Palace Huis Ten Bosch, The Hague

[tommy100]

Any news on a date fe when the king and queen will move in? Not that they want to be seen to kick princess Beatrix out but as it's the next big thing for them and the girls I imagine in a way they want to get it over with and settle down

[Marengo]

Piet Oudolf will make a new plan for the layout of the gardens of Huis ten Bosch. mr. Oudolf is one of the best in his line of business and created among other things the Gardens of Remembrance in New York.

Royalty Online

I wonder if much will be changed, for now the park is mainly in the English style. I wonder if they try to reconstruct some elements of the park as it was when it was built in the 17th century.

Aerial view of the gardens:

http://www.paulvermast.nl/wp-content...-ten-bosch.JPG

[Marengo]

Apparently the renovation of the palace and gardens will cost 20 million euros. I wonder what they will do for that amount of money. The issue will undoubtably lead to questions in parlament.

http://denhaagfm.nl/2014/08/27/verbo...-miljoen-euro/

[Duc_et_Pair]

I would like a restoration of the 17th C gardens but then why this landcsape architect whom uses to create new lay-outs rather than restoring old gardens? I am amazed about the amount. It is a private palace, only for the King and his family. Now it is a lush, green and secluded garden. I wonder where is the need for such an extensive change?



But... looking at this picture... yes... a baroque garden in front of the palace would help: http://images.memorix.nl/rce/thumb/1...07780d33ed.jpg

The old garden was completely destroyed because in WWII the Germans used the palace park as a base to launch V1 and V2 missiles to England. The present front garden was a provisoric one but is now there for 60 years...

[Marengo]

I am not sure if the money is only spend on the garden, it must also include the refurbishment of the private quarters and perhaps a few other updates.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Queen Beatrix, known as a perfectioniste pur sang, started her Reign with extensively restored palaces. During her Reign all palaces were kept very well maintenanced to the highest standards. Sometimes even additional (and very expensive) restorations were done, like the magnificent Oranjesael in Huis ten Bosch Palace. Also buildings as the Royal Mews in The Hague, the building of the Royal House Archives and Fagel's Dome (a garden pavillion in the park of Noordeinde) were restored into perfection.

The Royal Palace Amsterdam was in scaffoldings for a long time for a major restoration which brought back the old palace in old and new royal splendour. Het Loo Palace, once the summer residence of the Orange-Nassaus, was completely brought back into 17th C state, it required demolishing of later added floors and annexes. The English landscape park was completely returned into one of the world's most beautiful baroque gardens.

And now this major renovation of Huis ten Bosch Palace again... Having been at the the Palais Royal in Brussels, Buckingham Palace in London and the Palacio Real in Madrid, really.... the Orange-Nassaus have the luck that the Dutch Government is so generous by once again updating the already spic-and-span looking palacesto the wishes of His Majesty...

The Belgians can only dream of it. I can already hear the nagging in the hostile Belgian media. The Nassaus in Luxembourg however can enjoy the pleasure of having perfectly maintenanced and restored palaces as well, like their Orange-Nassau cousins. I have never been at the palais grand-ducal in Luxembourg, but what I saw from it around the wedding of Guillaume looked perfect.

[Jacknch]

I wish the Dutch government would help us out over here with Buckingham Palace!

[KittyAtlanta]

I like the starkness of the approach to the palace. It looks formidable, as it should.

[Duc_et_Pair]

At Het Loo Palace there was an English landscape garden as well, like now at Huis ten Bosch Palace. The palace was also plastered in white and during centuries changed with extra floors and annexes. In the 1970's and 1980's the palace was brought back into 17th C state.

Before: http://resources21.kb.nl/gvn/SFA03/S...22820253_X.jpg

After: http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-ge...630-099-A3.jpg

Huis ten Bosch Palace had a baroque garden as well.

This is the original lay-out: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._ten_Bosch.jpg

This was right after WWII - the whole park destroyed by the Germans, for their V1 and V2 missile launchers: http://www.anp-archief.nl/attachment/240631

This was some 35 years ago: clearly an English landscape garden: http://www.anp-archief.nl/attachment/2257878

This was last year: a helicopter lands near Huis ten Bosch Palace, see how green it has become: http://media.nu.nl/m/m1mzxc1a4seb.jpg

[Duc_et_Pair]

Yesterday, Prinsjesdag, saw not only the annual ceremonial assembly of both Chambers of Parliament, it was also the day that the State Budget 2014 was presented. Remarkable in that budget were the quite large amounts which were reserved for the renovation of three royal residences. The amounts are surprising given the fact that under Queen Beatrix all palaces have been brought into tip-top state and were well maintenanced.

Huis ten Bosch Palace will be renovated for € 35 million (appr. US $ 45 million). The State Housing Agency informed that the technical installations (electricity, water, fire prevention, security, etc.) need an uopdate. Major maintenance is also needed for the roofs and the "inner work". Queen Beatrix started to use Huis ten Bosch Palace in 1982. Since then the building has not had major maintenance, according the State Housing Agency. Inspection has also learned that there is asbestos in the palace, which needs to be removed. The Asbestos Report is secret. The State Housing Agency refuses to give insight because the detailed description would also give information which affects the security of the King. There is no public call for bids for these works: also that would affect the security of the King. The works will be done by "selected firms".

Because the King can not use Huis ten Bosch Palace as long as the renovations are under way, he will continue to use his private villa De Eikenhorst. Temporary units will be placed in the park of this villa, to house the particulier secretariate of the King.

Noordeinde Palace, the official residence of the King, will also see a renovation. The staff restaurant will be modernized for € 8 million (apr. US $ 10,5 million).

Noordeinde 66, which is neighbouring and connected to the Noordeinde Palace complex, is renovated to serve as a pied-à-terre for Princess Beatrix. Last year the State informed that the renovation would cost € 900.000,-- (appr. US $ 1,165,000.--). Now it emerges that the costs for that renovation were considerably higher. For this The Hague-residence of Princess Beatrix the prize tag for the renovation is now € 3.25 million (appr. US $ 4,20 million).

The State Housing Agency stressed that with or without royal use, these builings (Grade A listed monuments) need the maintenance and that the costs are largely independent from the move of the new royal family into Huis ten Bosch Palace and the other residences.

[Jacknch]

I think it may all depend of exactly what type of works Beatrix had done on the palaces during the time of her reign. Probably cosmetic works, general renovations and installations, repairs and general maintenance to update and keep in good condition. However, deep renovations to the fabric of the building may be required including upgraded electrics and insulations etc.
Certainly over here in Britain, building regulations have been updated and amended over recent years - my house was built 10 years ago within the relations required at the time. But now things are starting to need replacing with better quality and within new guidelines such as the heating and boiler, windows etc. Anyone know a good plumber?!

[Marengo]

Aparently the money will be spent on the removal of asbestos, new plumbing, new curtains, etc. Technical installations nee dto be renewed, and there are silverfish in the walls, and woodwurms in the wood. Also the security systems are not up-to-date.

According to the RVD the costs are 4000-5000 euros per square meter, which is comparable to simular renovations in monumental buildings.

http://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/binne...nd-van-beatrix

[muriel]

Its good to hear that the Dutch government has a robust view of maintenance of public buildings, including the royal palaces. I do wish our Parliament might be more willing to make similar on-going investments.

[Jacknch]

Originally Posted by muriel

Its good to hear that the Dutch government has a robust view of maintenance of public buildings, including the royal palaces. I do wish our Parliament might be more willing to make similar on-going investments.

I am afraid we're still in the post-war mindset of make do and mend (or rather make do) and we are obviously too poor a nation to be getting ourselves into anything so silly and complicated as on-going investments! Where would it end?
It would require spending a bit of money now to save higher costs later wouldn't it? No, dear - that's too obvious a thing for a governmental department to get itself involved in. For starters, a form would need to be filled in and that would involve the civil servants and we wouldn't want to go down that tricky road!
Best leave it all alone and have a nice cup of tea!

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Jacknch

I am afraid we're still in the post-war mindset of make do and mend (or rather make do) and we are obviously too poor a nation to be getting ourselves into anything so silly and complicated as on-going investments! Where would it end?
It would require spending a bit of money now to save higher costs later wouldn't it? No, dear - that's too obvious a thing for a governmental department to get itself involved in. For starters, a form would need to be filled in and that would involve the civil servants and we wouldn't want to go down that tricky road!
Best leave it all alone and have a nice cup of tea!

Unfortunately what you say appears to be quite close to the truth!

[Duc_et_Pair]

I am surprised by the staggering amounts for renovation anyway. Almost 4,5 million Euro just for updating Noordeinde 66 into a pied à terre while in the 1990's it was completely renovated from inside out (I saw pictures of mini-bulldozers inside, only the completely stripped walls were still standing). I am surprised that after such a relatively short period again such a renovation is needed.

And not because Princess Beatrix is going to live there, no, just as a pied-à-terre when she is accidentally in The Hague (it goes beyond my logic why she can not have an appartment at Huis ten Bosch Palace, at Noordeinde Palace or at the royal estate De Horsten which is owned by her, but okay... that is my way of thinking.



When Queen Máxima would like to replace wallhangings in gold silk, to say something, because by sunlight it has faded, then there is a considerable prize tag indeed. And then we are talking about just one salon and there are a lot of salons of course...

Anyway, all expenses are comptrolled by the Auditory Chamber so I assume all is perfectly within the budget and the rules.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

I am surprised by the staggering amounts for renovation anyway. Almost 4,5 million Euro just for updating Noordeinde 66 into a pied à terre while in the 1990's it was completely renovated from inside out (I saw pictures of mini-bulldozers inside, only the completely stripped walls were still standing). I am surprised that after such a relatively short period again such a renovation is needed.

And not because Princess Beatrix is going to live there, no, just as a pied-à-terre when she is accidentally in The Hague (it goes beyond my logic why she can not have an appartment at Huis ten Bosch Palace, at Noordeinde Palace or at the royal estate De Horsten which is owned by her, but okay... that is my way of thinking.



When Queen Máxima would like to replace wallhangings in gold silk, to say something, because by sunlight it has faded, then there is a considerable prize tag indeed. And then we are talking about just one salon and there are a lot of salons of course...

Anyway, all expenses are comptrolled by the Auditory Chamber so I assume all is perfectly within the budget and the rules.

Its not really for me to comment, but is the Dutch monarchy not one of the most expensive on a year-to-year basis?

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by muriel

Its not really for me to comment, but is the Dutch monarchy not one of the most expensive on a year-to-year basis?

Yes it is in the top, when looking to the costs but these lists are very difficult to compare. It is hard to believe that the Dutch monarchy is on the same level as the British one while there are so many more and so much grander residences, so much more pomp and circumstance, etc. at the British isles. The same counts for Spain. Both Huis ten Bosch Palace as well Noordeinde Palace easily fit in the enormous Palacio Real in Madrid. The costs are very difficult to compare. I refuse to believe that a monarchy with Buckingham Palace, St James' Palace, Kensington Palace, Clarence House, Windsor Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, etc. has the same prize tag as the Dutch monarchy. Impossible. I think the Dutch score so high because they are open and transparent about all direct and indirect costs and have it insightfully assigned to the costs connected with the monarchy. I think Denmark is a good comparison for the Dutch, the prize tag for both monarchies lies between 40 and 50 million Euro (leaving aside the costs of security, palaces, etc.)

I must say that it remains pretty calm about the high costs. Past two days were the debates about the King's Speech and the Budget 2015 but the costs of the Royal House were not mentioned at all. There have been years with more criticism so it appears all parties in Parliament more or less accept that this is the prize tag for the Dutch monarchy and that this is "a reasonable prize".

[tommy100]

its always impossible to compare one monarchy with another and I think in their day to day duties the British Royals seem perhaps more 'grand' so one might expect their costs to be more. However the British Royals would simply never get the sort of money that is been mentioned for the Dutch Royals to update their Palaces/buildings. Their is simply no way that when Charles becomes King for the British Royal Family that he will get 46million (the cost of the renovations at the three Dutch palaces mentioned) to redo Buckingham Palace, Windsor etc. The Dutch in that way are lucky.

[Duc_et_Pair]

For all the nagging of the ladies and gentlemen politicians about the costs of the upkeep of the royal residences ("In the 1980's Queen Beatrix got spic-and-span restored palaces and now they need money-swallowing renovations again?"):

Today in the news it became known that the whole Inner Court Complex (which houses the First Chamber, the Second Chamber, the Council of State and the Department of the Prime Minister) needs to be closed for 5 years. The whole complex need an extensive (and expensive) restoration.

The buildings of the First Chamber (the Senate) have been restored in 1997. The buildings of the Second Chamber (the House of Representatives) have been restored after the enlargement in 1992. The buildings of the Council of State have been restored in 1996. The Trêves Chamber where the Council of Ministers assembles as not so long ago been updated.

All these buildings will now be restored at once, meaning that all named institutions will be re-located for five years. The costs are not known yet but will be astronomic, without doubt. This will shed the costs for the upkeep of the royal residences in a more balanced light for politicians and media.