap and seek revenge against those they irrationally blame for their misfortunes.

That does not excuse what the man did, or mean he should not have been found guilty of his crimes had he lived. But it doesn't make him evil.

As for the Dutch Royal Family's security, I agree with Iowabelle about a re-assessment of the arrangements. Disturbed people can be single minded and the next bitter, twisted individual who sets his sights on them might have a semi automatic rifle.

[misselle]

Originally Posted by emilieweber2004

Which princesses were close to the accident? And like how close were they? I hope all the wounded are ok now.

The bus carrying the royals was just passing;one princess covered her mouth is shock and disbelief,she just couldn't believe what she saw. This was a terrible thing to have had happened.
The driver died in the crash so there will no trial.I wonder if we'll ever find out why he did this?

[SASSY]

The people who knew the driver could best provide insight.
What a sad turn of events.

[ysbel]

This is a horrible and shocking event. Frighteningly, nowadays I think there are a lot of people who are just angry at the world and take it out on everybody. Unfortunately I think it will make future royal events less open which is a shame but what can they do?

[QUEENECE29]

Very sad on behalf of humanity.

http://www.royalportraits.nl/categor...248f76ad8a8076

[magnik]

No words for that what has happened and possibly could happen.
He must be in very bad condition to do something like that - drive and kill these people. Very tragic.
I pray for all victims and hurt of/in this accident.

[Royallife]

I still can't believe that this really happend. Every time that I hear it on the news or read it in the newspaper it seems so unreal.
I think that it's really bad that Karst died, because not only is it so that we never know why but he should have seen the result of his action.