Caribbean Visit of King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima & Pss of Orange, Feb/Mar 2023

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by Leopoldine

My Instagram feed has King WA and family well-received and having fun.

There was only one protester from what I gather

[iceflower]

Day 2 on Curaçao today, February 2:

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima put a lock on the Punda Love Heart on the occasion of their 21-year wedding anniversary today


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** robinutrecht.photoshelter gallery **


** gtresnews gallery ** anp gallery 1 ** anp gallery 2 ** rex gallery **


** dm article: Yellow there! Queen Máxima of the Netherlands dazzles in sunny gown as she celebrates..**

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUyKojUEAXQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFG-xJlqVWU

[An Ard Ri]

How lovely to be spending their Wedding Anniversary in such a beautiful location.

[eya]

Governor George-Wout invites King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and Princess Amalia for a dinner with 21 special Curaçaoans, on the occasion of the 21th wedding anniversary of the royal couple today. The location: Cathedral of Doornen, art project by Herman van Bergen.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1621287488214994945

[iceflower]

The visit continued on Curacao today, February 3:


** rex gallery ** anp gallery ** ppe gallery **

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyeJ_HetoOI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2hn38mHdPo

[Somebody]

Hopefully they'll enjoy their days off on the island (I recommend hiking up to the highest peak which can be seen in today's pictures - that's a lovely hike but a bit strenuous when you get close to the top ), so they are fully recharged for their final week visiting the windward islands.

[eya]

The visit of King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and Princess Amalia to Curaçao ends at the Tumba Festival on Brionplein in Willemstad tonight

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FoFF9Z1X...jpg&name=large

[Marengo]

It seems that Alexandra van Huffelen is ready to fly from Willemstad to the next island all by herself.

[Toledo]

Article by Jessica Storoschuk 4th February 2023

Queen Máxima left speechless by King Willem-Alexander’s love gesture on their anniversary.

[Prinsara]

Uh...I do hope the king is okay if he really swallowed that key.

That would be up there with the dumbest reasons for acceding, ever. (No pun intended on Max's famous statement, but hey.)

[Alisa]

That was a pretty dumb. What if it had gone down the wrong pipe. He could've caused a medical emergency on the tour!

more photos videos:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CoKuhuzo...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

The dancing family

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoMur...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Amalia- not afraid to get her pretty dress wet

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoNpz...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by Toledo

Article by Jessica Storoschuk 4th February 2023

Queen Máxima left speechless by King Willem-Alexander’s love gesture on their anniversary.

I have not seen any video of the King eating the key. Must be a story in the category urban myth.

[Duke of Marmalade]

To me, CA only rarely looks comfortable during this trip. For her start into royal events, I would have chosen something more serious and especially a shorter trip.
I can only judge from the photos, it seems like an endless holiday to me, beaches, sunglasses, outfits ... quite out of touch with what is going on in the rest of the world.
CA is mostly tagging behind her parents instead of having a kind of role during the tour, of course Maxima always absorbs the spotlight, what is not her daughters fault of course, and the lack of substance does not help.
I can't imagine all this will help with approval rates.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

To me, CA only rarely looks comfortable during this trip. For her start into royal events, I would have chosen something more serious and especially a shorter trip.
I can only judge from the photos, it seems like an endless holiday to me, beaches, sunglasses, outfits ... quite out of touch with what is going on in the rest of the world.
CA is mostly tagging behind her parents instead of having a kind of role during the tour, of course Maxima always absorbs the spotlight, what is not her daughters fault of course, and the lack of substance does not help.
I can't imagine all this will help with approval rates.

This is a very serious trip. She cannot help it that some people associate nice weather and Caribbean islands with holidays... She will be queen of these islands, so, just like her father and grandmother before her, she is making a trip to meet the governments or local leaders of each of the 6 islands and to get to know some of their highlights.

Not sure what is non-substantial about government meetings, visits to locations related to the history of slavery (a very prominent theme this year with the recent apologies by the PM of the Netherlands and the expected apologies by the king on the first of July) as well as a university class about this topic, a day on a marine ship to learn more about their role in defending the national integrity/securiry of the islands and visiting various nature conservation projects. In addition to that, on each island there is indeed also at least one cultural event, which is about showcasing their island's identity that might include food or dance.

And of course, while this might be her first multi-day trip (which is rightly made to other countries within the kingdom and includes all islands instead of skipping some of them), it's not her first royal activity by far.

[tommy100]

I think part of the problem is anyone would look uncomfortable next to Maxima who is so OTT, even royals who have been doing royal engagements for decades would look stayed and shy next to her.
I get the impression, despite how it might have been sold to the public, this was a tour for WA and Max and it just worked out that Amalia could attend. They should perhaps have made her first visit like this more specialised with specific events / activities designed just for her.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by tommy100

I think part of the problem is anyone would look uncomfortable next to Maxima who is so OTT, even royals who have been doing royal engagements for decades would look stayed and shy next to her.
I get the impression, despite how it might have been sold to the public, this was a tour for WA and Max and it just worked out that Amalia could attend. They should perhaps have made her first visit like this more specialised with specific events / activities designed just for her.

On each island they seem to have given Amalia a special role in one or two activities (releasing a turtle, baking bread, starting a sports competition) but it could have indeed been a bit more prominent.

However, it cannot be denied that especially in official meetings, it is the head of state visiting, so they get prominence.

[Toledo]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

To me, CA only rarely looks comfortable during this trip. For her start into royal events, I would have chosen something more serious and especially a shorter trip.
I can only judge from the photos, it seems like an endless holiday to me, beaches, sunglasses, outfits ... quite out of touch with what is going on in the rest of the world.
CA is mostly tagging behind her parents instead of having a kind of role during the tour, of course Maxima always absorbs the spotlight, what is not her daughters fault of course, and the lack of substance does not help.
I can't imagine all this will help with approval rates.

Queen Maxima seems to be one of those persons that is not afraid to show her joy and happiness in public, especially when meeting strangers that could feel a bit intimidated by her title or position of authority. Princess Mary of Denmark, Queen Letizia and Queen Margrethe are scaled down versions of Maxima's enthusiastic personality. And what's wrong with it anyway? Her personality is part of what sells this trip as a successful one, she enjoys every moment and every person she meets during her visit.

Amalia strikes me more of UK's QEII and Princess Charlene of Monaco's approach of hardly cracking up a smile in public photos or giving a sentiment of being distant.

But this seriousness at her age is concerning and could also be she is not shy but a bit introvert or possibly feeling alone surrounded by people who are so much older than her generation. Yet, in comparison to other crown royals like a young William, a young Frederick of today's Leonor of Spain, Amalia's seriousness it's a whole different level. Leonor is younger than Amalia and already commands the room with a smile as she enters it.

My impression looking at photos and videos of Amalia during this trip is like she is there, and she is not there too.

[Prinsara]

Amalia has been under threats of kidnapping and violence and under house arrest because of that for months, and will probably have to resume the same routine when she returns. Leonor has been having a carefree time at boarding school in Wales.

If Amalia looks serious and like she has things on her mind, she probably does.

[Toledo]

Here are some pictures of Amalia enjoying herself during the festival while Queen Maxima and King William joined the festivities.

Dancing Queen! Maxima of the Netherlands wows Aruba crowds


From their official Instagram page the map of One Kingdom, Four Countries

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn6sIhVOj_g/

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

To me, CA only rarely looks comfortable during this trip. For her start into royal events, I would have chosen something more serious and especially a shorter trip.
I can only judge from the photos, it seems like an endless holiday to me, beaches, sunglasses, outfits ... quite out of touch with what is going on in the rest of the world.
CA is mostly tagging behind her parents instead of having a kind of role during the tour, of course Maxima always absorbs the spotlight, what is not her daughters fault of course, and the lack of substance does not help.
I can't imagine all this will help with approval rates.

The governments of the various islands organised the programme AFAIK. Should the palace have intervened and asked them to show more misery and sick people as that would be better for the palace PR? That would be an extremely cynical way of doing things and I am not sure if that kind of intervention would be appreciated on the islands at all. I agree with you that some may think that royals on a beach equates a vacation, but in that case the fault is with the onlookers who fail to look beyond their own preconceptions.

Amalia is doing exactly what her father did when he visited the islands with his parents in 1987. Beatrix visited the islands on her own in 1958, when she was 20 years old. The programme was more official then, including a tiara event in Willemstad.

Over the years Amalia has visited various parts of the Netherlands, on f.e. Kings Day. She has never visited the islands before in an official capacity. The islands are as much part of the Kingdom as Frisia or Limburg is. In short: it is high time that she visited the islands. The governments of the islands must have thought the same, which is why the invitation was sent.

The trip could have been shorter but what would have been the criticism then? A rushed visit as if the islands ar not worth any more time. Or six short visit to each of the islands at the time, resulting in more flights between Europe and the Caribbean, more days off from university and thus more criticism perhaps.

I certainly hope that not each and every public event is dictated by the need for an increase in approval rates. It would be very cynical if this is the main reason behind visits for the Dutch - or for any court. This is not a presidential system where they need to be re-elected each couple of years. It will give them more freedom to focus on things that are important to society instead of on things that are good PR alone. And one hopes that a good relation between the several parts of the Kingdom is indeed a priority for the governments and for the palace.