Willem-Alexander & Máxima Visit Australia & New Zealand: October 23-November 4, 2006 - Page 14

Kelly · #**261** 10-31-2006, 02:36 PM

Really nice evening gown for Maxima. It shows her pregnancy in full grace. The hat she was wearing with the white suit earlier, is that a combination of two big flowers?

Amira · #**262** 10-31-2006, 02:52 PM

absolutely gorgeous, beautiful , i love the combination of the two colours

magnik · #**263** 10-31-2006, 02:53 PM

At the moment I can say that Maxima looks very elegant and stunning during these visits. I know that we have few days to the end but she was great.

marine2109 · #**264** 10-31-2006, 03:12 PM

Princess Maxima looks very beautiful and elegant especially in the last pictures.I love her dress

ap3 · #**265** 10-31-2006, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marengo

What a difference a hat can make. I Argentina she wore this coat with a big & elegant black & white hat & she looked superb, while now she looks messy & frumpy. I wish she would do something about those thin strings of hair to.

I completely agree with you. The same coat in Argentina, but with a lovely classic, flattering hat, and her hair neatly pulled back and she looked great. Argentina (March 2006):

Here, her hair is a mess, and the hat is just silly looking, not to mention unflattering.

tete · #**266** 10-31-2006, 11:35 PM

Wellington - The heir to the Dutch throne, Prince Willem-Alexander of Orange, shocked well-wishers with an apparent snub as he and his wife Princess Maxima started an official visit to New Zealand on Tuesday.
As they left a hotel after ending a three-day private holiday in the South Island mountain lake resort of Queenstown before starting their official programme, a radio reporter asked them how they enjoyed their stay in New Zealand.
"It's none of your business - it's private," the prince replied, drawing gasps from onlookers.
"Don't come back," shouted one man as the royal pair were driven away in their chauffeured car. "I hope he gets out of bed on the right side tomorrow," said Radio New Zealand reporter Steve Wild, who noted that local taxpayers were footing the bill for the royal visit to three cities.

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/N...023140,00.html

kinda bursts ur bubble doesn't it...

Sister Morphine · #**267** 11-01-2006, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandyy

Photos from the gala from PPE
http://ppe-agency.com/show.php?zoektype=2&search=31-10-2006%20Gala

I like this dress on her. The color flatters her well, and it allows her to show off her pregancy without "showing it off". You know, you can see that she's expecting, but it's not flagrant.

Australian · #**268** 11-01-2006, 12:26 AM

[QUOTE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tete

Wellington - The heir to the Dutch throne, Prince Willem-Alexander of Orange, shocked well-wishers with an apparent snub as he and his wife Princess Maxima started an official visit to New Zealand on Tuesday.
As they left a hotel after ending a three-day private holiday in the South Island mountain lake resort of Queenstown before starting their official programme, a radio reporter asked them how they enjoyed their stay in New Zealand.
"It's none of your business - it's private," the prince replied, drawing gasps from onlookers.
"Don't come back," shouted one man as the royal pair were driven away in their chauffeured car. "I hope he gets out of bed on the right side tomorrow," said Radio New Zealand reporter Steve Wild, who noted that local taxpayers were footing the bill for the royal visit to three cities.
quote

]

I'm shocked, well i guess there does come to a point when they don't want to talk and be by themselves. But still, its not private, its a state visit and when tax payers are paying for the trip, they have every right to know if they are enjoying their stay- oh well, in the princes defense, he is human, it happens to anyone.

amina1 · #**269** 11-01-2006, 12:32 AM

Same here,
maybe he had a long day or he's short tempered

princess olga · #**270** 11-01-2006, 01:46 AM

[quote=Australian]

Quote:

]

I'm shocked, well i guess there does come to a point when they don't want to talk and be by themselves. But still, its not private, its a state visit and when tax payers are paying for the trip, they have every right to know if they are enjoying their stay- oh well, in the princes defense, he is human, it happens to anyone.

Couldn't agree more with your entire post, Australian.

On the one hand, I can completely sympathize with Willem Alexander: those pesky reporters don't want to give an inch of space. And he's only human, that is very true.

On the other hand though, he needs to start realizing that,

1) he <is> on a trip representing the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and these kinds of reactions don't reflect well if you consider the goal of this trip: promoting the Netherlands overseas.
2)He needs to also start being less unpredictable when it comes to handling the press: now he's all smiles and cooperative: at another moment he's snappy, short and unfriendly.
3)He needs to take a page from his mother. Let's admit it, this kind of reaction wouldn't have happened to <her>, the ultra-professional.
4) True, he was enjoying a private few days, granted. BUT, first of all, the local bystanders didn't necessarily realize this.
5)Also, I have worked for a couple of multinationals and traveled a lot <for> work, on the employer's dime. But on NO occasion was it ok for me to, after a gruelling business trip that would take me to many countries in as many days, on no occasion was it allowed to glue a vacation onto that trip <AT THE EXPENSE OF THE EMPLOYER>. Alexander is doing that, though: he is enjoying these three private vacation days on the dime of the Netherlands, his de facto employer. Where in the corporate, or otherwise NORMAL working world do we workers have this privilege? And if he thinks this is normal, to get a vacation paid for by the Dutch tax payer, then he should ALSO have the courtesy to AT LEAST be courtous to his hosts there, the local New Zealanders, some of whom were waiting outside of this hotel and were exposed to his snappyness, to the point where they shouted at his departing car: "Please don't come back". Well, is this what Alex had in mind to achieve when he went on this trip to strenghten relationships overseas? Didn't think so either.

And sure, I don't begrudge the P of Orange his privacy & not bothered by accompanied reporters: but at home, at the Horsten, you can't be snappy to locals while on a trip paid for by the Netherlands TO PROMOTE the Netherlands. That is just unprofessional and while I totally understand it from a human perspective, it is not acceptable I think in the context of what he is trying to achieve with this trip.

I guess I should have known better: I aplauded this prince all along the way of this trip, giving him the benefit of some doubts I still have about him because of his attitude sometimes.

And this proves to me he's not ready for the throne, after all.

Sure, what he did may be human, but again, folks, this wouldn't have happened to Beatrix. This wouldn't have happened to Elizabeth of England. This wouldn't have come out of the mouth of Harald of Norway. Or King Juan Carlos and Sophia.

All professional monarchs who, when on duty, understand what that means. Your on a trip promoting your country? You are on duty 24/7, so that means, no snappy remarks at people. If this is so hard for you, Alex, then you are either not ready for the throne or you may well never be ready. This is one of those instances that tell me his mother would be wise staying on for quite some time to come. I'm disappointed, folks. Very disappointed. But not surprised.

popy · #**271** 11-01-2006, 01:47 AM

You are absolutly right Australian!!!

tenngirl · #**272** 11-01-2006, 01:49 AM

I didn't realize they had had three days of vacation. I mean, come on, how much pressure could he have been under?

Is it true that they took a helicopter ride on this vacation? Or was this over to New Zealand? I was just wondering since the Princess was not able to fly earlier, it just seemed weird.

Personally, it makes you lose some respect, why couldn't they pay for their own vacation? You know the Royal House has way more money than most of the people in those towns.

I am wondering what the point of this trip is, anyway. Did the press finally get interested? I was on another board and the first couple of days was very quiet press wise. Has the money spent on them there brought in money for Australia or the Netherlands?

Just curious!

princess olga · #**273** 11-01-2006, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tenngirl

I didn't realize they had had three days of vacation. I mean, come on, how much pressure could he have been under?

Personally, it makes you lose some respect, why couldn't they pay for their own vacation? You know the Royal House has way more money than most of the people in those towns.

..

Clearly you don't know the Oranje family, do you?

Couldn't agree more with your post. This attitude is par for the course for these people, which is what has been annoying me most over the years about this particular RF. Sure, they have more than enough money to pay for lavish vacations themselves, but why would they if the Dutch tax payer is weirdly lenient to this particular privileged family and its antics.

This kind of thing, glueing a little private vacation on the dime of whoever is paying for this official trip, is par for the course, and considered normal for the Orange clan, but it's not like they disclose this and advertise that they do this, either. They just do it and the tax payer gets to pick up the check. This is one of my biggest peeves with the Oranges, not so much THAT they do this but more their attitude towards this, as if they have every right and god forbid if a local reporter waits at the hotel and asks how they are doing!

Don't get me wrong, I am Queen Beatrix biggest fan, I think she is fantastic, and I don't begrudge these people these paid-for-by-the-long-suffering-Dutch-taxpayer, but in return, I would at least expect some friendly humbleness, or humble friendlyness, and with Alexander, you just, as this proves unfortunately once again, you just never know. There's arrogance to this that really annoys me and for all her friendlyness, Maxima endorses and condones this just as much. This kind of arrogance wouldn't go far in a lot of democracies and I'm hoping the Dutch will wake up and smell the coffee on this too.

Again, it's not so much that they <take> these vacations (though one could call it borderline unethical), but it's their attitude on top of it all that is really unprofessional and arrogant. This is what I always smelled about this particular crown prince, I gave the guy the benefit of the doubt for this trip because he's working hard for once, but needless to say, to no avail. I'm afraid he won't learn and he isn't really winning any fans this way. AND he's completely missing the point of what this trip is about: promoting his country overseas. Great promoter, this unpredictable prince. Not.

oskana · #**274** 11-01-2006, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by princess olga

Clearly you don't know the Oranje family, do you?

Couldn't agree more with your post. This attitude is par for the course for these people, which is what has been annoying me most over the years about this particular RF. Sure, they have more than enough money to pay for lavish vacations themselves, but why would they if the Dutch tax payer is weirdly lenient to this particular privileged family and its antics.

This kind of thing, glueing a little private vacation on the dime of whoever is paying for this official trip, is par for the course, and considered normal for the Orange clan, but it's not like they disclose this and advertise that they do this, either. They just do it and the tax payer gets to pick up the check. This is one of my biggest peeves with the Oranges, not so much THAT they do this but more their attitude towards this, as if they have every right and god forbid if a local reporter waits at the hotel and asks how they are doing!

Don't get me wrong, I am Queen Beatrix biggest fan, I think she is fantastic, and I don't begrudge these people these paid-for-by-the-long-suffering-Dutch-taxpayer, but in return, I would at least expect some friendly humbleness, or humble friendlyness, and with Alexander, you just, as this proves unfortunately once again, you just never know. There's arrogance to this that really annoys me and for all her friendlyness, Maxima endorses and condones this just as much. This kind of arrogance wouldn't go far in a lot of democracies and I'm hoping the Dutch will wake up and smell the coffee on this too.

Again, it's not so much that they <take> these vacations (though one could call it borderline unethical), but it's their attitude on top of it all that is really unprofessional and arrogant. This is what I always smelled about this particular crown prince, I gave the guy the benefit of the doubt for this trip because he's working hard for once, but needless to say, to no avail. I'm afraid he won't learn and he isn't really winning any fans this way. AND he's completely missing the point of what this trip is about: promoting his country overseas. Great promoter, this unpredictable prince. Not.

i agree with you on this point and am disgusted that this happened.

Australian · #**275** 11-01-2006, 02:22 AM

it's just simple really, don't be rude to the host country who are paying for your trip.

princess olga · #**276** 11-01-2006, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oskana

i agree with you on this point and am disgusted that this happened.

well from a human standpoint we can all imagine how this might have happened: this guy has been living in a fish bowl, as the saying goes, so I can understand where he is coming from. However, there are a lot of 'howevers' in this situation. He needs to understand that for one thing, he is <not> a normal human being and if he wants to be, he can be our guest and let his brother Constantijn be the heir to the Dutch throne. AND he was technically on duty, as in: he is on a trip promoting his country. And then you can't say, when it doesn't suit you when you step out on the streets of your host country and you are in a bad mood and people ask you things, you just can't say: "piss off". If you do that, people will question your validity at what you are trying to do, to be.

On top of it he was enjoying some private little vacation in between, paid for by the unassuming Dutch tax payer. Borderline unethical, in my book.

This is the issue with Alexander, this is why for ages I have said Alexander (and his wife) wanted their cake, and made sure they ate it, too. I thought they had changed, I thought they had picked up some pace, learned some lessons. I thought the free-loader stage was behind this couple for the most part.

But now we are noticing that not only it isn't, but that they (or at least Alexander) are arrogant about it to boot.
From a professional standpoint: unacceptable. From a human perspective: he goofed, and we all do that sometimes. Hopefully this is another lesson for him, but let's not hold our breath on this one. Again, this is why I hope Beatrix will keep that throne warm for a loooong time.

jobo · #**277** 11-01-2006, 02:29 AM

Seems as though today was not plain sailing either. According to a brief report on the local news tonight their plane had to make an emergency landing today after a smoke alert in the cabin! Don't know whether that event preceded or was after their helicopter trip over Abel Tasman National Park but they may be relieved to return home to the Netherlands and a less demanding terrain!!!!

Australian · #**278** 11-01-2006, 02:33 AM

[QUOTE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by princess olga

On top of it he was enjoying some private little vacation in between, paid for by the unassuming Dutch tax payer. Borderline unethical, in my book.

quote]

I don't think the Dutch taxpayers were paying for this trip, I think the Australian and New Zealand tax payers are. I could be wrong, but the article posted about this says that local taxpayers were footing the bill.

princess olga · #**279** 11-01-2006, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jobo

Seems as though today was not plain sailing either. According to a brief report on the local news tonight their plane had to make an emergency landing today after a smoke alert in the cabin! Don't know whether that event preceded or was after their helicopter trip over Abel Tasman National Park but they may be relieved to return home to the Netherlands and a less demanding terrain!!!!

Wow, I didn't know that, thanks for the news! Keep us posted, you are more in the know than we are!

princess olga · #**280** 11-01-2006, 02:35 AM

[quote=Australian]

Quote:

I don't think the Dutch taxpayers were paying for this trip, I think the Australian and New Zealand tax payers are. I could be wrong, but the article posted about this says that local taxpayers were footing the bill.

In that case, an even more pressing reason to be nice to people on the street, who paid for the stay!! Unbelievable, this. Alexander, what were you thinking?!