Queen Beatrix, Current Events 3 (June 2006 - May 2007) - Page 5

Henri M. · #81 08-24-2006, 05:21 PM

Today The Queen attended one of the ceremonies held today in the framework of Naturalization Day (a day to welcome immigrants who have obtained the Netherlands citizenship).

On TV it was touching to see with how much reverence The Queen was met by her newest subjects.

Source pictures: ANP. Bucketed via my webspace.

Henri M. · #82 08-24-2006, 05:28 PM

In the evening Her Majesty attended an opera in the city of Utrecht.
A most special opera: L'Ipermestra (written 1658) by Francesco Cavalli (1602-1676).

Since the first performance in 1658 it has never been perfomerd again in the whole world. Today was the new premier of this old opera and Queen Beatrix, her radiant self as always, did attend.

I'm not sure, but I had the idea the Honourable Justice and mrs Hishashi Owada were in the Queen's presence. On the picture you see a Japanese lady, I think it is a lady-in-waiting from the Imperial Court. I have no idea of the Crown Prince and -Princess of Japan were there as well. We need to await more pics.

**Marengo** · #83 08-24-2006, 05:39 PM

Thanks Henri. It was touching indeed, they were all so pride that the Queen talked to them and I saw a gentleman kissing Her Majesty´s hand :)

I wonder if the pearl necklace is new, I can not recall the small diamond lock it has in the front.

--

Good to see that the RF is spending some time with their Japanese guests (didn´t the two crownprincely families visit Apenheul together today?) :)

Henri M. · #84 08-24-2006, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by princess olga

but...quick question, and this may be conjecturing so not sure our Mods would approve of my asking, but what about the rumors in the Netherlands that she will abdicate probably in four years? What with the Paleis op de Dam being renovated, and finished slated for 2008?

I think the renovation of the Royal Palace Amsterdam must only be seen as a necessary modernization. It mainly is renewal of technical installations, the addition of a fifth service-elevator, the modernization of suites for guests, the modernization of kitchens, etc. And they are seeing if they can clean the exterior of the grey, sombre palace so that it is back in its original yellow Bentheimer stone.

I don't think it is done with a certain purpose, like an abdication of the Queen and the investiture of the new King. After all: Prince Willem-Alexander suddenly can become King tomorrow.

Pic: part of the Royal Palace Amsterdam with a pergola leading to the New Church. The same venues of an Investiture ceremony for the new King.
You see lighter and darker parts of the old walls. The Bentheimer stone uses to be dark-yellow of colour. Experts are looking for the best way to regain the original colour without using damaging or un-repairable techniques.

Pic: ANP / bucketed via my own webspace

Emily · #85 08-24-2006, 05:47 PM

Marengo? Henri? Can you fill us in on the Naruhito/Masako thread if there was a visit to Apenheul?

A couple of questions: is the Queen a big fan of Opera? It seems she is of stringed instruments because she seems to attend alot of concerts -- but what about Opera? Second, have you heard anything about her resisting the abdication idea? She is such a fantastic queen I hope we continue to see her in action for a long time. Finally, does anyone have photos of the ?names escape me -- Van Loon and another woman -- named as hostesses for the Queen? I'd love to see what these two women look like.

**Marengo** · #86 08-24-2006, 06:10 PM

A dutch journalist said on the Benelux Royals MB that the two couples visited ´Apenheul´ in Apeldoorn today. It is a parc with lots and lots of monkeys and many dutch families go there (I went there myself when I was smaller). Some are even out of there cages so you can take them on your shoulder.
Anyway, the couples were there but due to the Dutch media-code no pictures will be printed in Dutch magazines or newspapers (not sure about the foreign press though).

I am not sure if HM is a big fan of opera but definately of classical music. In this she was supported by her husband who had a special fondness for this music and IMHO an excellent taste. But I recall their taste was a bit more ´heavy´then Puccini for example: Bach, Mahler etc. But of course an opera at times can be rather entertaining to.

About any abdication plans: they will bound to hang around untill she will publicely announce her succession (or when her son will succeed hger in another way). For now the main reason for speculation is her age and tradition (Wilhelmina and Juliana). The restaurations of the Castle and Palace were both needed, though for those who want to see it as a signal that her abdication is coming closer it is.
What is against a quick abdication is that the Queen seems to be very energetic still and the crownprince still has a young (and maybe uncomplete?) family. HM stated several times that she wanted her son to have a relatively quiet familylife when his children were still young, like she had herself.
It is purely speculation, but seeing how this Queen is pragmatic and sees her task almost as a job I would say she will abdicate albeit not very quickly. So in 5-10 years. But again: just speculating.

I can not provide a picture of M. van Loon-Labouchere but I am sure somebody else (Henri?) can. I have been in the van Loon house in AMsterdam btw, not ebven in the museum but in the basement which they rented to a student (who happened to be a friend of mine). Even the basement was impressive...

Emily · #87 08-24-2006, 06:23 PM

Thanks, Marengo. I appreciate the information, especially since we are huge fans of classical music ourselves. After my last post, while waiting for your wonderful answer, I took time to re-read two recent threads on QB. Having done that, here is my ponderous (!) question: did she lighten her hair while on vacation?

**Marengo** · #88 08-24-2006, 06:49 PM

Well, I am afraid the court does not issue information on HM hair, so all of us can only look at the pictures and guess.
It seems to become a shade lighter each year for several years IMO. She probably doesn´t want the ERII thing to happen to her (turning grey from black in one day).

Henri M. · #89 08-25-2006, 02:34 AM

The Dutch equivalent of the British Mistress of the Robes is the Grandmastress of the House of Her Majesty The Queen, in short: The Grandmastress.

Earlier in this thread a poster asked for a pic: this picture was made yesterday and shows Martine van Loon - Labouchere standing next to Her Majesty.

She is a scion from an old Amsterdam banking family (Labouchere) who married an immensely rich Amsterdam shipowner (Delprat), became widowed and married the Amsterdam nobleman Jonkheer Maurits Nanning van Loon, who owns a dazzling house alongside the Keizersgracht (Emperor's Canal) in Amsterdam. You can visit it. The Van Loons themselves live in the (also grand) house next to it.

The Grandmastress receives high guests in her house. It is part of her job 'to entertain' ambassadors and authorities in name of the Queen.
I saw this on the weblog of the Queen's Commissioner in Noord-Holland:

Thursday 16 March 2006.

The Grandmastress of Her Majesty The Queen, mrs. Van Loon - Labouchere and her spouse Jonkheer Van Loon give a diner for ambassadors and other distinghuised guests.

Petra and I go there. The diner is held at Museum Van Loon alongside the Keizersgracht in Amsterdam.
Nice, that you can dine in your own family-museum!

The dessert is accompanied with living music. The female singer sings 'Je't aime' by Jacques Brel. Frans Weisglas, the Chairman of the Chamber, who sits behind me and I turn ourselves around to listen to the singer. Frans says: "Only older gentlemen like this music."

Let he speak for himself!

Henri M. · #90 08-25-2006, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henri M.

In the evening Her Majesty attended an opera in the city of Utrecht. The opera: L'Ipermestra (written 1658) by Francesco Cavalli (1602-1676).

On another board I learned that the Japanese-looking lady accompanying Her Majesty was no member of the Japanese Imperial Court.

It was E.M.J. baroness Van Wassenaer - Mersmans, one of the Queen's Hofdames. The Van Wassenaers owned Duivenvoorde. Like so many Dutch aristocratic families have done, also the Van Wassenaer family placed the estate in a Foundation to preserve it for future.

JessRulz · #91 08-25-2006, 03:53 AM

Quote:

24-08-2006 The Hague Queen Beatrix attended the naturalizationceremony at the Grote Kerk in The Hague.

Quote:

24-08-2006 Utrecht Queen Beatrix attended the opening of the 25th edition of the Holland Festival Oude Muziek in the Stadsschouwburg in Utrecht.
The Festival opened with the première of the opera l’Ipermestra of Francesco Cavalli

Source: PPE

mandyy · #92 08-25-2006, 04:12 AM

Photos from Royal Images of the Queen from Aug 24th, 2006.
http://www.royalimages.nl/theme/theme.asp?themeid=670

Her_Majesty · #93 08-25-2006, 04:26 AM

Thanks for the pictures !
She looks beautiful in this one:
http://img170.imageshack.us/my.php?i...6082407vb5.jpg
Thanks for sharing them!

JohnRaven · #94 08-25-2006, 05:21 AM

Abdication? Not for a few more years I suspect. She seems to enjoy her job even more the last couple of years. Probably because now she has her sons and daughters in law to help her or at least stand by her. In her last interview she said that the loneliness of her position was the most difficult. Anyway, she will gradually hand over to Willem-Alexander and knowing HM she will not take that task lightly. I do believe that the renovations of her private estate, Drakensteijn, are in view of her eventual abdication though. As for the Royal Palace in Amsterdam? As Henri stated. It needed some technical modernisation and refurbishing and hopefully the restoration of the facade.

On the subject of HM helmet. If you ask me HM's dying her hair only very lightly for years now so her natural grey slowly becomes apparent. She has spent some weeks in the sun and that seems to help the process as well I guess. A big difference from the days she wore a dark brown dyed helmet! I think the grey softens her and looks great indeed. Less stern.

Mandrake · #95 08-25-2006, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henri M.

The Dutch equivalent of the British Mistress of the Robes is the Grandmastress of the House of Her Majesty The Queen, in short: The Grandmastress.

Earlier in this thread a poster asked for a pic: this picture was made yesterday and shows Martine van Loon - Labouchere standing next to Her Majesty.

That's not the Grandmastress.. its Tineke Lodders a very influential political figure in the Dutch Cristian Democratic Party of prime minister J.P Balkenende. Although I can't find a picture of mss van Loon I can assure you she looks more impressive than this Lodders character ever will!

HMQueenElizabethII · #96 08-26-2006, 11:18 AM

Queen Beatrix has been quite busy lately. I always feel great seeing her smile and devotion for her nation.

Henri M. · #97 08-26-2006, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandrake

That's not the Grandmastress.. its Tineke Lodders a very influential political figure in the Dutch Cristian Democratic Party of prime minister J.P Balkenende. Although I can't find a picture of mss van Loon I can assure you she looks more impressive than this Lodders character ever will!

You are right. It is surprisingly hard to find pictures of Martine Louise Amélie van Loon - Labouchere, Grootmeesteres.
On the Royal House-website there used to be a large picture of the Grootmeesteres in gala, next to one of the horsedrawn gala-berlines, part of the royal cortège on Prinsjesdag, but it is removed, I think.
On the first two it is the first lady walking on the carpet.
On the last two it is the lady behind the royals.

The last pic shows more members of the Household (recognizable due to the nassaublue ribbon with a small golden crowned 'B').
I see mr. Gilbert Monod de Froideville, Ceremoniemeester and probably a Dame du Palais (in green).
I do not recognize her and she looks eh... 'older' to be a Hofdame in the functional Household.

By the way, I have seen pictures with the Grootmeesteres wearing a diademe during gala banquets. Anyone able to find such a picture?

Pics: ANP, bucketed via my own webspace

mandyy · #98 08-27-2006, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Queen Beatrix has handed out in the Beatrix theater the researchprices at the jubileecongress Princess Beatrix foundation in Utrecht.

August 26, 2006
from PPE

Her_Majesty · #99 08-27-2006, 05:07 AM

August 26th, 2006
Queen Beatrix in Utrecht at the jubileecongress.

ANP

I really like her new hat! Looks beautiful on her!

Emily · #**100** 08-27-2006, 04:11 PM

Can anyone post some of these new photos without watermarks? I think the Queen looks great and I, also, like that style hat on her. Thanks in advance for any help.