The Dutch Royal Family General Chat

[TLLK]

A thread to discuss the news of the Dutch Royal Family not related to their official duties.



The Dutch Royal Family: King Willem Alexander, Queen Maxima, the Princess of Orange (Catherina-Amalia), Princess Alexia and Princess Arianne meet the press for the annual summer photosession in the gardens of Huis ten Bosch Palace. Huis ten Bosch is the recently rennovated official home of the Royal Family.

Groeit prinses Ariane haar zusje Alexia voorbij? Fotosessie in de tuin van Paleis Huis ten Bosch - YouTube -Video of the photosession. (In Dutch).

[Blue Clover]

I loved that video of the Oranges! The girls are young women. Max looks great!

[TLLK]

The AAA team is going to be as tall as their mother or even taller!

[wannable]

Happy to see the other monarchies around the world open.

[PrincessOfPeace]

A magazine has come under fire after it described the 16-year-old heir to the Dutch throne as plus-size on its front cover.

Princess Amalia, the eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, is pictured alongside her mother on the most recent issue of Caras, a celebrity gossip and royal news magazine published in Spanish and Portuguese.

The photograph, one of several released this month by the Dutch royal family and not taken for the magazine, is published alongside a headline that, once translated, reads: Maximas oldest daughter proudly wears her plus-size look.


More: Spanish gossip magazine blasted for referring to Dutch Princess Catharina-Amalia, 16, as 'plus-size' | Daily Mail Online

[Macrobug67]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr......leave the kids alone.  Don?t comment on anyone?s shape, size etc.   Why cant they just say ?Stylish teen looks A-MAZING?

[TLLK]

I'm very disappointed that the Argentine tabloid press made that comment about Amalia.  <_< Apparently they don't recall what happened to CP Victoria of Sweden who developed anorexia nervosa after comments were made about her weight as a teen.

[Macrobug67]

Exactly.  Both of her parents are big people.  She is a tall, curvy young lady that is beautiful.  I understand she is a pretty good student.   Let?s wait to see who she grows up to be.  It?s hard enough being a teen without the world media being bullies. 

[Blue Clover]

I saw the cover and thought it was incredibly cruel especially for a teenager who is still discovering self and the world. How painful it must have been for her to see those words. Poor girl!

[Macrobug67]

Thing is - I don?t think she actually would fit in plus size clothing.  I doubt she is more than a size 14.  We are so warped on what most people look like and what we see in the media.  So much photoshop.  And unrealistic expectations. 

[Nightowl]

Gads, the pooooo tabloids, she is still growing and not an adult fully grown yet.....this is just evil idiots wanting to make clicks and money off this young girl......hope the family can put a stop to this even if it is a Spanish magazine.  She really takes after her mom who is so beautiful.

[wannable]

The Cara team voting for this cover and words tells a story of themselves.

[Macrobug67]

I know  :thumbsdown:  Grrrrrrr


Hey ya Wannable!  How you doing?

[TLLK]

King Willem-Alexander ends holiday in Greece after criticism ? Royal Central

King Willem-Alexander and his family have ended their holiday in Greece only hours after landing amidst a storm of criticism.

The Dutch royals travelled to Athens on a government plane to begin their autumn break on Friday but when this became known to the wider public, it led to controversy. Just last Tuesday, the Netherlands went into a partial lockdown and people were advised not to travel abroad during the autumn break. The part of Greece the royals were travelling to is currently ?code yellow? and does not require a quarantine upon return to the Netherlands.

The King issued a statement saying, ?We will end our holiday. We have seen the responses of the people to the news in the media. They are intense and they affect us. There can be no doubt about it, to get COVID-19 under control it is necessary that the guidelines are followed. The discussion about our holiday does not contribute to that.?

The Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, was reportedly aware of the King?s holiday plans. Royal Reporter Kysia Hekster told NOS, ?This is huge dent for his image as a connector. Apparently, he did not think that this was not such a good idea and what it would project. He did not assess that very well.?

[Curryong]

I would have thought W-A and Maxi would have worked  out for themselves that some people  would not be happy, actually. At least they have cut things short and now returned home. That should satisfy all who are aggrieved.

[TLLK]

The King and Queen offer a video apology to the nation. (Translation) Google ?bersetzer

Our trip to Greece has provoked strong reactions from many Dutch people. It hurts to have betrayed your trust in us.

Even though the trip was in line with the regulations, it was very unwise not to take into account the impact of the new restrictions on our society.

Our own decision to return was made with the realization that we should not have gone.

From the start of the corona crisis, we have done our best - within the limits of the corona policy - to find space and to be there as much as possible for everyone who is looking for support in uncertain times.

It is a difficult time for everyone. A time of lack, limitations and worries. From fear, anger and insecurity too. We have heard the poignant stories in many encounters, in person and digitally. We feel connected with you and with all those people who have been directly or indirectly affected.

We will continue to work with you to get the corona virus under it. So that everyone in our country can then resume normal life as soon as possible.

That is now the most important thing and we will continue to do so, to the best of our ability.

We are involved. But not infallible.

Persoonlijke boodschap van Koninklijk Paar over reis naar Griekenland - YouTube (In Dutch)

[wannable]

What a PR mess, Friday travel ban government preaching to it's people, Sunday their royal family travels, Monday back home. 

[TLLK]

I'm hoping that the public apology will be the end  of the discussion in the Netherlands regarding their travel.

[PrincessOfPeace]

Is traveling outside the country banned or was this a case of the king being held to a different or higher standard?

[Curryong]

A bit of a mess, but overblown a bit. As is usual when it was found that the family had gone to sunny Greece the media made a fuss, carried on about 'ordinary people living under uncomfortable conditions while those who can afford it but should know better, swan off' etc. All the same it was probably not the best optics when you are rulers and some of your subjects are suffering economically. It was a very good penitent statement from W-A and Maxi IMO and should stifle any further debate.

[TLLK]

Is traveling outside the country banned or was this a case of the king being held to a different or higher standard?

It's not banned but  citizens and residents are being asked to not travel outside of the country due to the rise in COVID 19 infections.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2020-10-16/dutch-king-cuts-short-vacation-in-greece-after-criticism

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander and his wife cut short a vacation to Greece on Friday after coming under criticism for travelling during the coronavirus pandemic.

"We see the reactions by people to reports in the media," Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Maxima said in a statement published by the Royal House late on Friday.

"We wish to leave no doubt that it's necessary to follow the guidelines in order to get the COVID-19 virus under control. The discussion over our vacation is not contributing to that."

Though the king's vacation in Greece did not break any of the Netherlands' lockdown rules, including new restrictions introduced this week amid one of Europe's biggest coronavirus outbreaks, the government has discouraged unnecessary travel.

"This is unwise and incomprehensible," the ANP news agency quoted lawmaker Joost Sneller of the D-66 party, one of the coalition partners in Prime Minister Mark Rutte's governing coalition, as saying of the King's vacation.

Rutte had urged the nation in an televised address on Tuesday "not to test the boundaries of the rules."

"You can go on vacation, but then go to the place where you've booked your cottage or hotel room and don't move around," the prime minister said. "If you do go abroad -- well your options are limited as there are few countries that want to have us anymore."

Willem-Alexander, who has a private villa in southern Greece, travelled by government jet, ANP reported.

The Netherlands reported nearly 8,000 new coronavirus cases on Friday, a record.

[wannable]

Quite right, it's an ''advisory'' from their government to its people.

The real problem is as I am told by a countryman friend, this was the real timeline and events
Tuesday Government advisory to the nation
Sunday the Royals travel for pleasure to Greece in a Government Aircraft
Monday morning news hits the fan, midday royals back home

Friend says if the royals had taken a limited commercial flight, perhaps things would be just a bit different, 1. Not so angry if they'd taken a commercial flight and 2. remain angry with the government advisory and the royals flouting it. No. 1 may have probably drowned the outcry.

[TLLK]

Joining the Princess of Asturias this fall at the same college that  her father the King  of the NL attended. Belgium's Duchess of Brabant is a recent graduate.

Princess Alexia to attend United World College of the Atlantic in Wales ? Royal Central

Princess Alexia of the Netherlands will follow in her father?s footsteps and is going to attend the United World College of the Atlantic in Wales after the summer. She is currently in the fourth year of the Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague, where her eldest sister the Princess of Orange and her younger sister Princess Ariane are also enrolled.

Princess Alexia will study for the International Baccalaureate ? a two-year program ? and she won?t be the only Princess there. It was recently announced that Leonor, Princess of Asturias and heir to the Spanish throne, would also be attending the same program after the summer. Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant and heir to the Belgian throne, graduated from the same program last year.

The educational years of the young Princess are considered to be private and King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima request that the media continues to respect Princess Alexia?s private life.

[Curryong]

Goodness, the UWC in Wales is becoming extremely popular with young heirs and others in European royalty. Elizabeth of Belgium and her parents must have spread the word! I know Willem-A attended also, but that was quite some time ago. It's probably an excellent chance to mix with a diverse bunch of students, experience a different curriculum and get in some more practice in English speaking and comprehension. Hopefully Alexia and Leonor will enjoy themselves there.

[TLLK]

Grandchildren of monarchs: Princess Beatrix ? Royal Central

In this series, Royal Central is taking a look at the grandchildren of monarchs around the world. In this instalment, we?re heading to The Netherlands to introduce the eight grandchildren of Princess Beatrix, the former Dutch queen.