Queen’s Day in The Netherlands
Every year at the 30th of April the Dutch Queen Beatrix is celebrating her birthday, which is in fact the birthday of her late mother queen Juliana. She visits each year another city somewhere in the Netherlands to celebrate queen‘s day with the residents of that city. This year she visited the city of Thorn and the city of Weert in the south of the Netherlands.
She always takes along her entire family including the crown prince and his wife. The Dutch Royal Family has a reputation of being relaxed, genuinely interested in people and very down to earth.
The younger royal generation amused themselves. The grandchildren are too small so they stayed at home. Prince Maurits and Prince Floris slided down a toboggan, Prince Bernhard fired a traditional rifle, Prince Constantijn tried an orange painted throne (“sits royally!!”) and Prince Willem-Alexander tried to keep the balance as a driver’s mate on the back of a car pulled by two attachment horses. The presenter shouted: “He has to maintain the balance as a driver’s mate and he is doing very well!!!”
Princess Maxima was able to express her South American temperament by drumming on white skippy balls and princess Annette was persuaded to participate in a shooting contest. “One missed and one home shot, not bad at all for a princess!!” the commentator said.
Princess Margriet, sister of the Queen, limited her share in today’s festivities to waving, because she had broken her finger (wrapped in pink cast, matching her outfit).
The Queen put on a special glove, given to her by a falconer, on which a trained hawk landed. She visibly enjoyed it and wasn’t scared for one moment!! Meanwhile Princess Marilène put little clay tablets on the right place, at least that was the intention. Princess Maxima and her husband prince Willem-Alexander scooped ice.
Queen Beatrix helped painting a large painting, especially made for her by people with an intellectual restriction. One of them kissed Beatrix spontaniously and she smiled.
Continued on the next page
Follow Technorati