NL DOET (Formerly 'Make A Difference Day')

[purple_platinum]

more of Constantijn & PC from seegerpress :

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by Alexandria

What a great concept and what a great turnout by the Dutch royal family. It really shows their devotion to their country and their desire to do good works.

I love the pictures of Beatrix pouring tea for the senior residents! What a truly special queen she is!

I have several questions however that perhaps our Dutch members or our otherwise more informed members than me might be able to answer:
1) Are these considered official acts by the royal family? If so, I thought that when Pieter Christiaan and Floris married they were considered no longer part of the royal family and thus would no longer making appearances at official acts such as Queensday? Is this an exception?

2) Is this an annual event that the royal family takes part in each year?

3) We have seen Annette take on at least two acts (a statue unveiling in the fall and now this one) which seems to be more than she usually does (only usually Queensday). What or who decides Annette's schedule (probably her kids I know, but what I want to know is could she do more royal acts if she wanted to?).

4) Where is Margriet? Is she still out of commission from her pain some months ago?

It is the first time the MADD is held in The Netherlands. It is yet to be decided if it will become a tradition or not, I assume. Lets hope it does. I believe MADD is either a british or an american concept.

The activities are listed on the website of the royal house, so in that way it could be considered as an official function, but with an informal character though. As I already hoped for when PC and Floris married, they did not ask for permission to marry because it was a wish from the court, the court on their turn pays them all the courtesies they pay to their older brothers as well. I have hopes that they will attend Queensday, though I wouldn't be surprised if they werent there as the logistics of such a big group can be a bit difficult and cause delays in the programme. As I said, I have hopes they will attend and that the real changes will happen 'under' King Willem IV.

I believe the statue she unveiled was an act her father or mother in law would have done, but due to ill health and pres. Putins visit they couldn t make it, so they asked Annette instead. I do no expect her official duties to increase in any other way (though I would not mind). The sheduele is made by the court, they receive requests of organisations etc, and decide which member is going where.

Margriet should still be bothered by her pains, because I do not think she would have skipped this project otherwise. As chairman of the red cross she knows how to appreciate volunteers.

[Squidgy]

Thanks Marengo for all the background information.:)

What a lovely, lovely idea! At this time of year, in our rush to prepare for Xmas, it's nice to be reminded that some of the best gifts we can give are those that can't necessarily be bought & wrapped.

I thought the pictures of the Queen serving coffee & goodies to the residents of a home for the elderly were beautiful - so poignant. I imagine she must have been thinking of her own parents (it was almost a year to the day when her father was buried). And what an honour for those people to be served by their Queen. A great day!

[pollyemma]

what lovely photos! I especially love the ones of Beatrix pouring tea. such a gracious lady, our queen.

[Alexandria]

Thanks (as always!) for the detailed explanation Marengo! :)

I am in complete agreement with you that I would like to see Annette take on more royal duties it her time allowed, just as I would like to see Pieter-Christiaan and Floris and their new wives continue to participate in Queensday celebrations. Would it really be such a slow down in the programme if you consider that you are only adding two more people (Anita and Aimee)? Pieter-Christiaan and Floris have usually pariticipated so their numbers would be accounted for, but now it's simply an addition of their wives. They always make the atmosphere of Queensday seem so fun!

[Marengo]

Well, through the years there was a slow down in the pass of the RF, which only adds to the festive atmosphere and the core members are usually on track and the delayed members have to hurry to catch them up sometimes. I like the 'messy' way, as the entire intention of Queensday like this is that it should be informal. In hindsight I think it was a good thing that Beatrix changed queensday in this way, though I still have a weak spot for the old style defile in front of Soestdijk palace.


I hope that Beatrix, for the last couple of years, will not alter the celebration and let Floris, PC, Aimee and Anita participate This way there is also an 'excuse' to let her own son and daughter-in-law (Friso and Mabel) join in. I know Friso usually doesnt like Queensday but the family and the Queen has done much to 'rehabilitate' Friso and Mabel in the past, so to let them join in Queensday would fit into this plan.

I only expect major changes in Queensday under King Willem IV, the van Vollenhovens will almost certainly stop attending, but maybe the younger generation will start joining in. I would not mind Catharina-Amalia, Eloise, Anna, Isabella joining in this year though, but it is not very likely (CA and Eloise at one point will but Anna, Isabella etc will be kept away).

Personally I liked it last year when Irene and Christina were present and I would love to see more Queensdays with them present as well, which of course will not happen.

===

Good to see you here again Squidgy! The Queen was poignant indeed! It was so funny to see her tlking to those people on the news. She helped an old man filling in his form for dinner and asked him with this posh voice of hers what meat he wanted for dinner that night, 'een speklapje, een cordon bleu of een boomstammetje', I would be surprised if the queen even knows what a 'boomstammetje' is (a rolled up cordon bleu).

[purple_platinum]

Maurits & Marilene in Groningen (thanks a lot to Netty from BRMB)

http://www.happietariagroningen.nl/

and an audio : http://www.rtvnoord.nl/ftp/audio/051211Maurits.ram

Successful 'Make A Difference Day' in Happietaria

Also thanks to the Province Groningen became on the Make A Difference Day saturday evening a fantastic evening in the Happietaria restaurant.
Prince Maurits and princess Marilène clerks together with lady Jongman of the christian union, baroness Taets of Amerongen, lady Keijzer of the Dutch Labor Party and province Groningen and dhr. the Young, manager of the Rabobank Groningen, in Happietaria. They did that for 40 asielzoekers from the AZC Hairs. With their catering industry experience and the right instructions of personeelscoördinator anne marie Kralt, Maurits and Marilène knew to save self excellently.

Co-workers of the Rabobank were begun s' noons with works in the kitchen already and went eat after that with the asielzoekers. Under the enjoyment of the courts of the Happietaria menu and the royal administration of the last sacraments enjoyments the guests a three courses menu.
The Rabobank has offered a check of €3000,- for the dinner. The complete yield goes to the education projects in India, Thailand and Bangladesh. Icco and Savage Geese triple this yield.

[Marengo]

Thanks, I haven't seen pictures of them on this occassion before. The couple studied & met eachother in Groningen btw, I believe they both worked as a waiter/waitress in a cafe called 'Juliana'.

[purple_platinum]

finally... some more of Maurits & Marilene from ANP

ps. look at the last pic, the girl is photographing marilene so up-close, funny..

[Iain]

Originally Posted by SpiffyBallerina

The Dutch certainly have a wonderful queen!

Yes they do! Somehow I can't imagine Queen Elizabeth doing this sort of thing.

[Squidgy]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Good to see you here again Squidgy! The Queen was poignant indeed! It was so funny to see her tlking to those people on the news. She helped an old man filling in his form for dinner and asked him with this posh voice of hers what meat he wanted for dinner that night, 'een speklapje, een cordon bleu of een boomstammetje', I would be surprised if the queen even knows what a 'boomstammetje' is (a rolled up cordon bleu).

Thanks Marengo - it's great to be back. I see you (& others) have been making lots of informative posts as always, so I feel like I haven't really missed anything!

I would have loved to have seen the video of the Queen (with her posh accent) taking dinner orders! What I liked about this day, was, it seems that the royals were trying to come across as average citizens trying to do some good for their community, rather than their usual role of a royal trying to do some good. As Iain noted, I can't see Queen Elizabeth of GB pulling this off. Both her personality, plus all the inflexible protocal & security that is associated with the British royal court, would really prevent her from presenting herself for one day as just an average citizen.

Originally Posted by Marengo

Margriet should still be bothered by her pains, because I do not think she would have skipped this project otherwise. As chairman of the red cross she knows how to appreciate volunteers.

I missed seeing Margriet participate. Yeah, maybe she still is suffering from her bad break in the spring - it can take a long time to recover from these things. But it was nice to see her branch of the family well represented at the MADD events.

[Adry]

All the dutch royals participating in this amazing day is soo great :) ...They seem to be very close with the people and that`s so lovely..would be nice to see Willem and Maxima joined to the others:p

[Marengo]

They were attending a jetset polo event on the same they I believe...which makes the contrast even bigger). Maybe next year they will join in.

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by Squidgy

Thanks Marengo - it's great to be back. I see you (& others) have been making lots of informative posts as always, so I feel like I haven't really missed anything!

Haha, this remark could be interpreted in the wrong way I believe, you not missing our many informative posts

Not much is known about Princess Margriets health, the court did not issue any official statements. She had a busy trip for the red cross to Asia last month I believe (no pictures), but apart from that she and Prof pieter (how strange to name him Prof instead of Mr., which he was for most of his life) seem to take it more easy and leaving more duties to other members of the RF. At an age in which most people retire I hope they can enjoy their extra 'free' time (although, how free is a grandmother of 5? Now I think of it, maybe Margriet was babysitting on Saturday )

The queen seems very relaxed indeed. Coinsedently 'hja', a dutch royalty journalist, today made an informative post about this on the Benelux Royals MB, you might want to check it.

I cannot imagine the british RF doing this either, but then The Netherlands is a more equalitarian society then Britain, so probably we appreciate these kind of things more while the british prefer a more distant aproach from their RF.

[Squidgy]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Haha, this remark could be interpreted in the wrong way I believe, you not missing our many informative posts

You're right - I think I'm a bit out of practice with my writing skills.:o You knew I meant it in the good sense though, right Marengo?

Originally Posted by Marengo

Not much is known about Princess Margriets health, the court did not issue any official statements. She had a busy trip for the red cross to Asia last month I believe (no pictures), but apart from that she and Prof pieter (how strange to name him Prof instead of Mr., which he was for most of his life) seem to take it more easy and leaving more duties to other members of the RF. At an age in which most people retire I hope they can enjoy their extra 'free' time (although, how free is a grandmother of 5? Now I think of it, maybe Margriet was babysitting on Saturday )

Good one Marengo - you're right, maybe she was babysitting while her sons & daughters-in-laws were busy participating in the MADD activities.

Thanks for the update on Margriet. Hopefully, it's just a case of her back still giving her some pain, and that she will fully recover & we will see more of her. I'm being very selfish here because I don't want to see her withdraw from public life. But yes, I guess she does deserve to slow down & enjoy more of her private life & all her grandchildren. Do you think Pieter has slowed down? I think he still takes part in quite a few engagements these days.

Originally Posted by Marengo

The queen seems very relaxed indeed. Coinsedently 'hja', a dutch royalty journalist, today made an informative post about this on the Benelux Royals MB, you might want to check it.

Thanks for that reference - it was a good post. It's nice to hear that someone who has had quite a bit of access to the Queen this year, is very impressed with her. But I must say, I've never viewed the Queen as being cold or distant, as I guess some people thought of her. I always felt she managed to present herself in a regal, yet approachable, way.

I wasn't sure was HJA meant by saying a weight was off her shoulders?? Is he referring to the fact that those loved ones who were ill (parents, Claus) are now no longer suffering??

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by Squidgy

You're right - I think I'm a bit out of practice with my writing skills.:o You knew I meant it in the good sense though, right Marengo?

Thanks for the update on Margriet. Hopefully, it's just a case of her back still giving her some pain, and that she will fully recover & we will see more of her. I'm being very selfish here because I don't want to see her withdraw from public life. But yes, I guess she does deserve to slow down & enjoy more of her private life & all her grandchildren. Do you think Pieter has slowed down? I think he still takes part in quite a few engagements these days.

Thanks for that reference - it was a good post. It's nice to hear that someone who has had quite a bit of access to the Queen this year, is very impressed with her. But I must say, I've never viewed the Queen as being cold or distant, as I guess some people thought of her. I always felt she managed to present herself in a regal, yet approachable, way.

I wasn't sure was HJA meant by saying a weight was off her shoulders?? Is he referring to the fact that those loved ones who were ill (parents, Claus) are now no longer suffering??

Of course I understood that you meant it in a good way, hence the teasing

I fear that Margriet will really take it easy. Especially now the new members of the RH, Maxima and Laurentien are taking more things on them. The functions Margriet attends are also less high-profile then they used to be 20 years ago for example. Still, I don't think she minds (she can use her free time well), and it makes her more involved in other causes, for example the red cross. Prof Pieter seems to have a fuller agenda then a couple of years back indeed, as chairman of the national safety board and as professor of the university of Twente.

Here in the Netherlands the Queen was always compared to her mother Juliana, and it is hard not to look more distant than her of course. Beatrix had the image of the perfectionist manager. Stories in the media didn't always help, about medling in political things, disapproving potential daughters-in-law etc. But most people had a distant/aloof feeling with Beatrix anyway, and the people who had that feeling are changing their minds these days (of course there are exeptions).
'hja' indeed meant that the queen seems to enjoy the things more as the strain of seeing people close to her sufer from ill health has been lifted. It seems she is more able to relax these days.

[purple_platinum]

from http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/ (without watermark)

H. H. Prince Maurits and H.H. Princess Marilène serve by Happietaria in Groningen a dinner for humans of asielzoekers during the Make a Difference Day, 10 December 2005

[purple_platinum]

from http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/content.jsp?objectid=10927 (without watermark)

H. H. Princess Annette assists by the gezinsvervangende home Mappa Mondo in Wezep during the rural Make a Difference Day, 10 December 2005

[purple_platinum]

from http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/ (without watermark)

HRH Prince Constantijn whistle by football association CJVV in Amersfoort a half of a competition for handicap during the rural Make a Difference Day, 10 December 2005

HH Prince Pieter-Christiaan whistle by football association CJVV in Amersfoort a half of a competition for handicap during the rural Make a Difference Day, 10 December 2005

[purple_platinum]

from http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/content.jsp?objectid=10929 (without watermark)

HRH Princess Laurentien takes foods in by the food bank in Lelystad during the Make a Difference Day, 10 December 2005