State Visit from The Netherlands to Denmark: March 17-19, 2015

[dazzling]

March 17 -

The royal couple is to host a gala dinner in honor of DM King and Queen of the Netherlands at Christiansborg Palace. Royal Couple, TRH Prince Joachim and Princess Marie, HRH Princess Benedikte and HH Prince Richard and HH Princess Elisabeth participating in gallataflet.

Source: kongehuset.dk

[Marengo]

This morning King Willem-Alexander received a group of Danish journalists at the palace for a meeting.

VIDEO: BILLED-BLADET interviewer Hollands konge | Billed Bladet

Koning geïnterviewd door Deense journalisten - Royalty Online

It doesn't seem that something remarkable came out, but the king is looking forward to the visit.

What a difference in the way the Danish queen and the Dutch king receive these journalists btw.

[TLLK]

Marengo-As someone who wasn't following Margrethe's press meeting except for Henrik's unfortunate remark, what were the other differences?

[polyesco]

The complete program
Program for statsbesøg fra Nederlandene - Kongehuset

As we seen in past state visits, its Frederik and Mary more with the visiting couple
looking forward to it

[Marengo]

It seems that the return banquet is in a modern library, so that makes tiaras less likely. Nice that so many members of the RF are participating, esp. prince Richard and Pss Elisabeth who often go under the radar.

[Stefan]

Originally Posted by Marengo

It seems that the return banquet is in a modern library, so that makes tiaras less likely. Nice that so many members of the RF are participating, esp. prince Richard and Pss Elisabeth who often go under the radar.

When you go the the Press Informationsite it says that the Cultural feature will be moden dance perfiormed by ICKamsterdam

[Muhler]

Summary of article in Billed Bladet #11, 2015.
Interviewer Trine Larsen.

BB this weeks brings a very long and very interesting and frank interview with King Willem-Alexander.
I will however in this summary focus on his relation to the DRF. (The Netherlandic royal family will be referred to as NLRF).

King WA use in the interview the informal form of address, when interviewing the DRF the formal use of address is usually used.
His handshake is according to the journalist very firm indeed!
Also King WA refers to Queen Maxima as "my wife" rather than "the Queen".
He also speak a good deal about his children, not leastCrown Princess Amalia, but as I don't know how much new there will be in this, I have decided to omit that unless you want me to write about it.

Q: Queen Margrethe has said that it is a very special visit, because it is not only a state visit but also a family visit. Are you (informal/neutral plural) as close as it seems?
WA: "Absolutely! We also had the opportunity to visit Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik during my first year as King, We went for a quick trip to a couple of countries in Europe - only for a single day - but it was an experience. The Danes and the Copenhageners received us warmly (*) and the single day was very significant for the new tradition with me as Regent.
That meant that I promised to return and I'm really delighted that we can now fulfill what I promised.
The Queen has many years of experience and she is to me a shining and great example of a modern Monarch in a democratic society, that still has a role to play in regards to stability, a gathering role. And that we are related too means that I can learn from her many years as Regent and Queen of Denmark".

WA goes on to express how delighted and fortunate he is in having his mother, who might still offer council, while Frederik will not have that option. But the two countries are different and who are to say what is best. He does joke however that the NLRF seems to have started a European (including the Vatican) trend for abdications.

Just like Frederik WA has had his doubts and worries about becoming king one day but eventually he accepted his destiny.
He and Frederik will have plenty of opportunity to talk during the visit, because they are going to drive and then go by ferry to and back the island of Samsø. (That's roughly 2 X two hours back and forth).
"My wife (formal word, not sure if there is a formal word for wife in Dutch as well) and I naturally looks very much forward to coming on a state visit to Denmark, our first to a European royal house.
It's extra interesting because we are not only to visit my godmother, but she is at the same time also Regent in another country. So I come as junior-Regent and is going to meet one of the longest ruling heads of states in the world. That's exciting and an interesting concept".
WA goes on to say that he looks forward to returning to DK, which he has visited many times. But he also express how valuable it is that he by visiting DK can "see and feel" a state visit in practice (and in safe surroundings).

Q: Why even go visiting Denmark, when the two countries are so close? (**)
WA: "Yes, that's a natural question to ask but a good friendship should also be tended and nurtured and it is in that spirit the visit should be seen".

King WA also touch the recent terror attack in Copenhagen and in fact: "I was actually talking to Crown Prince Frederik while it happened, so to speak (***), we of course have each others mobile numbers and talk with each other and we can easily get in contact".

During the visit King WA and Queen Maxima are also going to have a look at the Danish healthcare system, which is comparable to the Dutch apparently but the focus here will be how to maintain a high standard like the Danish (and Dutch) while doing it for less money.

(*) The NLRF in general has and has had a very good press in DK.

(**) NL is the size of DK but has a population of 17 million in contrast to the 5.6 million living in DK.
Also, while those living in Copenhagen very much and perhaps naturally look towards Sweden, we who live in Jutland and Funen really don't care about Sweden. We look towards Germany and the Netherlands and there are quite a number of Dutch living in Jutland, both as farmers but also in many other areas.

(***) While the Royal Lifeguard was up in arms right outside Amalienborg. You may recall QMII referring to the regiment's role during the attack.

[polyesco]

thank you Muhler
Im interested in the Crown Princess Amalia part (but of course, only if you are up for it)

Nice to read the warm relationships between the two families.

"WA goes on to express how delighted and fortunate he is in having his mother, who might still offer council, while Frederik will not have that option."
This sentence was very strong for me, i dont know how to explain it but a "powerful" statement.

[Muhler]

You are welcome, Polyesco.

And here is what King WA had to say about his children in the interview.

After praising Queen Maxima and talking about what a good team the two of them are...
Q: You (formal you) that Queen Maxima is also an important team player but surely you need time for a family life and being parents to three daughters. How do you manage to make that work?
WA: "24 hours isn't enough, but that's life. We face the same challenges as any other mother and father with a busy job and a career struggle with every single day. But we put a lot of energy into the role as parents, when we can.
We make sure to have real quality time when we are together. But just like with all other children they come with the bill themselves and we are most likely certain to be punished for it later on if we haven't done well enough".

Eleven year old Amalia are now being prepared for her future role. It's natural to prepare her, says AW even though it still isn't that specific a preparation yet but both he and Queen Maxima talk very openly about all sorts of things and as children mirror themselves in their parents all three of them are aware about how things are. That includes Alexia and Ariane too who have their ears turned on at the dinner table, where the family talk about many things and in that way prepare the daughters.
They are well aware that they grow up in an environment that is different from most. But Amalie is not prepared more than the others as such, but she listens so that she knows where she is.
"But it's important for us that they during their time in school are allowed to develop as humans and live as normal as possible, so far away from the public glare as possible. It is all important to know yourself as a person, before you take on a public office. If you haven't had the chance to develop, experience yourself and make mistakes in life in a protected environment, then you become unhappy and you will not be able to, or be in a good position to perform up to your responsibility in the best possible way.
And that becomes more and more difficult. Both because the attention grows bigger and bigger and the speech with which news, photos and such like is spread increase, so that's why it's a big challenge.
That's why it's our responsibility as parents to create a safe and loving home where they can grown up as the persons they are and get to know themselves. Only then can they serve the country".

Trine Larsen is a pretty good interviewer.

It's an interesting experiment we see these years here in Europe!

Wonder which approach will be the most successful, naturally taking into the consideration of the personalities of the various children.
A) The Dutch approach to shelter the children as much as possible until they "have found themselves".
B) The Danish approach with gradually involving the children side by side with their parents and having them meet a lot of people who are glad to see them. (Think Greenland - and hopefully soon Australia).
C) The Swedish approach by bringing the child (so far) on the job from day one.
D) The Spanish approach by bringing them along from time to time but in a more passive role.
- I omit the British, because George is not yet son of the heir. And the Belgians and Norwegians because I'm honestly not that familiar with their approach.

[Lee-Z]

^^^^^ i agree it's interesting to see the different approaches of involving the children... the belgian RF have a slightly different variations with the crown princess Elisabeth already starting to participate in some official functions (and doing quite well)

[dazzling]

Escorted by 2 F-16's, does that happen on all state visits?

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by dazzling

Escorted by 2 F-16's, does that happen on all state visits?

Incoming State Visits are welcomed with fighters indeed. When outgoing, the Dutch royal family uses frigates from the Royal Netherlands Navy. The last State Visit of Queen Beatrix to a fellow European head of state was to Norway. She travelled with one of the air defence and command frigates to Oslo: http://gpdhome.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8...28efd02970c-pi

The Queen stood on deck and was picked up by Crown Prince Haakon, who escorted her to the quay.

Originally Posted by Marengo

[....]

What a difference in the way the Danish queen and the Dutch king receive these journalists btw.

The King invited the journalists around a large table in one of the salons of the palace. The Queen and the Prince Consort were -more traditionally- seated on a sofa and answering the questions. But on itself I found both the Dutch and the Danish royals accessible and friendly, not really a difference.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by dazzling

Escorted by 2 F-16's, does that happen on all state visits?

It's certainly become normal that two Danish Air Force fighters escort the plane with a foreign head of state on the last leg to Copenhagen airport.
So if King WA and Queen Maxima fly to DK they are most likely to get an escort. (The pilots needs flight hours anyway, lest someone should raise the taxpayer money argument )

[gerry]

Originally Posted by polyesco

The complete program
Program for statsbesøg fra Nederlandene - Kongehuset

As we seen in past state visits, its Frederik and Mary more with the visiting couple
looking forward to it

Of course my Danish isn't fluent but am I correct in reading that Queen Margrethe and the Prince Consort are not participating in this visit (will they be Regentparret?)

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by gerry

Of course my Danish isn't fluent but am I correct in reading that Queen Margrethe and the Prince Consort are not participating in this visit (will they be Regentparret?)

QMII and PH are in Danish officially known as Regentparret = the Regent Couple.
While M&F are officially known as Kronprinseparret = the Crown Princely Couple.

I do understand your confusion however, because QMII is both the Queen, the Regent and the Monarch. While Frederik is only Regent when QMII is abroad.

So, don't worry both QMII & PH as well as M&F will be around during the visit. But we are going to see a lot of Mary and Frederik! Eventhough they are outranked by King WA and Queen Maxima they are personal friends and M&F have in many ways taken over from the Regent Couple.

[HereditaryPrincess]

Thank you Muhler for posting King WA's interview. I didn't know that there was a large Dutch population in Jutland or that both the Netherlands and Denmark were the same size. I'm making a guess that the Netherlands is more built up (?) than Denmark, which is why it's population is much larger. I also didn't realize that the Danish and Dutch RFs were so close, that's nice to hear. I'm looking forward into this state visit (it's just a shame that Prince Henrik had to interrupt things with his "it's not fair that I'm just a Prince Consort" episode).

As Lee-Z has said, in regards to introducing young heirs/esses to their future roles, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde are starting to let Princess Elisabeth undertake official engagements. In the Norwegian RF, I think I remember CP Mette-Marit taking Princess Ingrid Alexandra to an official event once (though I can't remember what it was, so this might just be me imagining things), though she mostly goes to events where she's expected to attend such as National Day, and she has also taken part in an interview with CP Haakon.

[Roskilde]

So it's today. It sounds to be an pretty exciting program. I looks forward to especially the Samsø-visit. It will be two busy days for Willem-Alexander and Maxima and Frederik and Mary.

And once again a clear example of how much F&M has taken over for the Regent Couple. It will be F&M who accompanying our Dutch guests around for almost all events. As we see with all the state visits now.

I guess WA & M are going to stay at Fredensborg as they will drive to together with Margrethe and Henrik after the arrival.

The gala dinner tonight won't be broadcasted directly, but TV2 will send one hour broadcast later in the evening.

The weather is fortunately fine. It's always funnier with good weather.

[khxy19]

'Beginneling' Willem-Alexander bezoekt Deense peettante | NOS

The Dutch royal couple before embarking on their state visit to Denmark this morning

[Marengo]

Another photo before embarking:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CASGvgdUUAAfeM2.jpg:large

[dazzling]

Thanks for sharing the picture Marengo, it's not always we get such a picture from the start of such a visit. I hope Maxima will change, I find her outfit a bit casual for such a visit.


www.kongehuset.dk picture gallery