Henri M.
Royal Highness
- Joined
- Jan 3, 2004
- Messages
- 1,896
- City
- Eindhoven / Maastricht
- Country
- Netherlands
Besides, Spain is a bigger country, so the Spanish RH is a much, much bigger insitution, which also explains why the members arn't like the Oranjes. The spanish royal house is not so much an entertainment for Spain or just a very rich and wealthy family, as much as it is a proffesional institution. Very different situations.
I don't think the size of the country has anything to do with it. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is one of Europe's smallest countries but the grand-ducal family has a more restraint attitude as their Orange-Nassau relatives in the Netherlands.
I also dare to doubt which Royal House actually is a much bigger institution. I would not be surprised to learn that the Dutch Queen has an amount of staff in her service which exceeds that of her valued Spanish colleague. Besides that, since the reforms in which the Centralistic State has minimalized for the gain of the regions, the formal political influence of the King is almost non-existant and rest purely on the formidable personality of Juan Carlos himself.
Friend and enemy, serious or gossip paper, tabloid or current affairs magazine, all do share Queen Beatrix under the most powerful persons in the Netherlands. A lady who knows how to handle the whip.
It is just the PR. The Netherlands now has four succesive female rulers in a row, and with a male intermezzo, the next female ruler is already there. This has not happened in any other monarchy and this has had an impact on the traditional stern-faced, militaristic and always solemn monarchy. It has feminized, it became the grand lady with her colourful entourage. Queen Juliana went far in closing the gap between the subjects and their Sovereign. Queen Beatrix has widened that gap again, as she is convinced that there must be a distance. But what remained is the good laugh, the cheer, the goodnatured appearance. Princess Máxima (but also Princess Laurentien) are ladies which fit exceptionally well in a monarchy which has two faces: 'do normal please' and yet also having moments of great pompa. But even when 'doing normal' the Queen is always and ever 'Her Majesty' in her looks, her appearance, her entourage. The Dutch are careful with their heritage. All the palaces, the artworks, the carriages, the jewels are subservient to the effectful and 'dignified' functioning of the kingship.
That can not be said about a Queen Paola, lipsticking her lips in public. Almost never wearing a hat and no hofdames in her slipstream. Or a Prince Laurent appearing on public duties with an ill-fitting costume and a mafioso sunglasses on his nose. Yet the Belgians are, wrongly or rightly, considered 'conservative' in comparison with the Dutch. It is just in the eye of the beholder.