Koningsdag 2014-2024


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The thread should read 2020 now.

Maastricht?Excellent choice!!Spot on:flowers:
 
Maastricht is a beautiful and historical choice for Koningsdag 2020.
 
eya said:
The Mayor of Maastricht Annemarie Penn-te Strake reveals the theme of the coming King's Day during her speech on 5 January "Leef (Live) Maastricht'

https://www.anpfoto.nl/royalimages/search.pp?eventid=6002410
Click to expand...

Leef ("to live/to be alive" ) Maastricht.
But in local dialect the word leef stands for lief ("to love/to be beloved").

So it has a double meaning: for the locals it is their beloved city of Maastricht and for the non-locals it is the lively city of Maastricht.
 
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In general there is great approval in the city for the chosen route. Some politicians however speak about "a missed opportunity" as the King will see the usual monumental, stately Maastricht. Some politicians thought the King should be guided to a multicultural suburb with low incomes instead of the usual image of Maastricht. Other politicians say: it is not more than normal that the organization shows the King and the television viewers (the visit is a live broadcast) the pride the Maastrichters have in their beautiful and booming city.
 
Duc_et_Pair said:
In general there is great approval in the city for the chosen route. Some politicians however speak about "a missed opportunity" as the King will see the usual monumental, stately Maastricht. Some politicians thought the King should be guided to a multicultural suburb with low incomes instead of the usual image of Maastricht. Other politicians say: it is not more than normal that the organization shows the King and the television viewers (the visit is a live broadcast) the pride the Maastrichters have in their beautiful and booming city.
Click to expand...

An interesting debate. It would be nice if both the historic and stately and the multicultural and working-class sections of the city could be broadcast to the nation.

Marengo said:
- In the second interview she is asked what she thinks of the day. She thinks it is a great party and she is always happy that she can participate & looks forward to it every year. The interviewer askes what she notices: she says that everybody is trying to make it a very festive day each year which makes her proud to live in this country.

Sandra Schuurhof asks her if it is not a little bit weird for her, to be greeted like a pop star with all eyes directed at you. The princess agrees and says that every now and then it is surreal to her to realise that this is her life but she is always enjoying herself.

Another person asks if it isn't exciting. She repeats that every now and then it is. Her mother seems to want to correct her here -it was perhaps not in the script- but Amalia laughs and tells her mother and says "I only say every now and then'. When asked if she doesn't mind people wanting to touch her she says that she always enjoys giving people a handshake and that people seem to enjoy it too.
The queen again jokes how competative the family is in games and that they studied for the quiz. Amalia jokes that she did not take her cheat sheets with her. Maxima seems to tease her a bit, the princess says that she didn't expect certain questions but explains that she wants to give a good impression and not be 'a show version of myself'.
Click to expand...

The Princess of Orange seems to be proficient in the royal art of tactful answers, as is fitting for a future queen. ;)
 
Tatiana Maria said:
An interesting debate. It would be nice if both the historic and stately and the multicultural and working-class sections of the city could be broadcast to the nation.



The Princess of Orange seems to be proficient in the royal art of tactful answers, as is fitting for a future queen. ;)
Click to expand...

Queen Beatrix once celebrated Queen's Day in the Africaner Dictrict in Rotterdam (named to South African themes like Transvaal Street, Pretoria Lane, Paul Kruger Street, etc.). That district was - back then- a deprived "problem district". The Queen got a massive reception by the way.

Picture: https://indebuurt.nl/rotterdam/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/anp-1208087-1024x657.jpg

After the visit to the Africaner District the Queen went to the city centre of Rotterdam to oversee another massive crowd:
https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/nl/collectie/NG-1992-19-37

Tatiana Maria said:
An interesting debate. It would be nice if both the historic and stately and the multicultural and working-class sections of the city could be broadcast to the nation.



The Princess of Orange seems to be proficient in the royal art of tactful answers, as is fitting for a future queen. ;)
Click to expand...

In a way the King will see a transformation of once shockingly deprived areas in Maastricht city centre which now have become "too succesfully renovated" (belonging to the most posh streets of the Netherlands). Maastricht was a fortificated city and the cheapest houses were within the historic walls while the upper class had their villas build in lush green 19th C city extensions outside the walls.

In the 1960's and 1970's the Council enforced whole inner city districts to be re-housed in new modern suburbs and the once ruinous monumental houses now are the most expensive in the historic city...
 
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A pity but not very surprising of course. I do not think we will get a celebration later in the year so we will have to wait for 2021.
 
Marengo said:
A pity but not very surprising of course. I do not think we will get a celebration later in the year so we will have to wait for 2021.
Click to expand...

I´m afrad the same will apply for the Remembrance Day ceremonies on May 4th and Liberation Day on May 5th.

Plus ofcourse it will be 75 years this May that we were liberated and many festivities and ceremonies are planned.

In any which way,I think we will see a different form of remembrance and celebrating alltogether.Very sad for the the thousands who try to arrange everything,but perfectly understandeble ofcourse.
 
Especially since very few WWII veterans who are still here should stay home (or whenever they live) due to their age.
 
The 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe day is being marked with a public bank holiday in the UK on Friday 8th May which is highly unusual. All these festivities will be scaled down and cancelled. It’s like War Time indeed.
 
eya said:
Dutch royals were to celebrate King’s Day on Monday in Maastricht, but will celebrate like many others in their home on digital platform ‘King’s Day at Home’. King Willem-Alexander will speech at 10am, national toast at 4pm. During the day they share content of the family.


https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/actueel/nieuws/2020/04/24/koningsdag-2020
Click to expand...

King's day (Koningsdag) will be Home's day (Woningsdag) - so, a nice play with words.

I am very curious to see what they will do and share during the day.
 
Happy King's Day from the Royal Family from home!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWmFSVdXkAAbum2?format=jpg&name=4096x4096
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWl9YxzXYAAHt4V?format=jpg&name=4096x4096
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWl9YxzX0AAqNwY?format=jpg&name=4096x4096
https://twitter.com/x/status/1254671961524965377
https://www.belgaimage.be/#/gallery/6920139

Video
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=531943230803077

Employees of the Maastricht UMC + are addressed by King Willem-Alexander via a video connection during King's Day.


https://www.anpfoto.nl/royalimages/search.pp?eventid=6006961


Queen Máxima and the Princesses Amalia, Alexia and Ariane open a digital dress market.


https://twitter.com/x/status/1254715092119293952



Speech by King Willem-Alexander: 'Hold on: at a distance, but together.'


Wishes to King from his family for the end of this day!


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWnfPuoVAAsI9pq?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

https://twitter.com/x/status/1254774214814388224
 
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The girls look lovely and the King went for a rather modern look, without a tie. Nice to see some photos of them.
 
We've got pictures on the BBC website here in the UK of the King's Day celebrations outside people's homes. Happy King's Day!
 
Princesses Amalia, Alexia and Ariane are very beautiful, they're becoming ladies already!
This family is lovely!

Some photos also on the official Twitter of the Dutch Royal House:
https://twitter.com/koninklijkhuis
 
eya said:
Happy King's Day from the Royal Family from home!

Queen Máxima and the Princesses Amalia, Alexia and Ariane open a digital dress market.


https://twitter.com/x/status/1254715092119293952
Click to expand...

For those less familiar with the Dutch celebration of King's Day. It's not a digital 'dress market' but a digital 'blanket' market. The Dutch tradition is that the Dutch (especially children but also some adults) sell their own second-hand stuff at king's day and lay them all out either in front of their house or in a dedicated area on a '(picknick-type) blanket'. So, it's a variation on a flea market.

So, the queen and princesses opened the digital version of the traditional blanket/flea market ?

Some video calls with the king, queen, the princess of Orange and princess Alexia.

Queen Máxima is quite 'present' even when her daughters are supposed to talk. Amalia is doing it all by herself (as long as Máxima doesn't interrupt) while Alexia is asked about her parents and admits that even though they are busy they still get to spend quite a lot of time with them; and concludes that they are really good parents.

eya said:
Wishes to King from his family for the end of this day!


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWnfPuoVAAsI9pq?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

https://twitter.com/x/status/1254774214814388224
Click to expand...
Good to see the others that would normally participate in King's day (plus princess Beatrix and princess Mabel; would have been nice if princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven had joined as well).

And water for the young(er) princesses it seems, no champagne...

Picture of this moment.
 
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Does anyone know where I could find translation of the King's speech and the video? Thank you !
 
EvaH said:
Does anyone know where I could find translation of the King's speech and the video? Thank you !
Click to expand...

Haven't seen one. Let me start with the King's speech:

Welcome to this king's day at home. A lot of thanks to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for the initiative to open this online day with Het Wilhelmus (the national anthem). How special that it worked out to form a unity while at a distance from each other and by doing so, provide the opportunity for many all over the country to sing along.

King's day at home promises to be a unique king's day; especially unique because I hope it will be the very very last king's day at home in history. So, try to make the best of it. So, you will be able to remember how you experienced this day at home but together.

You can do that among other things by taping and uploading your activities to koningsdagthuis.nl. Want to thank everyone involved in making this website a reality in a short period of time. Without the work you did king's day at home wouldn't have as much of a 'we'-feeling.

Of course, we'd rather had been in Maastricht with the family. For months many enthusiasts were working extremely hard at a very special program. I also want to thank them for the big effort that already had been put into it before the sad but unavoidable message came that it would not go ahead this year. But 'what is in the barrel does not acidify' [Dutch expression] and 'Maastricht' [in the Limburgish dialect] is already in our hearts.

Like each year, I was looking forward immensely to images of canals, squares, streets and fairgrounds, lots of people out and about in villages and cities and the white beaches in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. The Netherlands going all crazy, exuberantly celebrating. One of those days that 'do normal, you'll do crazy enough' [an expression characterizing Dutch culture] does not apply for the normally down-to-earth Dutch.

But, it wasn't to be. I can imagine that many of you had hoped for more freedom of movement after tomorrow. Also at home the disappointment was tangible but the Coronavirus cannot be lectured to [another expression]. So, hold on, also after this king's day. We are doing this for ourselves but also to protect the weaker in our society and to give the care professionals some rest after many weeks of extreme effort.

Rest they earn to recuperate and to prepare for the top performances that are needed to catch up on the delayed medical care. And for the moment, unexpectedly, that the virus will resurface and the hospitals will be inundated again with Covid-19 patients.

Today our thoughts are with all the professionals that are fighting Corona and don't have time for King's day. Thanks for your enormous dedication and perseverance. In March, we showed our respect to the care professionals by applauding them from our balcony or on the street. Now, we can show our respect by persevering. Do it for yourself and for them.

Now it is time to party. King's day at home. Hopefully an unforgettable day. Enjoy! At a distance but together. And… stay healthy.

Which video would you like to be translated? The final one in which the royal family wishes the king a happy birthday or the one with the video calls?
 
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Welcome to this King's Day at home!

Many thanks to the Koninklijk Concertgebouw Orkest for the initiative to open this online day with the Wilhelmus How special is it that they managed to form a unit, distanced from each other and still lay the foundation for many, to be able to sing along throughout the country.

King's Day at home promises to be a unique King's Day. And especially unique, because I hope it will be the very, very last King's Day at home of history. So try to make the best of it. So that later you will always remember how you experienced this day at home and yet together.

You can do this, for example, by uploading and displaying your activities via Koningsdagthuis.nl. I would like to thank all those who put up the website in a short time. Without your work, this King's Day at home would have had a less "we" feeling.

Of course we would much rather have been in Maastricht with the family. There, many enthusiasts worked hard - for months - on a very special program and I would also like to thank them for the great efforts already been made before the sad but inevitable message that this year would not go ahead. But "what is in the barrel does not sour" and 'live Maastricht' ( = "lieve [lovely] + live Maastricht", this year's theme ) is already in our hearts.

As every year, I intensely looked forward to images of canals, squares, streets and fairgrounds, large crowds of people on their feet in villages, cities and the snow-white beaches of the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. Dutch people completely out of their minds. Exuberantly partying. One of those days that, "just do it, then you act crazy enough", does not apply to otherwise sober Dutch people.

However, it should not have been so. I can well imagine that many of you had hoped for more freedom of movement after tomorrow. Here too, the disappointment was palpable. But the coronavirus cannot be lectured. So hold on, even after this King's Day!

We do it for ourselves, but also to protect the vulnerable in society. And to give the healthcare professionals some rest after many weeks of extreme effort. Rest they deserve to recover, and to get ready for the upcoming top achievements to catch up with the delayed medical care and let us hope the virus will not unexpectedly resurface and fill up hospitals again with COVID-19 patients.

Today our thoughts are also with all those professionals who are committed to corona and do not have time for King's Day. Thank you for your tremendous dedication and perseverance.

In March, we showed our respect for the healthcare professionals by clapping on the balcony or in the street. Now we can show our respect by persevering. Do it for yourself and do it for them.

And now it's time for a party. King's Day at home. Hopefully an unforgettable day. Enjoy it. Remote, but together. And.... stay healthy.
 
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I know Konigsdag is a great party in the Netherlands, but it is surprising that despite the circumstances they have continued with the parties but at home, and the Royal Family is laughing and celebrating.

Queen Elizabeth, despite her age, canceled any special events on her birthday day.

Queen Margrethe, even though it was a special birthday for being her 80th birthday, had a rather sober celebration.

With 4.518 dead, 43 in the last 24 hours ... and being the king young and not being a special date ... one would expect something more sober or directly leave the celebration for another time.
 
lula said:
I know Konigsdag is a great party in the Netherlands, but it is surprising that despite the circumstances they have continued with the parties but at home, and the Royal Family is laughing and celebrating.

Queen Elizabeth, despite her age, canceled any special events on her birthday day.

Queen Margrethe, even though it was a special birthday for being her 80th birthday, had a rather sober celebration.

With 4.518 dead, 43 in the last 24 hours ... and being the king young and not being a special date ... one would expect something more sober or directly leave the celebration for another time.
Click to expand...

The main difference is that the queen's (real) birthday in neither the UK nor Denmark is a national holiday. In the Netherlands, king's day is a national holiday and various groups took the initiative to mark king's day.

So, this is not about it being the birthday of the king (although it is) that needs to be celebrated, it is about celebrating that even in this crisis, while everyone needs to practice social distancing, the Netherlands is still 'together' and the spirit cannot be broken. And the royal family used their 'celebration at home' to video call frontline workers and others. I am sure that was very much appreciated.

I have not heard/read a single negative respons in the Netherlands. In addition, for the mental well-being of the nation, this king's day might actually be very important as it will keep people's mind off the gravity of the situation for a few hours. And with this 'adapted' celebration, everyone very much is aware that this year is different, that many people are struggling, working under stress, worrying or mourning.
 
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