Queen Beatrix, Current Events 5 (November 2008 - August 2010)

[lucien]

News Summary Royalblog.nl: Queen's sorrow after Dutch plane crash

[QUEENECE29]

Queen Beatrix attended the exhibition ''200 years Prix de Rome'' at the Kunsthal in Rotterdam, 24-02-2009
Royal Press Europe - Royal Photoagency - © Albert Nieboer & Albert Philip van der Werf

[lucien]

Originally Posted by QUEENECE29

Queen Beatrix attended the exhibition ''200 years Prix de Rome'' at the Kunsthal in Rotterdam, 24-02-2009
Royal Press Europe - Royal Photoagency - © Albert Nieboer & Albert Philip van der Werf

Het Koninklijk Huis

[Marengo]

As reported in our blog:

The Dutch government refuses to say anything about a possible double nationality of Queen Beatrix. This becomes clear in a letter of minister Eberhard van der Laan (Labour) to Green-Left parliamentarian Tofik Dibi.

Dibi asked the minister if he was aware of the possibility that queen Beatrix has a double nationality. In his letter the minister replied that the queen has the Dutch nationality, not answering if she has more than just the Dutch one. Some say that queen Beatrix, as descendant of Electress Sophia of Hanover, can claim the British nationality. According to the retired professor in migration law, Jessurun d'Oliveira, it is clear that the queen, who is 942nd in line of the British succession, has the British nationality.

After right-wing parties criticized two members of the government for having a double nationality this has become a hot issue in Dutch politics. Recently also the nationality of the princess Maxima was discussed, although Argentine law prevents her from giving up the Argentinean citizenship.

[Elspeth]

Interesting. If all descendants of Electress Sophia can claim British citizenship, I wonder why Prince Philip had to go through the process of becoming a British citizen before he married Princess Elizabeth.

[Marengo]

I am not too sure about it either actually, but somehow the story that descendants of Electress Sophia can claim British citizenship has been around for a while in the Dutch press (which doesn't mean it is true).

If the story is true however, maybe the process of the naturalisation of prince Philip was more lenghty as they wanted to avoid the impression of nepotism (just a wild guess).

[Empress]

I thought that there was some act perpetrated a while back that made it nearly impossible for descendants from that point forward to just claim citizenship without having to go through naturalization? I am not sure when it was, and it might very well have been after Beatrix was born, so then it would not apply to her, but I am fairly certain that something was done about that. Elspeth, you have more insight into the machinations of the British Royal Family and Government. Can you find anything on this?

On another note, I can understand why it would be a problem for politicians to have dual citizenship, especially those that would deal with foreign relations. It would give the impression that they are not completely committed to the country that they are representing as a politician. But since the Royal Family is by law apolitical then I don't see what all the fuss is about. They clearly represent the Netherlands, and only the Netherlands. Wasn't there some discussion of this when there was a sporting event between Argentina and The Netherlands, and all thought that Maxima would have mixed loyalties, and low and behold she supported NL all the way through?

[Viv]

Interesting, thanks Marengo!

I'm just wondering what the fuss is about! Without being an expert on the Sophia Naturalization Act, I understand that descendants born before the act was repealed (1948) can claim instant British nationality should they want to, i.e. they don't need to go through the usual application procedures. Or in other words: those in line of the BRF succesion born before 1948 are still entitled to British nationality, but it was not automatically granted at the time of birth.

To the best of my knowledge this has never been debated in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, where all three monarchs have British RF ancestry and were born before the S.N.A. was repealed!

My question is never the less: Did something happen nationality-wise when the Dutch RF were in Canada during WW2?

Viv

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Viv

Interesting, thanks Marengo!

I'm just wondering what the fuss is about! Without being an expert on the Sophia Naturalization Act, I understand that descendants born before the act was repealed (1948) can claim instant British nationality should they want to, i.e. they don't need to go through the usual application procedures. Or in other words: those in line of the BRF succesion born before 1948 are still entitled to British nationality, but it was not automatically granted at the time of birth.

To the best of my knowledge this has never been debated in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, where all three monarchs have British RF ancestry and were born before the S.N.A. was repealed!

My question is never the less: Did something happen nationality-wise when the Dutch RF were in Canada during WW2?

Viv

No,none at all.The whole buzz is just too rediculous for words.
HM has no british nor any other passport except a dutch one.
And she doesn't even need that,all the world knows she is the Queen of The Netherlands.AND DUTCH!...grin..

[Marengo]

It guess this has something to do with the state of Dutch politics since the murder on Pim Fortuyn in 2002. Several populist parties entered parlament (some exited already). The main point on their agenda is usually: stricter immigration policy and stricter rules for the immigrants that are here already. When the present cabinet started to secretaries of state had double nationalities, the Moroccan and the Turkish one (next to the Dutch one obviously). The populist right wing party of Geert Wilders but also other parties asked them to renounce their citizenship and claimed that double pasports would mean mixed loyalties. Now, since the RF is often popular with the right, some genius aske these right wing parties if the suspected princess Maxima had double loyalties too, and if they thought she should give up the Argentinian citizenship (which technically she can not). Now, to continue on this matter and the green-left party asked these questions about the queen, as they probably want to use the information the next time the right parties are starting a witch haunt for politicians with double passports.

Originally Posted by Viv

Interesting, thanks Marengo!

I'm just wondering what the fuss is about! Without being an expert on the Sophia Naturalization Act, I understand that descendants born before the act was repealed (1948) can claim instant British nationality should they want to, i.e. they don't need to go through the usual application procedures. Or in other words: those in line of the BRF succesion born before 1948 are still entitled to British nationality, but it was not automatically granted at the time of birth.

To the best of my knowledge this has never been debated in Denmark, Norway and Sweden, where all three monarchs have British RF ancestry and were born before the S.N.A. was repealed!

My question is never the less: Did something happen nationality-wise when the Dutch RF were in Canada during WW2?

Viv

[lucien]

HM will open the Verkade paviljon at the Zaans Museum,wednesday march 12th.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by lucien

HM will open the Verkade paviljon at the Zaans Museum,wednesday march 12th.

PPE Agency

courtesy ppe

[lucien]

HM opened the renovated Ministry of Finance,The Hague today:

PPE Agency

courtesy ppe

[Turkish Delight]

ANP Beeldbank

[lucien]

HM is to open the "Keukenhof" wednesday march 18th.A magic place of flowers,colours and fragances.

This years theme is the 400th anniversary of the founding of New Amsterdam,present day NYC:

"USA,New Amsterdam - New York,400"

A preview to what the "Keukenhof" is about.Keukenhof meaning:kitchen court,referring to the times of
medieval Jacoba of Bavaria who ruled Holland from the castle on the Keukenhof estate.

Welkom | Keukenhof

[lucien]

HM was on a ( previously leaked by a very dumb shortsighted state secretary who apparently still doesn't know what's her place) workvisit to
a care center for the disabled,Severinus,in Veldhoven,near Eindhoven yesterday.It is usance to keep workvisits quiet untill after it took place to prevend whole crowds coming up and loosing the very reason of such a visit,being a silent low profile in depth visit and talks with all those in connection to that perticular place,so learning the ins-and outs of a certain field of work.HM is very keen on these visits with an absolute minimum of fuss,and believe me,she has done her homework before and asks the most meticulous questions leaving all flabbergasted,but also honoured by her sincere genuine interest.Just in short what a visit like this is.

Het Koninklijk Huis

[giov]

Queen Beatrix attended the opening of the 60th jubilee edition of the Keukenhof in Lisse. 18-03-2009
PPE Agency

[lucien]

Originally Posted by giov

Queen Beatrix attended the opening of the 60th jubilee edition of the Keukenhof in Lisse. 18-03-2009
PPE Agency

HM did not attend,she actually Opened the "Keukenhof".

[giov]

So, let PPE Agency know that their captions are wrong!

[Marengo]

The queen seems to be wearing the same outfit as on queensday 2008, but with a different hat.
Cstle Keukenhof in the keukenhof is a relatively new building where visitors can drink coffee etc. But the real castle where poor Jacoba of Bavaria lived was Castle Teijlingen, of which there is still this ruin in Lisse.
More about Jacoba of Bavaria and her turbulent life here.