King Willem-Alexander, Current Events Part 1 (May 2013 - October 2017)

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King Willem-Alexander received the Governor of St. Maarten Eugene Holiday at Palace Noordeinde today, December 8:



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Yesterday, December 9, King Willem-Alexander received the Governor of Aruba Fredis José Refunjol at Palace Noordeinde:



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Today, December 10, he received the ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain Alice Thomas Yusuf Samaan and the ambassdor of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania:



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King Willem-Alexander received the Governor of Curacao Lucille George-Wout at Eikenhorst today, December 11:



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Later today he officially opened the National Military Museum at Soesterberg Airbase:



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King Willem-Alexander attended the 9th Kingdom Day Concert in Amsterdam this evening, December 15:



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King Willem-Alexander made a working visit to the Regional Social Services and Credit Bank Alblasserwaard / Vijfheerenlanden (RSD AV) in Gorinchem today, December 16:


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Later today King Willem-Alexander attended the celebration of 50 years of European cooperation in space at the ESA/ESTEC in Noordwijk:



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King Willem-Alexander received the ambassadors of the Republic of Peru and of the Democratic Republic Timor-Leste at Palace Noordeinde today, December 17:



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[Duc_et_Pair]

When PostNL, the Dutch national post service, released the official stamps with the new King, there was criticism about the 'styled' crown. It would look too much on the British crown. PostNL and the designer defended that it was just "for esthetic considerations" that this crown was chosen. Look at the original new stamps.

Another, worldfamous, "styled crown" is that of KLM / Royal Dutch Airlines, see their logo. This never caused any problem, unlike the post stamp. Most likely because no one made a connection between the person of the King (Queen) and the crown used by KLM.

On the official post stamps, the person of the King is shown and then apparently the "styled crown" is causing lots of complaints. PostNL has now decided to use the correct heraldic crown on the post stamps. See the new stamps with the correct crown (at the right).

[Marengo]

The only right decision IMO. It was idiotic that the design was ever allowed, a British crown on a Dutch stamp.

The rest of the design is ok, though it is not as iconic as the one of Beatrix.

[Duc_et_Pair]

The newspaper NRC informs that the King has made a plea for the life of a Dutchman who was convicted to death in 2003. The Indonesian Justice has informed that coming Sunday, after 12 years of imprisonment, the Dutchman will be shot by a fire squad.

The present Indonesian minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi, was the Indonesian Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands before she became minister. Earlier this week the King and Queen offered the outgoing Ambassador (-now minister-) a farewell-reception at Noordeinde Palace. From 1596 to 1948 Indonesia was Netherlands East-Indies and under Dutch rule. So the King had (has) to walk on eggs in this sensitive matter between a former colonial power and one of its colonies.

In 1994 Queen Beatrix made a plea for a convicted Dutchman, Johannes van Damme, in Singapore. Despite the Queen's plea, the man was hanged. In 2004 Queen Beatrix made a plea for the convicted Dutchman Pedro Ruyzing. King Bhumipol granted pardon and the man was released. In 2006 Queen Beatrix made a plea for two convicted Dutchmen, Edy Tang and Li Yang. King Bhumipol granted pardon: the death penalty was changed in life sentence. On base of international treaties the two could go to the Netherlands and escape "hell on earth" (the Bangkwang Prison in Thailand).

For so far we know, this is the first time in his young Reign that the King has made a plea for a Dutchman convicted to death.

[Marengo]

The plea didn't have any effect: the man was killed. Also the appeal of the Brazilian government did not work against the execution of a Brazilian citizen.

[An Ard Ri]

H.M.King Willem-Alexander receives Ambassadors credentials from Gambia,Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan at the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague

Geloofsbrieven ambassadeurs Afghanistan, Saoedi-Arabië en Gambia - Het Koninklijk Huis


Belga

Belga Image - Editorial

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Yesterday, January 22, King Willem-Alexander has made a working visit to the army unit in Havelte:



** defensie.nl: Koning en minister bij landmachtbrigade ** translation **



Today, January 23, King Willem-Alexander opened the Akoesticum, a national training centre for performing arts, in Ede:



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And he visited the Memorial Centre Westerbork and read names of deported and murdered Jews, Sinti and Roma during World War II. With this he joined the volunteers who are reading the 102,000 names since Thursday.



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[Marengo]

Apparently the reading of the names & ages of the Dutch victims of the holocaust will take 6 days. It will be done at January 27th, when the king will be present at the 70th anniversery of the closure of Auschwitz concentration camp. 700 people will be /have been reading the names.

102000 Namen Lezen

[royalfanvivian]

King Willem-Alexander reads names of war victims

King Willem-Alexander and his predecessors

King Willem-Alexander in mourning ceremony in Saudi Arabia

King Willem-Alexander opens Akoesticum

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King Willem-Alexander received the ambassadors of Iceland, Angola and Zimbabwe at Palace Noordeinde today, January 28.

Earlier today he has visited the Volunteers Academy in Amsterdam.



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[royalfanvivian]

King Willem-Alexander visits Volunteer Academy Amsterdam

[Duc_et_Pair]

The former German Bundespräsident Richard Karl Freiherr von Weiszäcker has died today. The former president held close contacts with the Orange-Nassaus. The president was best friends with Axel Freiherr von dem Bussche-Streithorst, an old friend and great-uncle of Prince Claus and one of the godparents of Prince Constantijn. He was related via the late Prince's mother Gösta von Amsberg née Freiin von dem Bussche-Haddenhausen.

That the late Bundespräsident had a special relationship with the Orange-Nassaus was proven during his State Visit to the Netherlands in 1985. In the preparations before the State Visit, the Bundespräsident expressed his wish to grant the only 17 years old Prince of Orange the Grand Cross in the Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. This was the very first foreign decoration for the young Prince of Orange.

I think we can expect Princess Beatrix or King Willem-Alexander at the funeral. Maybe even both.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

The former German Bundespräsident Richard Karl Freiherr von Weiszäcker has died today. The former president held close contacts with the Orange-Nassaus. The president was best friends with Axel Freiherr von dem Bussche-Streithorst, an old friend and great-uncle of Prince Claus and one of the godparents of Prince Constantijn. He was related via the late Prince's mother Gösta von Amsberg née Freiin von dem Bussche-Haddenhausen.

That the late Bundespräsident had a special relationship with the Orange-Nassaus was proven during his State Visit to the Netherlands in 1985. In the preparations before the State Visit, the Bundespräsident expressed his wish to grant the only 17 years old Prince of Orange the Grand Cross in the Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. This was the very first foreign decoration for the young Prince of Orange.

I think we can expect Princess Beatrix or King Willem-Alexander at the funeral. Maybe even both.

I think it will depend if there will be an official State Funeral or not. It usually depend on the wishes of the deceased and the Family. For example for former President Johannes Rau there was an official funeral in the Dom of Berlin but for former President Karl Carstens it was very low key.
As for the State Visit it took place in May/June 1985 so Willem-Alexander had just turned 18.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Stefan

I think it will depend if there will be an official State Funeral or not. It usually depend on the wishes of the deceased and the Family. For example for former President Johannes Rau there was an official funeral in the Dom of Berlin but for former President Karl Carstens it was very low key.
As for the State Visit it took place in May/June 1985 so Willem-Alexander had just turned 18.

Yes when Von Weiszäcker visited the Netherlands in 1985, the Prince of Orange indeed has just turned 18. However, in the months beforehand, in the contacts between the Kabinet der Koningin and the Bundespräsidentialamt the wish of Von Weiszäcker became clear. The Minister of Foreign Affairs had to approve the list with Dutch and German decorations and gave his nihil obstat. At that moment the young Prince of Orange was 17 years old. By the way: that minister was Mr Hans van den Broek, the father of Princess Marilène, spouse of Prince Maurits van Oranje-Nassau, Van Vollenhoven. At the other side was Mr Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Bundesminister des Auswärtigen.

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King Willem-Alexander has made a working visit to high-tech companies and startups in the Eindhoven region today February 3, 2015:


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** ed.nl: Verrassingsbezoek van Koning Willem-Alexander aan bedrijven in Eindhoven (video) ** translation **