Dutch Summer Photo Sessions (2005-2012)

[Marengo]

Today NOS broadcasted a nice report from Tavernelle, about the photoshoot but esp. about the Queens presence there. Apparently she goes to the hairdresser there and just waits in the salon with the other ladies for her turn. She also frequently visits a restaurant (the owner was interviewed) and drops by to make her own reservations. One sad remark by the owner of a gasstation: the Queen does not come that often anymore, when the Prince was still alive he would see her/them more often...

report at:

http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/beeld_...uid/index.html

select Koningin graag geziene gast in vakantieverblijf Tavernelle

[Royalsa]

Here are some photos from royalportraits:

http://www.royalportraits.nl/20060706_eng.htm

[princess olga]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Today NOS broadcasted a nice report from Tavernelle, about the photoshoot but esp. about the Queens presence there. Apparently she goes to the hairdresser there and just waits in the salon with the other ladies for her turn. She also frequently visits a restaurant (the owner was interviewed) and drops by to make her own reservations. One sad remark by the owner of a gasstation: the Queen does not come that often anymore, when the Prince was still alive he would see her/them more often...

report at:

http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/beeld_...uid/index.html

select Koningin graag geziene gast in vakantieverblijf Tavernelle

Thanks for the head's up on this report, Marengo! Tavernelle's really her home away from home, at least, it really was when Claus was still alive. Sad indeed what the local gas station owner had to say--I for one haven't reconciled the fact Claus is gone, let alone his widow--glad she still has her demanding job, and her grand kids. What in the world would she do once retired? I know she's also a professional sculptor, but all the same, I just can't see her retired, I just can't. OK, I'm veering off topic here, sorry!

(By the way, For some reason I could only get the sound, not pictures, does anyone else have that? I tried both Firefox as well as Explorer)

[carlota]

spanish hello magazine (hola), wrote an article from the photoshoot in tavernelle. unfortunately i don't have access to the article, but it starts with a quote maxima said:

Princesa Máxima: "A Amalia le encanta cantar y bailar, lo ha heredado de mí"

(translation: princess maxima: 'amalia loves singing and dancing, she has got that from me')

quite sweet... i love to hear that the future queen has a vibrant, latin side like maxima...

[regardez]

Aww. Each year I think the photoshoot improves. I love this family so much

[Juanita]

Originally Posted by mtbcm

But my favourite picture this one. Look how sweet Catharina-Amalia is caressing granny's hand, like she had hurt herself and she is consolling her with her tinny and chubby hand - Just Wonderfulllll!

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...1&d=1152205514

This is my favourite too!
It's so cute. We can see the Queen's grandchildren are growing up surround by love. :)

[Her_Majesty]

wow amazing pictures! :)
Thanks for posting them!
The Girls are so adorable!
Great to see the whole Family with Queen Beatrix!
She always looks so relaxed and happy when she`s together with her grandchildren! Great pictures! :)

[Emily]

Marvelous photos above -- and without the watermarks too -- thank you Jess and Misshelen and to all who have covered this wonderful photoshoot! Misshelen it is so lovely to see you posting again! They look like such a happy family -- very spontaneous and physically demonstrative with one another. I think Amalia has great poise in front of so many photographers. I can't imagine many children that young who would be so at ease, even with repeated exposure. I'd love to know what W-A and M have tolde her about them from the time she was little so that she is so at ease!

[Judy Kucharek]

love the picture of Amelia and Alexes. Keep them coming

[queenofcelts]

Thanks for posting pics without watermarks!

[RaniaRocks]

I made a rought translation of this article from Hola in Spanish, hope you enjoy it.

July 2006. Summer has begun to give his fruits in the royal albums. Princes Guillermo and Maxima of Holland, with its daughters, princess Amalia and Alexia, and queen Beatriz has given the exit shot to the resfreshing and spontaneous royal pictures of the season with the traditional photographic session that, now, offer every year to the Dutch press, on the condition of not being bothered during the rest of their days off.
A small mouthful of which will be the next summer vacations for the Orange family - laughter, games, diversion, leisure, chapuzones in the swimming pool... -, in the incomparable frame of its residence, Rocco dei Dragoni, in Tavernelle, to 20 kilometers of Florence (Italy).

The villa that the wealthy Vicini family gave in 1975 to queen Beatriz so that she spent the summers there with her family, in the last thirty years, has been visiting every summer by the Dutch sovereign, who enjoy during two weeks the landscapes of the Toscana. Of green hills of Chianti, of the valley of Pesa and its vineyards, of the cypresses, geraniums, yedras, azaleas and bougainvilleas that adorn this house of medieval style of 22 dormitories and 5 bathrooms, at the moment official property of the sons of the Queen- princes Guillermo Alexander, Johan Friso and Constantino.

Amalia and Alexia, "las niñas de sus ojos" "the girls of her dreams"


A corner of dream, filled with infinity of anecdotes and close moments for the royal family, to whom all the members of the Dutch Royal Family, without exception, are united intimately. Even, also, the last generation of the Orange, like the small Amalia, that spent its first summer there. The past summer, that happens to be on the birth of princess Alexia and his first weeks of life, de Princes of Orange did not want to reveal the destiny of their vacations, although everybody agree on the fact that they would enjoy some days in company of queen Beatriz in Tavernelle.


But this year they have been faithful to his traditional appointment in the Italian locality: the Heirs have flattered the press with tender and beautiful images, that constitute a small testimony of the happiness of the family, as well as have made some confidences to the journalists reunited there about Amalia and Alexia, the girls of their dreams.

The mass media did not want to fail to take advantage of the opportunity the Princes offered and pestered with questions with the pair: Which is the favorite toy of Amalia; to who does she looks like; how do they feel having to leave the children at home when they travel abroad; will the small ones also go to Australia and Nueva Zelanda? While the Queen take care of its granddaughters, the Princes answers the questions of the press.


As it has been seen first during the photographic session, in which the Heirs and queen Beatriz have not stopped to overwhelm with affections the small ones, and later they have confirmed with his own words, their top priority is their daughters. So the pair is enchanted of being able to spend more time with the children on a relaxed form. "Lately we'v been very occupied and we traveled much around the world, so what we want now is to pay more attention to Amalia and Alexia", says Maxima.


"They are like two water rats"

Amalia and Alexia, both dressed for the occasion in yellow Vichy suits, have filled of laughter, stews and "Palms, palmitas" the summer residence. Although they are still small to play together, both "are as two water rats and can be found almost always in the swimming pool". Amalia, first-born, that people says has a resemblance to the Queen, has begun to develop her own character, but when it is asked the parents to whom she looks like is no consensus: "She has an elephant memory and that is completely Orange", the Prince exclaims spontaneously. "But also she love to dance and to sing, and that's inherited from me", adds the Princess. "Although the true passion of Amalia - confesses Maxima is to play the cocinitas (little kitchen)".


The girls will not go with the Princes to the South hemisphere. As it happens with the working parents, Guillermo and Maxima try to maintain the balance between the work and the family. "Is clear that we missed them a lot when we must make long trips, like the last ones to Mongolia and Thailand, but it is necessary to do it". As far as if the Princess is happy with her new role in the United Nations, she answers without reserves: "Yes. Is clear that it means more responsibility and it is necessary to find a balance between your work and your family, but the same happens to all working women", relativizes.

Source: Hola en Español.

[princess olga]

Originally Posted by fee

Wonderfully said and I couldn't agree more.

wow I didn't expect anyone here to agree with me on this one!

Originally Posted by fee

It certainly is a fine line they are walking. [..]the minute we stop caring about royals, the monarchy would probably stop existing.

I agree very much but it has to be said that the paparazzi these days really don't seem to have any regard for boundaries, and there are some very real dangers that come with the fact they're continually overstepping these boundaries, as the tragic demise of princess Diana demonstrates: in my view the paparazzi (and therefore us, the public?) were responsible for that car accident. If that's Alexander's main concern, he definitely has a huge point.
Unfortunately there is another side to this coin indeed, as you point out very well:

Originally Posted by fee

It is too much to ask that they could live their luxurious lifestyle unbothered from the public yet funded by them and whenever their mood strikes them they show up and get all admiration.

Recently the couple's put in more work mileage, it has to be said, but in the first two years of their marriage, this princely couple certainly gave the impression they'd like to have their cake and eat it too, and Alexander's complaints at the time struck me as disingenious to the point where if I'd had the opportunity, I'd have sat him down to tell him, "dude, accept you're living in a fish bowl, stop whining and suck it up already, your fate is not so bad compared to the rest of us!"

And his claim now in Tavernelle that his most recent vacation was the first in years where he's felt not spied on thanks to this 'media code' he's installed, I'd say, what an idiot! I'd bet you Alexander's and Maxima's ample salaries combined that he could hoof it over to, say, Northern California for a paparazzi-less vacation, and no one here would either know who he is or give a fig altogether.
He could rent a little van for him and his family and schlep a bodyguard around to warn them on the odd bear or wolf if they'd choose to go camping in one of the gorgeous wilderness areas here in the Sierras for example. The paparazzi wouldn't have to know at all, let alone follow them.
Or, closer to Europe, they could easily charter a plane and go to, say, Finland for a vacation. No one there would care who he is either, and paparazzi wouldn't necessarily follow him there either, I mean, come on.

Originally Posted by fee

On a more superficial note, am I the only one who thinks that Maximas blonde mane looks too artificial? She seems again in dire need of a root touch up, maybe she should go back to a more natural colour.

I think Maxima probably takes care of her own mane during her holidays, good for her. I for one don't mind her hair, but I can also see her with a bob, and as a brunette, too for example.

[puresnow]

Wow, great pictures! Thanks for all that info!

[Cici]

What a happy family and the girls are just adorable in their dresses!

[mirjamdevriend]

If you want to see the whole interview with Máxima and Alexander have a look at: http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/artike...e_familie.html
It is of course in dutch.

[pollyemma]

thank you so much for posting that link.

I am so glad to see the whole interview is online. I had only seen snippets of it in different media outlets.

its so nice to be able to hear it all 'uncut.'

I love the part where Maxima says Amalia likes to play with her little kitchen set. that is so cute!

[Opal]

Amalia is turning into a cute little girl.

[mandyy]

Photos from Royal Press Europe
http://www.royalpress.nl/20060706.html

[johann]

Fotovantellingen has some pictures too and provides a slightly different perspective. (fotovantellingen.nl)

[johann]

It seems as if they have a soft spot for the royal dog too. (fotovantellingen)