King Willem-Alexander, Current Events Part 2 (October 2017- November 2020)

[Duc_et_Pair]

Yes the new minister of Health and his shoes, sorry for my confusion with the new minister of Finances. The new minister of Finances (Wopke Hoekstra) and the new minister of Health (Hugo de Jonge) are both jeune premiers from the same party (the Christian-Democrats). I still have to get used to the who-is-who.

I agree with Marengo that Noordeinde Palace (we saw the 17th C front cour for the arrival, the Putti Chambre for the signing of the Royal Decree with the appointments, the Empire-style Grand Ballroom for the investiture of the ministers, the Rococo-style Small Ballroom for the group-photo, the 19th C back cour for the second group photo) looked better than expected. All by all it was a surprisingly interesting event to watch.

I thought the King looked solemn and regal during the Investiture. He welcomed the ministers and did request the director of the Kabinet van de Koning to read the proceedings. The image was that of a man in charge and in control indeed. I liked the formality and the organization of the event.


The eternal nagging of ministers as "filling their pockets from taxpayers' money" can not be sustained.

These two gentlemen (picture) are the new minister of Justice (Ferdinand Grapperhaus) and the young new minister of Finance (Wopke Hoekstra) and both will earn lots less now, as a minister.

Mr Grapperhaus was CEO at the prestigious law firm Allen & Overy, Mr Hoekstra was Partner at McKinsey. Meaning that both have given up well-paid positions to serve in the Government. A minister earns some € 170.000,-- a year (circa US $ 200,000.--). Not too bad, but their former salaries had one zero more, to say.

Especially for the young Mr Hoekstra, still in the middle of his career, giving up his partnership in McKinsey is remarkable (and in my eyes also admirable because of commitment to the public service). Of course a successful ministership of Finance of an AAA-rated solvable country as the Netherlands will not be a too dirty spot on his curriculum vitae. Almost all former ministers of Finance ended high up in the world of haute finance or multinationals.

[iceflower]

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King Willem-Alexander made a working visit to the Defense Helicopter Command in Gilze-Rijen today, October 27:


** belga gallery 1 ** belga gallery 2 ** robinutrecht.photoshelter gallery ** ppe gallery **

[iceflower]

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King Willem-Alexander was be present at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Foundation Ideal Advertising in Amsterdam today, October 30:


** ppe gallery ** belga gallery **

[Somebody]

Idealistic would be a better translation. The foundation is known for its campaigns to encourage people to do the right thing/raise awareness around social issues. Campaigns include: let boys be boys (which resulted in quite some criticism), don't experiment with fireworks (the Dutch do their own fireworks on New Year's Eve individually or with neighbours, so no shows), you are the society (a call to contribute to society and take action if you see something bad happening).

[iceflower]

Thank you for the additional information, Somebody!


Today, October 31, King Willem-Alexander attended the national celebration '500 years Reformation' in Utrecht:


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[iceflower]

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Today, November 1, King Willem-Alexander welcomed the Ambassadors of El Salvador and Egypt, swore in the new Commissioner of the King in the province of Drenthe as well as a new member of the State Council in Den Haag:



** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** anp gallery ** anp gallery 2 ** anp gallery 3 **


And in the afternoon he opened the new Rijnstraat 8 building in Den Haag:



** belga gallery ** ppe gallery **

[iceflower]

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King Willem-Alexander was present at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Rutgers in Utrecht today, November 2.
Rutgers is an international centre of expertise on sexual and reproductive health and rights.


** belga gallery ** ppe gallery **

[royalfanvivian]

King Willem-Alexander friday, uniformed, paid a working visit to units of the Army in Bergen-Hohne in Germany.

Koning Willem-Alexander bezoekt Koninklijke Landmacht in Duitsland | De Oranjes

[iceflower]

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King Willem-Alexander was present at a festive meeting on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the municipality of Lelystad today, November 15, and visited Zuiderzeewijk:



** belga gallery ** gettyimages gallery ** ppe gallery **

[iceflower]

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Today, November 20, King Willem-Alexander received the chairman of the Lower House fraction of the VVD at Noordeinde Palace. It's been the first of a series of receptions for chairmen from the Lower House and ministers from the Rutte III cabinet:


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[iceflower]

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King Willem-Alexander made a working visit to the Beukbergen caravan centre in Zeist this morning, November 22:


** anp gallery **

[iceflower]

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King Willem-Alexander met with CDA party leader Sybrand Buma and PVV party leader Geert Wilders at Noordeinde Palace yesterday, November 22:



** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** belga gallery **

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by iceflower

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King Willem-Alexander made a working visit to the Beukbergen caravan centre in Zeist this morning, November 22:


** anp gallery **

Great to see the King having interest in the life of Roma, Sinti, Travellers and gypsies.

[Somebody]

One of the children wondered whether the king was Saint Nicholas. The King remarked that the Saint looks a little different...

[iceflower]

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Today, November 28, King Willem-Alexander made a working visit to Zr. Ms. Karel Doorman, a multi-function support ship for amphibious operations of the Dutch and German Navy. The ship had returned home after providing hurricane emergency assistance in the Caribbean.


** belga gallery **

[iceflower]

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King Willem-Alexander has sworn in a new member of the Council of State at Palace Noordeinde today, November 29:


** Pic ** belga gallery **

[iceflower]

Here's an additional gallery of his visit today:


** rd.nl gallery: Koning bezoekt politie in Woerden **

[iceflower]

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King Willem-Alexander received the Ambassadors of Nigeria and Andorra and swore in new Councilors of the Supreme Court of the Netherlands today, December 6:



** belga gallery 1 ** belga gallery 2 ** belga gallery 3 **

[iceflower]

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The Ambassadors of Guyana and Swaziland were received by King Willem-Alexander at Palace Noordeinde this morning, December 20:


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** belga gallery **

[iceflower]

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King Willem-Alexander attended the closing ceremony of the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia in Den Haag today, December 21:


** Pic ** belga gallery ** ppe gallery **