Royal News Blog

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!)