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

Rossina · #1 10-15-2017, 06:38 AM

Welcome to King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands' Current Events, Part 2

October 15,2017

The previous thread can be found here

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Duc_et_Pair · #2 10-24-2017, 06:35 AM

On Thursday King Willem-Alexander will take the oath from the new Cabinet.

For individual ministers this ceremony is always in jacquet, something which did not happen under Queen Beatrix.
So in fact King Willem-Alexander has "upped" the dresscode.
I am curious to learn of the dresscode will be "upped" too for the oath from the whole Cabinet.

Older pictures:

The King takes the oath from the Minister of Foreign Affairs

The Cabinet in jacquet

Under Queen Beatrix there was no jacquet as dresscode

**Marengo** · #3 10-25-2017, 05:50 AM

Kajsa Ollongren, the new vice prime minister is a member of the Dutch nobility. though the family originates in Finland, in 2002 her father Alexander Ollongren asked the Counsil of Nobility to be incorporated in the Dutch nobility, with the prefix of jonkheer and jonkvrouw.

**iceflower** · #4 10-25-2017, 06:11 AM

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Today, October 25, King Willem-Alexander has received the Ambassadors of Afghanistan, Guatemala and Ghana in Den Haag:

** anp gallery **

And later he attended the jubilee symposium of the Royal Association of the Dutch Reserve Officers (KVNRO) in Soesterberg:

** ppe gallery ** belga gallery **

Duc_et_Pair · #5 10-25-2017, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marengo

Kajsa Ollongren, the new vice prime minister is a member of the Dutch nobility. though the family originates in Finland, in 2002 her father Alexander Ollongren asked the Counsil of Nobility to be incorporated in the Dutch nobility, with the prefix of jonkheer and jonkvrouw.

She personifies history and modernity: the high- and wellborn lady Karin Hildur ("Kajsa") Ollongren is married with a female spouse.

The new Vice Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior & Kingdom Relations is a very experienced lady. As deputy Mayor of the City of Amsterdam, she was assigned with the organization of the Investiture of the new King.

Before her mayoral position, Jonkvrouw Ollongren was Secretary-General of the Department of General Affairs (the Prime Minister's Department), Chair of the weekly council of Secretaries-General, as well Coordinator for the Intelligence- and Security Services, as well Chief of the Prime Minister's Cabinet. Very much a spider in the state's web.

Picture: Kajsa Ollongren (with deputy mayoral chain) and Queen Máxima

On anarchistic websites she is characterized as "Deep-State Party-Kartel Princess Ollongren"

**Marengo** · #6 10-25-2017, 10:15 AM

It will be interesting to see how this new cabinet will work out, as there are so many new names. With a majority of one seat only, it is likely that they will not finish the full term. That would also explain why they could not find at least a few prominent names.

I was never overly impressed by Ollongren as wethouder but supposedly she was a very effective Secretary General of the prime ministers office before 2012 and has a good working relationship with the prime minister.

I wonder if the decision to hire of -the supposedly fraudulent- Beatrix Ruf for the Stedelijk Museum will receive further scrutiny (see the soap-opera in the NRC of last Saturday). Ollongren was responsible for this great mistake. Note that Prince Constantijn was chairman of the supervisory board of the Stedelijk and is still a member of the board now. Some voices urged the board to take responsibility for this fiasco and resign.

Duc_et_Pair · #7 10-25-2017, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marengo

It will be interesting to see how this new cabinet will work out, as there are so many new names. With a majority of one seat only, it is likely that they will not finish the full term. That would also explain why they could not find at least a few prominent names.

I was never overly impressed by Ollongren as wethouder but supposedly she was a very effective Secretary General of the prime ministers office before 2012 and has a good working relationship with the prime minister.

I wonder if the decision to hire of -the supposedly fraudulent- Beatrix Ruf for the Stedelijk Museum will receive further scrutiny (see the soap-opera in the NRC of last Saturday). Ollongren was responsible for this great mistake. Note that Prince Constantijn was chairman of the supervisory board of the Stedelijk and is still a member of the board now. Some voices urged the board to take responsibility for this fiasco and resign.

I am not sure how much responsibility a wethouder (an alderman) bears. A whole protocol has been followed by a commission to look for candidates to become director of the Stedelijk Museum. In the end a certain Ms Beatrix Ruf was nominated for this position. The City of Amsterdam, in casu wethouder Ollongren, formalized this appointment.

It will be an interesting Cabinet, with quite a few outspoken characters. I am curious for the dresscode. To me it makes no sense to demand from individual ministers that they wear jacquet for the oath in front of the King. But a whole Cabinet then appears in daily suit, while we can see them in jacquet at other events (picture).

**An Ard Ri** · #8 10-25-2017, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eya

Busy Day for the King today!

Also receives the ladies of the Dutch team women's football at Noordeinde Palace who won the UEFAEuropean Women's Championship 2017

Belga Image

Here are some additional photos from todays audience at the Noordeinde in The Hague.

PPE Agency

**iceflower** · #9 10-25-2017, 03:14 PM

Here are two more galleries of the reception/photocall:

** robinutrecht.photoshelter gallery **

** gettyimages: King Willem-Alexander Of The Netherlands Welcomes European Football Cup Winners For Ladies At Noordeinde Palace in The Hague **

**iceflower** · #10 10-26-2017, 01:39 AM

.

On the eve of Netherlands' new cabinet swearing-in, King Willem-Alexander received Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at Palace Noordeinde again:

** belga gallery **

Duc_et_Pair · #11 10-26-2017, 05:08 AM

Wonderful to see, the new King and his first Cabinet and apparently (contrary to his mother) the King has requested the dresscode for the investiture to be set in jacquet:

The first ministers arriving at Noordeinde Palace in The Hague

Who thought that the more laissez-faire, laissez-passer attituded King Willem-Alexander would request more formality than his mother Queen Beatrix? Apparently the King has an eye for the value of the "theatre of state".

His Majesty The King waiting to greet the new ministers. The oath ceremony takes place in the Grand Ballroom of Noordeinde Palace.

Picture

Before the ceremony His Majesty The King signed the Royal Decree with the appointments of the new ministers.
Next to the King: the Prime Minister, who will counter-sign the Royal Decree (with that taking it for his ministerial responsibility)
Behind the King: the director of the Kabinet van de Koning (the King's official secretariate):

picture

I really like the neat and stylish execution of today's proceedings. Nice that the new King has set his own mark. (His grandmother Queen Juliana ended the request for the jacquet as dresscode in 1971, in an attempt to look more modern and coping with the time. She was rumoured to have said: "They all look like undertakers!" and wanted to look more business-like.

The cour at the backside of Noordeinde Palace is awaiting the King and the ministers, together forming the new Government (the two vases could have used some plants though.... (maybe taken inside as it is going to the cold months now):

Picture

After the oaths, the gentlemen switched the jacquets for business suits:

group picture in jacquet

group picture in business suit

The ministers are standing in the order of the chapters in the State Budget, which is based on the anciennity of the departments. Of course Chapter One is: "The King".

Jonkvrouw Karin Hildur "Kajsa" Ollongren, the new Minister of the Interior, is standing directly next to the Prime Minister as her department is the oldest one, so she has anciennity.

**Marengo** · #12 10-26-2017, 07:20 AM

And I see that the new minister of Healthcare, Hugo de Jonge, also changed shoes. Fortunately.

One would think that the ministery of Defence would be one of the older ministeries too. But judging from the distance of Ank Bijleveld to the king, perhaps not. I suppose it used to be the ministery of war and one for the navy back in the days.

**iceflower** · #13 10-26-2017, 08:08 AM

.

Here are more photos of the new cabinet swearing-in today:

** belga gallery 1 ** belga gallery 2 ** ppe gallery **

King Willem-Alexander today also received the Governor of St. Maarten:

** Pic ** belga gallery **

Duc_et_Pair · #14 10-26-2017, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marengo

And I see that the new minister of Healthcare, Hugo de Jonge, also changed shoes. Fortunately.

One would think that the ministery of Defence would be one of the older ministeries too. But judging from the distance of Ank Bijleveld to the king, perhaps not. I suppose it used to be the ministery of war and one for the navy back in the days.

Binnenlandse Zaken (Interior), Buitenlandse Zaken (Foreign Affairs), Justitie (Justice) and Financiën (Finances) are the four original still existing departments since the start of the Kingdom.

Defensie (Defence) indeed is a fusion of the older departments of Oorlog (War) and of Marine (Navy).

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceflower

.

[....]

King Willem-Alexander today also received the Governor of St. Maarten:

** Pic **

The King's bureau at Noordeinde Palace is beautiful. It is really in the oldest 16th C part of the palace.

Duc_et_Pair · #15 10-26-2017, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceflower

.

Here are more photos of the new cabinet swearing-in today:

** belga gallery 1 ** belga gallery 2 ** ppe gallery **

[...]

Thanks! I think the Dutch swearing-in ceremony is probably the most formal one in Europe. I am thinking about other European countries with this formality and dresscode. I like it that the King has "upped" the formality and that cameras and photographers were allowed. (Under his mother the best was a dark photo-still and an ultra-short video.

Under Beatrix

The King also allows media to cover the credentials of foreign Ambassadors, the oaths of staatsraden (members of the Council of State), of raadsheren (Lords / Ladies Justice of the Supreme Court), the procureurs-generaal and avocaten-generaal (top magistrates), of gouverneurs (Governors of the Caribbean parts), commissarissen van de Koning (provincial governors), ambassadors, members of the Rekenkamer (Auditory Chamber) etc. This never happened under Queen Beatrix.

HM The King takes the oath of his cousin HRH Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme, invested as Ambassador at the Holy See: picture.

**Marengo** · #16 10-26-2017, 09:42 AM

The installation ceremony can be viewed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsalA_1w2ho

**Somebody** · #17 10-26-2017, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

The ministers are standing in the order of the chapters in the State Budget, which is based on the anciennity of the departments. Of course Chapter One is: "The King".

Jonkvrouw Karin Hildur "Kajsa" Ollongren, the new Minister of the Interior, is standing directly next to the Prime Minister as her department is the oldest one, so she has anciennity.

Yes, they are standing in order of anciennity of department with the exception of the three vice prime ministers: they stand in order of importance (i.e., number of votes their party received): CDA, D66 and CU. So, after the prime minister the highest position is on the other side of the king, Ollongren's position (as second vice prime minister (D66)) is third, after prime minister and first (CDA) vice prime minister.

The 'program' ministers are on the outsides on the second row, again according to anciennity of their department.

Duc_et_Pair · #18 10-26-2017, 05:54 PM

Pfff... I heard the hysterica, eh... pardon, the historica Reinildis van Ditzhuyzen nagging about the too fashionable shoes of the new Minister of Finances. "As a servant of the Crown, it is not up to a minister to outshine the King, the host of the event."

Remarkably enough no word from Reinildis about the new, more formal dresscode which was fully respected by the ministers, including the new Minister of Finances. So Lady Etiquette is a bit selective here.

**Marengo** · #19 10-26-2017, 06:13 PM

If that would be the case, all women that the king meets should be dressed in black or grey business suits as well. But if you wear such atrocious shoes -two days in a row- it is not a surprise that the conversation will be about your shoes and not about the serious work that you are doing.

Anyway, at least we now know who our new minister of health care is. Many of the others are still unknown as many of the usual suspects were not selected. Save Ank Bijleveld, whom we never seem to be able to get rid of.

I feared that Noordeinde would mean we would get dreary grey and beige photos, but it looks much better than I expected. Of course nothing comes close to the magnificent Orange Hall of Huis ten Bosch, but the small ballroom was a nice background for the group photo. I hope the king will use it more often for photographs instead of the green library with its beige doors, panels and curtains.

**Somebody** · #20 10-26-2017, 07:14 PM

It is indeed the minister of Health, Welfare and Sport that wears weird shoes (and not the new minister of Finance, so apparently it doesn't help much to get known).

Hugo de Jonge is known to wear characteristic shoes all the time, so it is not just something for the last two days but his personal style and trademark. Apparently he didn't want to change that for today...

Futhermore, I would hope most people would be familiar with Zijlstra and Slob as the former leaders of their parties in parliament. And Wiebes and Dekker were state secretaries previously, so should be known by at least some as well.