State Visit from Belgium to The Netherlands: November 28-30, 2016 - Page 2

**An Ard Ri** · #21 11-16-2016, 08:20 AM

Thanks for the photo above and I was also wondering why Heeze Castle was being used as a venue.

carlota · #22 11-16-2016, 07:04 PM

I am beyond excited about this visit! how great. mathilde and maxima encounters are usually amongst the best royal to royal encounters... the friendship between the two queens is undeniable. :)

**Marengo** · #23 11-17-2016, 01:23 AM

The Belgians will offer a concert on the 2nd day in a modern music center. The unlikely option of a 2nd tiara event has become even more unlikely.

Duc_et_Pair · #24 11-17-2016, 03:09 AM

The Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ is an interesting choice. A hypermodern building with ingenious LED walls which can create any atmosphere. A diadem-event is not impossible but I think we may even be happy when the Belgians set the dresscode on black tie.

Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ (exterior)

Interior in cold blue

Interior in warmer tint

Interior for diner

eya · #25 11-22-2016, 12:03 PM

State visit to THE NETHERLANDS from 28 to 30 November - Strong ties with our neighbor country and between the Dutch and Belgian Royal visits in 2000, 2002 and 2006.

https://scontent.fath3-2.fna.fbcdn.n...f4&oe=58B3557B
https://scontent.fath3-2.fna.fbcdn.n...fb&oe=58C88A86
https://scontent.fath3-2.fna.fbcdn.n...43&oe=58CD4645
https://scontent.fath3-2.fna.fbcdn.n...b0&oe=5888CA3F
https://scontent.fath3-2.fna.fbcdn.n...ba&oe=58C65000
https://scontent.fath3-2.fna.fbcdn.n...a0&oe=58D387C0
https://scontent.fath3-2.fna.fbcdn.n...31&oe=58C2E433

maria-olivia · #26 11-22-2016, 01:19 PM

Since years King Leopold III was Princess Beatrix Godfather.

eya · #27 11-23-2016, 12:44 PM

lucien · #28 11-27-2016, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maria-olivia

Since years King Leopold III was Princess Beatrix Godfather.

And in a far far past as children,the Prince Baudouin,Princess Josephine Charlotte and Prince Albert would spend their summers at the sea resort of Noordwijk,just above The Hague and often visited,or were visited by,Queen Wilhelmina and Princess Juliana.

Duc_et_Pair · #29 11-27-2016, 01:22 PM

In Belgian media there seem to live mixed feelings about the State Visit: "Finally Philippe can go to a kingdom where everything works normal, he can escape his disfunctional family, he can learn from the true people-players WA and Máxima" (Jan van den Berghe in De Standaard).

But yesterday in the program Blauw Bloed the three Belgian guests in the former palace of Willem I in Antwerp classified Máxima as a "pretty duck" and Mathilde as a "gracious swan". Their reasoning was not consistent: "Máxima was never raised to be Queen and at the age of 20 she never knew she would be Queen". Complete bollocks: was Mathilde, living in deep green forests of the Ardennes raised to be Queen? Did she know on the age of 20 she would be Queen?

Then the three experts thought that Amalia should be in public more, like Elisabeth. Again they are not consistent: Elisabeth is years older than Amalia. And in the Netherlands on King's Day we see the princesses live on TV as well for the several photoshoots, sports tournaments, etc. In my assessment there is no difference between Elisabeth and Amalia.

Then the three claimed that Philippe was King of a far more difficult country. That might be true, but again their reasoning was inconsistent: "No matter what Willem-Alexander does, the Dutch will shout Oranje Boven!" Hmm the Dutch King would have wished that was true!

Then they did a bit of Kremlin-watching: the King hugged Felipe and Frederik but did not hug Philippe. Conclusion: the relationship with Spain and Denmark is warmer than with Belgium... Seldom I have seen such fact-free blabla...

maria-olivia · #30 11-27-2016, 03:02 PM

King Albert II and Queen Paola went to Official Visit with Airplane (30 minutes)

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde will leave Laeken with a car. Arriving at the Netherdand's Border they will be welwomed by the Dutch Marechaussé and will enter a Dutch Car. Their Belgian car will stay at the Border until their return.

The belgian Press is wondering if King Willem Alexander will show He is the Boss as for the first one day Visit !

Countessmeout · #31 11-27-2016, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

In Belgian media there seem to live mixed feelings about the State Visit: "Finally Philippe can go to a kingdom where everything works normal, he can escape his disfunctional family, he can learn from the true people-players WA and Máxima" (Jan van den Berghe in De Standaard).

But yesterday in the program Blauw Bloed the three Belgian guests in the former palace of Willem I in Antwerp classified Máxima as a "pretty duck" and Mathilde as a "gracious swan". Their reasoning was not consistent: "Máxima was never raised to be Queen and at the age of 20 she never knew she would be Queen". Complete bollocks: was Mathilde, living in deep green forests of the Ardennes raised to be Queen? Did she know on the age of 20 she would be Queen?

Then the three experts thought that Amalia should be in public more, like Elisabeth. Again they are not consistent: Elisabeth is years older than Amalia. And in the Netherlands on King's Day we see the princesses live on TV as well for the several photoshoots, sports tournaments, etc. In my assessment there is no difference between Elisabeth and Amalia.

Then the three claimed that Philippe was King of a far more difficult country. That might be true, but again their reasoning was inconsistent: "No matter what Willem-Alexander does, the Dutch will shout Oranje Boven!" Hmm the Dutch King would have wished that was true!

Then they did a bit of Kremlin-watching: the King hugged Felipe and Frederik but did not hug Philippe. Conclusion: the relationship with Spain and Denmark is warmer than with Belgium... Seldom I have seen such fact-free blabla...

as to the maxima and Mathilde....

I think they are pointing out the difference I. She and background. Maxima was 28 when she met her husband. And though her dad was in politics, she lived a pretty simple middle class life. On the other hand Mathilde was 23 when she and Philippe began. At that age she years is a big difference. She was alsp raised in the minor aristocracy. She may not have been raised to be a queen, but she wouldn't have been new to these circles. She would have had a better understanding.

Lee-Z · #32 11-27-2016, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

Then the three experts thought that Amalia should be in public more, like Elisabeth. Again they are not consistent: Elisabeth is years older than Amalia. And in the Netherlands on King's Day we see the princesses live on TV as well for the several photoshoots, sports tournaments, etc. In my assessment there is no difference between Elisabeth and Amalia.

You are entitled to your assessment, but i have to say i agree with the experts in this matter: P.Elisabeth is 2 years older and 2 years ago she wrote and performed her first speech on her own at a WWI remembrance gathering. P.Amalia up until now has been very much "one of the 3A princesses" in public, though it ofcourse it is possible that will change from now on..

Duc_et_Pair · #33 11-27-2016, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee-Z

You are entitled to your assessment, but i have to say i agree with the experts in this matter: P.Elisabeth is 2 years older and 2 years ago she wrote and performed her first speech on her own at a WWI remembrance gathering. P.Amalia up until now has been very much "one of the 3A princesses" in public, though it ofcourse it is possible that will change from now on..

We have seen Amalia during the Abdication, the balcony scene, the Investiture and the King's Water Pageant. We have seen her at the King's Days since. We have seen her at the annual winter- and summer photoshoots, at various weddings and baptisms, she has visited the Pope already and recently she answered questions during a street interview. The only difference is that the two years older Elisabeth has spoken three sentences during a WWI remembrance. In my optic the difference is minimal. Given the fact that King's Day (and in a few years also Princes' Day) are annual live broadcasts lasting hours, I am sure Amalia has had more airtime despite the efforts of her parents to keep her away in an attempt to grant her a "normal life".

lucien · #34 11-28-2016, 04:38 AM

Anyway,m'n goeie goed is hanging outside catching fresh air.

Duc_et_Pair · #35 11-28-2016, 05:23 AM

There is a big article (a page spread) in today's Algemeen Dagblad about the State Visit. Well better said: one sentence about the State Visit and the rest about Laurent, Albert, Delphine and Belgian comedians mocking their own royal family... One would say that Belgians would keep up their royal family towards foreign media, but no... Especially Geert Hoste (a sort of conferencier) had vitriolic comments.

lucien · #36 11-28-2016, 06:39 AM

Arrival & welcome at the Royal Palace,Amsterdam.

http://www.anpfoto.nl/search.pp?eventid=1989314

Duc_et_Pair · #37 11-28-2016, 07:01 AM

Colourful ceremonial on an ice-cold Dam Square.

eya · #38 11-28-2016, 07:15 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...LSZ9kpCRXo#t=0

VIDEO

Difficult to kiss the Queens with the hats!

**iceflower** · #39 11-28-2016, 07:23 AM

.

More pics of day 1!

** ppe gallery **

** gettyimages gallery **

** robinutrecht.photoshelter gallery **

** dpp: King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium State visit The Netherlands **

Mbruno · #40 11-28-2016, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Countessmeout

as to the maxima and Mathilde....

I think they are pointing out the difference I. She and background. Maxima was 28 when she met her husband. And though her dad was in politics, she lived a pretty simple middle class life. On the other hand Mathilde was 23 when she and Philippe began. At that age she years is a big difference. She was alsp raised in the minor aristocracy. She may not have been raised to be a queen, but she wouldn't have been new to these circles. She would have had a better understanding.

Wasn't Maxima's father a wealthy landowner ? I am not familiar with her family, but Argentina is a fairly large country where rural properties tend to be much bigger than the most impressive estates in Britain or France, and even more so than estates in the tiny Benelux countries. As far as Argentinean social hierarchy is concerned, I would suspect then that Maxima was much closer to an equivalent to "landed gentry" than to a "quiet middle-class life". Having said that, I agree that Mathilde, having been born and raised in Europe in a very old aristocratic family, probably had a better understanding of royal court life than Maxima had when she married Willem-Alexander.

On the broader discussion, one cannot ignore the historic background. When the (mostly Protestant at the time) Republic of the Seven Provinces seceded from the Habsburg Netherlands in the 16th century, the Catholic south that is now Belgium remained under Spanish and, later, Austrian rule (when the Spanish branch of the Habsburg family became extinct). Following the occupation of both Belgium and the Netherlands by the French during the Napoleonic era, the Congress of Vienna sought to create a United Kingdom of the Netherlands under Willem I of Orange-Nassau. That united kingdom lasted 15 years or so only, as the Belgians rose against the king in 1830 and established an independent kingdom of their own whose crown was offered in 1831 to Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

The Belgian revolution was triggered by (at the time) irreconcilible differences between the South and the North over language, religion and the constitution (Willem I having in particular absolutist tendencies, whereas the liberal Belgians wanted a more limited constitutional monarchy). Of course, the context has changed over the past 200 years and Belgium and the Netherlands now enjoy very cordial relations within the European Union, but historic baggage cannot be erased and surfaces occasionally in articles like the ones linked above. Let's not forget that, until today, Belgian law, I believe, forbids any prince or princess of Belgium from marrying a member of the House of Orange-Nassau, reflecting perhaps lingering insecurity over a Dutch annexation of Belgium.