Prinsjesdag 2003-2012

[TLLK]

Marengo-Thank you for providing the links to the videos and for the captions. I appreciate your efforts to help those of us who don't speak or read Dutch.

[marmi]

I get the feeling that Laurentien just let a child stencil whatever wherever on her outfit. Thats my impression anyway.
I think that there is a completely different feeling this year from other years. Maxima's stunner of 2006 for example seemed much more formal than her and Margriet's outfits this year.
I cant decide if I actually like Maxima's dress, some photos it looks great others far more average, but I think that I am moving towards liking it.
I do know that I like the hat, and I hope that we see it again within the next year or so.

[acdc1]

When I saw the pictures on PPE, my first reaction was "My God, what is Laurentien wearing?" However, that was my expected first reaction as well!

Princess Margriet looks pretty, and her outfit is quite...original.

Maxima's outfit was ok, it could have been better but it's not her worst.

The Queen looks very nice, typical Beatrix IMO.

[catango]

I have to say that I don't like Maxima's dress at all, when I was seeing the pics at the begining I could have sworn that she was Laurentien, horrible dress, very QBeatrix, but not for Maxima, and the hat, total desaster, at least for me she was.

That best outfit was from 2006, the black and white one.

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by TLLK

Marengo-Thank you for providing the links to the videos and for the captions. I appreciate your efforts to help those of us who don't speak or read Dutch.

You're welcome TLLK, I am glad somebody actually notices .

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More crazy hats here.

The most 'interesting' hat comes again from Krista van Velzen of the SP (Socialist Party), look here. She wears a hat made of furs donated by people who feel sorry that they bought it in the past. She wants to protest against the fur industry. Today she added some drops of blood to the hat too btw.

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Gossip websites already mention that this *might* be Beatrix last speech from the throne...

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From RTL:

More pictures here.

What is the Queen wearing? (In Dutch), look here.

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And those interested in the budget, Dutchnews.nl has the main points on their website:

The main points of the 2009 budget

Tuesday 16 September 2008
The government's 2009 spending plans include a €2.5bn package of tax cuts, a sharp reduction in home help services and no changes to basic income tax rates.

Tax cuts to total €2.5bn

State debt to fall to 39.6% of GDP

Budget surplus to reach 1.2%

Economic growth to reach 1.25% in 2009

Inflation will hit 3.25%

Tax breaks for those who work past the age of 62 and 65

Spending power to go up by an average 0.5%

Read the entire article here.

[Her_Majesty]

Originally Posted by catango

and the hat

That's how opinions differ. I love that hat! It's one of my favourite Máxima-Prinsjesdag-hats.

[Maxie]

Some nice pictures of today can be found here:
http://www.foto.denhaag.org/html/prinsjesd...g2008/index.htm
(There are a lot of interesting pictures of other years there too, btw:
Prinsjesdag

I think Queen Beatrix looked lovely. Maxima was okay, not too great. Beautiful colour, though. I didn't really like the flowers on the hat (too much going on) and the cut of the dress isn't my favourite either. And princess Laurentien... oh well... I think she wishes that it is carnival every day, so she can dress up weird whenever she wants. That's my wish too, but I don't give in to my urges.

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by Her_Majesty

That's how opinions differ. I love that hat! It's one of my favourite Máxima-Prinsjesdag-hats.

My favourite outfit for Maxima is still the red one for Prinsjesdag in 2002. I like this hat too though, just because it is so floppy and different from what she wore in previous years.

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Royalblog also has some info in English (with pictures):

Queen Beatrix: Netherlands well prepared

The Netherlands is well-prepared to weather a global economic slowdown, Queen Beatrix and senior government officials said Tuesday upon publication of the 2009 budget, with national debt levels heading toward lows not seen since the 1800s.

Read the entire article here.

This year there were people with traditional costumes from Zeeland on the Korte Vijverberg, as royalblog shows.

- The Golden Carriage was drawn by 8 black Frisian horses. They usually alter horses from Guelders, Groningen and Frisia.

- The prince of Orange wore the unifrom of the airforce

- It was Benito's 12th prinsjesdag. Last year HM's horse had some problems in the ankle but this year she was there again.

- RTL Boulevard showed that most ministers rented their costume....calvinists .

[Mademoiselle Lilo]

i think Maxima looks fine,i like her hat and purple suit her alot i LOVE her smile

[marmi]

You're welcome TLLK, I am glad somebody actually notices .

Plenty of us notice Marengo, never fear!!!

[Marengo]

RTL Boulevard had some information about the clothes:

Maxima wore a confection dress by Pucci, according to Fiona Hering. To the horror of the RTL presenters. She probably bought it in The Hague, Fiona/RTL was called by a woman who bought the dress there in May.

Princess Margriet was NOT dressed by Frans Molenaar, who usually dresses her.

The Queen was dressed by Sheila de Vries, as usual after theresia Vreughdenhil retired.

Laurentien wore a hat by Fabienne Delvigne called the 'froufrou'.

One of the dresses was from Natan, Brussels as something with that label was brought into the palace. As HM's outfit was by margriet, Maxima's by Pucci and Laurentien's by Eloise that leaves the outfit of Princess Margriet.

[Madame Royale]

Originally Posted by Marengo

In Maxima I liked the long necklace, very 20-ties. The floppy hat was ok, something different than usual. She wore a bracelet made of a part of the bracelet of the Indies and the diamond watch of Queen Juliana.

Her entire outfit was quite 1920's, hat included...very becoming I thought.

[marmi]

Maxima wore a confection dress by Pucci, according to Fiona Hering. To the horror of the RTL presenters. She probably bought it in The Hague, Fiona/RTL was called by a woman who bought the dress there in May.

Ok showing my naivity again (if you want to be kind to me remember that I have not yet set foot on European soil), but can you please elaborate a bit? Was it the designer or the fact it was commonly available or what?

Troonopvolgers!: Prinsjesdag 2008.

http://www.royals.web-log.nl/

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by marmi

Ok showing my naivity again (if you want to be kind to me remember that I have not yet set foot on European soil), but can you please elaborate a bit? Was it the designer or the fact it was commonly available or what?

Troonopvolgers!: Prinsjesdag 2008.

royals.web-log.nl

The horror was about Maxima wearing confection, they thought she would be wearing haute couture instead of something anybody can buy in a shop.

Anyway, the fashion editor of de Telegraaf (and RTL Boulevard) actually praised Laurentiens outfit for being daring, original, fresh... while naming Maxima more conservative in her taste.

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Royalblog has another article in English about the day, with some nice pictures:

Dutch line the streets to see their Queen

The streets of The Hague were lined with enthousiastic crowds to watch Queen Beatrix and her family travel by 'Golden Carriage' down the tree lined Lange Voorhout from Noordeinde Palace to the Houses of Parliament, and the Knight's Hall (Ridderzaal), to deliver her Speech from the Throne.

Read the entire article here.

[giov]

Pics from IBL
IBL Bildbyrå | 0435 44 07 65

[marmi]

The horror was about Maxima wearing confection, they thought she would be wearing haute couture instead of something anybody can buy in a shop.

Thanks Marengo, it was along the lines of what I thought then.

I'm afraid I'm not able to praise

Laurentiens outfit for being daring, original, fresh...

[amandamrgt]

High pomp as Dutch and Swedish royals open their parliaments

The full splendour of the Dutch monarchy was on display this week as the royal family led the centuries-old Prince's Day ceremony. Streets around the Netherlands’ parliament came to a standstill as Queen Beatrix drew up to preside over its official opening in the Golden Carriage.
Reserved for the most hallowed state occasions, the gilded coach is drawn by eight horses and accompanied by royal guards dressed in 19th-century military apparel.


Accompanied by her son Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Maxima, Queen Beatrix takes part in a ceremony dating back to the 18th century - http://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty...ces-day-1a.jpg

The Dutch monarch arrived in the Golden Carriage, which is only used for the Prince's Day festivities and the weddings of members of the royal family - http://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty...ces-day-2a.jpg

[ChantalC]

(1).Queen Beatrix looks lovely in her dress along with the hat (her trademark).
(2).Maxima looks very beautiful and I love her purple dress and hat. Purple is the colour for this fall season.
(3). Laurentien, her dress is so horrible and I never like anything she wears. I wish she would wear something better. Maybe her dress could have been in different colour.

However,I watched Queen Beatrix's Prinsijesdag speech on the internet. Of course, I don't understand any word of Dutch but her speech looks interesting. Thanks for posting the photos and the video clips!

[sgl]

The photos are great! Apparently, it was the year of unattractive dresses and hats (Maxima and Laurentien).

[Kelly]

Well I thought the color was really nice on her. However I did not like the dress so much. This vintage look did not suit her as well as she might have hoped it would.