April 2009 Archives
Queen’s Day tragedy & reactions
The annual Dutch celebration Queen’s Day ended in tragedy when a man drove into a crowd, killing at least five people and injuring others. The royal family was apparently the target of the attack but they were unharmed. Visit the Royal News page for more information and updates.
An official message from the official Dutch monarchy website (see below for translation):
Koninginnedag afgelast
Naar aanleiding van de verschrikkeijke gebeurtenis in Apeldoorn zijn de verdere activiteiten in het kader van Koninginnedag afgelast.
Hare Majesteit de Koningin deelt, mede namens de andere leden van de Koninklijke Familie, mee zeer geschokt te zijn door de gebeurtenissen en leeft intens mee met de slachtoffers en hun verwanten.
I don’t speak Dutch but I believe this message can be translated roughly as followed:
As a result of the tragic event in Apeldoorn, further Queen’s Day events have been cancelled. Her Majesty the Queen communicates on behalf of the other members of the royal family that they are very shocked by the events and sympathize intensely with the victims and their relatives.
I received email from D.P. Tick in the Netherlands, who writes:
The flags in Holland are now flying half-mast. The people hope that the open character of the Queensday can be preserved. The Queen made a very respectful appearance when she spoke to her people about the attack… Yes,that is the only direct positive effect of this attack: The people will more love or at least respect our royal family now.
Also: We must be awake, that we live in a very strange world. We always thought that such things are not possible in Holland, but now we know better.
When the Queen talked to the nation, she moved so much heart because everybody felt that she really meant it. Yes, that is a way of handling that only some royals can do. When the Queen spoke you only could stop your thoughts and be quiet inside and listen to her words. Yes, we have a very good royal family. Very human humans!
If you would like to share your own thoughts or sympathies, please do so in the comments of this post.
Princess Mathilde at children’s hospital
Princess Mathilde of Belgium visited Saint-Luc’s children hospital at Woluwe-St-Lambert in Brussels on April 23. (Photos by Mark Renders/Getty Images)
Queen Beatrix welcomes Swedish royals
Els in the Netherlands kindly sent this translation of a news item from the Dutch Royal House:
Invited by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, the Swedish royal couple will make a state visit to the Netherlands from April 21 until April 23.
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia will visit Den Haag, Amsterdam, Leiden and the province of Groningen. The aim of the visit is the confirmation and the continuation of the good relations between both countries. The Swedish king and queen will be accompanied by an extensive business delegation.
On April 21, Queen Beatrix will welcome the King and Queen to Palace Noordeinde, where a state banquet will take place that evening. In the afternoon the Swedish royal couple will place a wreath at the Monument on the Dam. Afterward the King will attend a seminar (“Work for All; Challenges and Solutions in Times of Economic Crisis”). Queen Silvia will open an exhibition on Swedish children’s book illustrations. Later the royal couple will visit a youth work-experience program in Kudelstaart.
On April 22, the King will welcome the members of the Swedish business delegation. In the Vredespaleis he will have a meeting with the presidents of the International Tribunal, the International Criminal Court, the vice-president of the Yugoslavian Tribunal, and the secretary general of the Permanent Arbitration Tribunal. Then the King will join an round table conversation (“Competitive advantage through environmental technologies”) in the headquarters of Royal Dutch Shell.
After a meeting with the chairmen of the First and Second Chamber (Upper and Lower House) of the Staten-Generaal, the King will be welcomed by the Prime-Minister, Mr. Dr. J.P. Balkende, who will offer the royal couple a government lunch.
Queen Silvia will visit the Keukenhof and the Mauritshuis in the morning. In the afternoon King and Queen will visit the University of Leiden, where the King joins a seminar (“duurzame steden”) and the Queen a debate (“rechten van het kind”). In the evening the royal couple in return will host a concert and a dinner for Queen Beatrix.
On April 23, Queen Beatrix and the Swedish royal couple will travel to the province of Groningen. In Delfzijl at the company Groningen Seaports, the royal party wil be informed about the durable development of the harbour area and the economical significance of Scandinavia for this area. At the new company BIO MCN they will learn about the production and the implementation of bio-methanol to lessen the burden on the environment. With a visit to Groningen University, the state visit will be finished.
(Thank you to Els for this update!)
Emperor’s daughter turns 40
Emperor Akihito’s daughter, Sayako Kuroda, celebrated her 40th birthday on April 18. Known as Princess Nori before her marriage, she gave up her status as an imperial family member when she married urban planner Yoshiki Kuroda in 2005.
Morocco’s King Hassan II remembered
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI visited the grave of his father, King Hassan II, at the Mohammed V Mausoleum in Rabat, Morocco on April 5. King Hassan II died in July 1999 at the age of 70. (Photo by Balkis Press/ABACAPRESS.COM via Newscom)
