MH17 Plane Disaster and the Dutch Royals: 2014

[Jacknch]

Originally Posted by lucien

TM King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima will attend a special information meeting for the families of the victims on monday July 21st.TM will also meet families there out of sight of the press.Good,decent.Also in attendance will be the PM and several other Cabinet Ministers.No press.It will be a closed meeting.Bless them all.

A wonderfully kind and decent gesture by Their Majesties, I am taken aback by this care and attention and the time and emotion they are giving.

[TLLK]

I'm hoping that the families can be reunited with their loved ones remains as soon as possible so they can begin funeral/memorial preparations.

[dazzling]

JULY 21, 2014: King Willem-Alexander arrives at the Congresscentrum, Utrecht, to meet some of the relatives of the victims of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 on July 21, 2014 in Utrecht, Netherlands. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima were accompanied by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and will meet relatives of some of the 193 Dutch nationals who were victims of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.

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ANP picture gallery

[iceflower]

And here are some pics of them leaving the meeting - so sad!



** ppe gallery **

[KittyAtlanta]

Originally Posted by TLLK

I'm hoping that the families can be reunited with their loved ones remains as soon as possible so they can begin funeral/memorial preparations.

I heard on (US) news this morning that the remains have yet to be removed. They are still in the field.

If anyone knows differently, please tell me.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by iceflower

And here are some pics of them leaving the meeting - so sad!



** ppe gallery **

HM spoke to the Nation after he and the Queen met with the families of the victims.Very moving indeed.

Home - Het Koninklijk Huis

News - Het Koninklijk Huis

[Lee-Z]

Originally Posted by KittyAtlanta

I heard on (US) news this morning that the remains have yet to be removed. They are still in the field.

If anyone knows differently, please tell me.

As far as is known all remains have been transferred to a train which has just now (around 18:00 CET) left for (probably) the city of Kharkov in Ukraine.
From there they will finally return home to their families and their last resting place...

Very tragic and indeed until yesterday some victims were still out there in the fields where the plane crashed...

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Lee-Z

As far as is known all remains have been transferred to a train which has just now (around 18:00 CET) left for (probably) the city of Kharkov in Ukraine.
From there they will finally return home to their families and their last resting place...

Very tragic and indeed until yesterday some victims were still out there in the fields where the plane crashed...

Immensely tragic indeed!Incomprehensible,numbness.

All bodies will be flown to The Netherlands for identification and then flown over to their country of origine.

[Marengo]

The role of the king in this matter is debated by a few in the press and online. Most praise his speech and the several public appearances. Others however remind us on the beer-drinking with Putin, and now several flights of the government airplane to Greece during the last days have been discussed too.

I don't see the problem TBH, the king is present when he needs to be and what he does in the mean time is of no importance. Nobody expects him to be going to the Ukraine himself. This issue has to be resolved by the politicians, not by the king. I am glad that this is not used for some cheap propaganda, as a blog of the NOS is holding a plea for.

royalblog (in Dutch)
ROYALBLOG.NL: Regeringsvliegtuig weer naar Griekenland

NOS (in Dutch):
http://weblogs.nos.nl/evenementen/20...vliegtuigramp/

I don't think this is the time for internal bickering anyway, we can (and should) do that in a few months.

[TLLK]

^^^I agree Marengo. AFAIK the Dutch monarch is their to show his/her support to the nation while the PM and other government officials will be the ones to coordinate their response to the Russians/Ukranians and organize the recovery efforts.

IMHO W-A has made the correct response to the grieving nation and will leave the political matters to the people's elected officials.

[lucien]

TM King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima will be present at Eindhoven Airforce base tomorrow afternoon to greet the remains upon arrival.

Church bells will ring all day with regular intervals and all will ring throughout the country from 5 minutes before the aircrafts with the remains land untill they will be parked at the tarmac.

Tomorrow is a Day of National Mourning.A first as we don't know that as such before,but there is a huge majority in favour which is understandeble considering the circumstances and impact of this tragedy,this senseless murder.

[TLLK]

Lucien-I'm sorry that the NL has to hold a national mourning day at all. IMO this is a wise decision to hold this event.

[COUNTESS]

How terrible for all of you. I send my blessing and prayer for peace. It is unnerving that an armed band of lunatics, sponsored by a strong armed person can wreak such havoc on regular people's lives.

[Lee-Z]

Originally Posted by TLLK

Lucien-I'm sorry that the NL has to hold a national mourning day at all. IMO this is a wise decision to hold this event.

In true dutch style however no part of it is mandatory, every person can decide for themselves if and how they participate

[MARG]

An interesting if painful thought that this is the first National Day of Mourning in NL. The space for everyone to participate in their own way is pretty well unique and quite remarkable.

Some people handle grief with church services, candles and prayers and others honor the dead by going about their business in the tradition of "Keep Calm and Carry On". All will hear the bells mark the passage of the day and both ways are equally respectful.

I am sure there are, and will be, prayers for both the living and the dead around the world.

[soraya]

It seems that,among the victims,there is Mr Joep Lange and his wife.He was a famous aids researcher.
Both were close friends to Princess Mabel.They have 5 childrens.

Nouveau deuil pour la princesse Mabel

My condoleances to our dutch members and to those who have lost some of their citizens.

[Marengo]

A picture of Princess Mabel and her late husband with Prof. Lange (right) and his partner Jacqueline van Tongeren (left).

Joep Lange | 31pictures

Judging from the many reactions and columns written by friends in various newspapers it seems to have been a wonderful couple and still very much in love.

[soraya]

Its heartbreaking to see pictures of the victims.

On facebook,I came across the last post and picture of a Malaysian woman who died in the crash with her husband and four children.
In facebook,she posted a picture of their luggages in the airport with a comment stating it was their last hijra (immigration which can also have a religious meaning).They were returning definitly to Malaysia after spending many years in Kazakhstan.

First, her relatives,posted comments praying for a safe return and for a nice flight.
Slowly,her relatives realised she and her family were on the crashed plane.

The pictures of all the children who were on the plane published by the dailymail are difficult to watch at too.

[lucien]

The aircrafts of the Dutch and Australian RAF have landed and are taxiying towards the tarmac.Church bells are now ringing ALL over the country.

Gutwrenching,intensily moving moments.

[polyesco]

WA and Maxima today
https://www.anpfoto.nl/search.pp?pag...28085191&pos=0