Princess Máxima, Current Events 4 (April - September 2007)

[dazzling]

Máxima is most popular royal
Friday 20 April 2007

Princess Máxima is the most popular member of the Dutch royal family, with 26% of the population voting for her, a full 10 percentage points in front of queen Beatrix. Read full article here

[TLLK]

Somehow, I'm not surprised that she's the frontrunner.

[Princess Maxima]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Well, I do expect that she will attend remembrence day on May 4, the court didn' t make an announcement that she wouldn't (like they did with Queensday).

I don't think she will Het Koninklijk Huis

[pollyemma]

Originally Posted by dazzling

Máxima is most popular royal
Friday 20 April 2007

Princess Máxima is the most popular member of the Dutch royal family, with 26% of the population voting for her, a full 10 percentage points in front of queen Beatrix. Read full article here

I thought that during the celebrations of Queen Beatrix's 25 year jubilee she was ahead or at least equal to her daughter-in-law in popularity.

oh well. I am not at all surprised really.

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by The Watcher

Women in The Netherlands have the right to take 16 weeks maternity leave (6 weeks before and 10 weeks after the expected due date). Because the princess worked till 2 April, she has actually maternity leave till 23 July. But perhaps we will see her before this date.

The Princess does not fall under a 'CAO' (collective labour agreement) nor is she in the service of any employer. Under the Act Financial Statute Royal House 1972 the spouses to the present, the former and the future Sovereign receive an own dotation.

There is no any job description, there are no working hours, there is no holiday regulation or something like maternity- or sick leave. It is totally up to the persons themselves. Look at Prince Claus, Princess Juliana and Prince Bernhard who hardly appeared in public the last years but nevertheless year in and year out received the same royal dotation as if they had 50 engagements any day.



My prediction for the first appearances of the Princess:
- April 27th (birthday of HRH The Prince of Orange)
- May 4th (Remembrance and wreathlaying ceremony at Dam Square) picture

Children bringing a drawing at the birthday boy's private mansion in The Hague

A guard has fainted in front of the Prince's mansion

Aw... that does not look good

Ah... the lad is doing fine again....

The Prince only uses this mansion as a pied à terre and to accomodate guests

But in 2001 he waved from this house to the crowds, after the announcement of his engagement. His fiancée is overwhelmed of happiness.

[Kelly]

Poor guard! Did this happen recently?

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by pollyemma

I thought that during the celebrations of Queen Beatrix's 25 year jubilee she was ahead or at least equal to her daughter-in-law in popularity.

oh well. I am not at all surprised really.

The problem with the poll is: 'who is the most popular?'

And you have only one choice. Having Queen Beatrix on 2 and the Prince of Orange on 3 does not mean they are not liked. They are very popular as well.

The result only means that the Princess is even more popular than the popular Queen or the popular Prince of Orange.

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by Kelly

Poor guard! Did this happen recently?

It must have been a few years ago. Since 2003 the Prince and Princess live at Villa Eikenhorst (The Eyrie between the Oaks), see picture, at the private royal domain De Horsten (The Eyries). See the picture of the paradise-like green surroundings of their villa.

From March 30st 2001 (engagement) to February 2nd 2002 (wedding) Máxima lived in an annex on the domain of Huis ten Bosch Palace, the Queen's private residence in The Hague. See picture. You see a few annexes on the domain, for an example near the swimming pool. Máxima lived in one of these during her engagement. On this picture you see her leaving via a side-wing to the main building.

After her marriage she lived for a while at Noordeinde 66, the Prince's private mansion in the centre of The Hague, which is at the backside connected with a wing of Noordeinde Palace. Somewhere in 2003 the couple moved to their present villa.

Before her engagement with the Prince, Máxima lived in the appartments of Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien (in Brussels, Belgium). See picture. Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien have their salons and appartments on the 3rd (with the long balcony) and the 4th floor. They live there with Countess Eloise, Count Claus-Casimir, Countess Leonore and of course also their staff and security.

[Verde Esmeralda]

Wasn't it already known in 2002 that they would live in the Villa? Why did they wait until 2003? Sorry I do not remember...

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by Verde Esmeralda

Wasn't it already known in 2002 that they would live in the Villa? Why did they wait until 2003? Sorry I do not remember...

The villa was fully renovated and refurbished to the wishes of the new Princess and this took a long time.

Also security measures (a new double fence, a building for the guards, a new camera system, a new swimmingpool, etc.) were build.

[amina1]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

The villa was fully renovated and refurbished to the wishes of the new Princess and this took a long time.

Also security measures (a new double fence, a building for the guards, a new camera system, a new swimmingpool, etc.) were build.

What do you mean by 'a building for the guards' ?
thanks.

[princess olga]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

It must have been a few years ago. Since 2003 the Prince and Princess live at Villa Eikenhorst (The Eyrie between the Oaks), see picture, at the private royal domain De Horsten (The Eyries). See the picture of the paradise-like green surroundings of their villa.

From March 30st 2001 (engagement) to February 2nd 2002 (wedding) Máxima lived in an annex on the domain of Huis ten Bosch Palace, the Queen's private residence in The Hague. See picture. You see a few annexes on the domain, for an example near the swimming pool. Máxima lived in one of these during her engagement. On this picture you see her leaving via a side-wing to the main building.

After her marriage she lived for a while at Noordeinde 66, the Prince's private mansion in the centre of The Hague, which is at the backside connected with a wing of Noordeinde Palace. Somewhere in 2003 the couple moved to their present villa.

Before her engagement with the Prince, Máxima lived in the appartments of Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien (in Brussels, Belgium). See picture. Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien have their salons and appartments on the 3rd (with the long balcony) and the 4th floor. They live there with Countess Eloise, Count Claus-Casimir, Countess Leonore and of course also their staff and security.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...xx/2108798.jpg

Sorry to be off topic, but that's where Constantijn lives with the kids? I'd pictured them in one of those nineteenth century or even arte deco villas so typical of Brussels.

[Verde Esmeralda]

Thanks Henri M.

[Aurora810]

Originally Posted by amina1

What do you mean by 'a building for the guards' ?
thanks.

Well I likely should not guess at this but I do know of some high security places in America and high security residences so I would say that a building for the guards would be a seperate building on the property or adjacent to the property where the guards can monitor the security measures of the villa. The nice thing about them having a seperate building is so that the guards can come and go as needed and not disturb the family. The governor's mansion in Florida has something like this it's a little building out by the gates of the property and the guards there control access as well as monitor cameras and such. Plus they are right there if anything should happen.

[LadyK]

exactly, Aurora- I'll try to find a picture (or maybe Henri M. knows of one?), but I doubt there is a published one.

I think that the guard house is probably like the little guard houses outside the other major royal palaces.

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by amina1

What do you mean by 'a building for the guards' ?
thanks.

Members of the Royal House are protected by the Royal Marechaussee (see picture), a special military police force. The Prince of Orange, Princess Máxima and their daughters are guarded 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Their villa is surrounded by a double fence, with many cameras all around. A building is need for these guards, for the control room, for the garage to park their cars, stables for their horses (during ceremonies and for patrol in the nature on the royal domain), etc.

The Royal Marechaussee also escorts the royal cars during official events, see picture.

[amina1]

Thanks. Never knew that in details. I wondered about that when I first saw their Villa in the middle of a forest!
I wondered also why didn't they chose to live in a Palace, like other royals! but the villa looks big enough for such a small family.

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by amina1

Thanks. Never knew that in details. I wondered about that when I first saw their Villa in the middle of a forest!
I wondered also why didn't they chose to live in a Palace, like other royals! but the villa looks big enough for such a small family.

The Prince and the Princesses have an optimal privacy and family-life in a private villa, surrounded by a vast nature and with a minimum of staff.

Many royals do not live at palaces: the King and Queen of Belgium live at Belvédère, the King & Queen of Spain live at Zarzuela, the Prince of Wales & the Duchess of Cornwall live at Highgrove, the Prince & Princess of Asturias live at the Pabellon del Príncipe, etc. Big houses, but no Royal Palace.

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

The Prince and the Princesses have an optimal privacy and family-life in a private villa, surrounded by a vast nature and with a minimum of staff.

Many royals do not live at palaces: the King and Queen of Belgium live at Belvédère, the King & Queen of Spain live at Zarzuela, the Prince of Wales & the Duchess of Cornwall live at Highgrove, the Prince & Princess of Asturias live at the Pabellon del Príncipe, etc. Big houses, but no Royal Palace.

I would also think that it is easier to renovate smaller properties than large palaces.

[popy]

Thanks Henri, as always you have all the info for all of us!!