Queen Beatrix received an early birthday gift, one fit for a queen. Schiphol Amsterdam Airport presented the Dutch monarch with a new Royal Lounge. Not that she will use it much. The timing of Her Majesty is usually impeccable, as demonstrated at the official opening of the new VIP Centre at the Airport.
At precisely 4 p.m. the Queen arrived, precisely according to schedule. That is also how she likes her planes to come and go. On time. Without having to wait.
But not all the members of her vast family have the advantages of her position. The queen’s sons and nephews will be able to spend time in the Royal Lounge, from where they still have a long walk to the gates for European and intercontinental flights.
"Very, very traditional", Queen Beatrix said when Schiphol’s CEO Gerlach Cerfontaine directed her to the darkblue ribbon at the entrance to the bar at the heart of the VIP Centre.
Such a modern and state of the art facility and they couldn’t think of anything better for me to do than cut a ribbon, was what the queen was trying to say. She didn’t look to happy, but the job didn’t take much time either.
Mr. Cerfontaine than took her to the Royal Lounge, a huge living room with a couple of ergonomically uncomfortable lounge sofas.
Queen Beatrix looked bemused at the family pictures on the bookshelves and splattered around the room; Schiphol’s CEO than pointed to the 5,500 mini reproductions of the national coat of arms all around the room - by way of ‘wall paper’.
The press was quickly ushered out of the room, before the usually quite outspoken queen could give any audible comments about her new surroundings. Shortly before Mr Jeroen Vester of designer Concrete had proudly demonstrated some unique and stylish features of the VIP Centre.
Such as a take from one of Holland’s first group paintings - by Dirk Barendsz in 1566 - in the bar, as not to give a lone traveller the feeling of being there alone. Or the lone chair covered with cowhide in the pressroom, where the green carpet and sky blue ceiling - with planes and seagulls - have to create the idea of a natural landschape. And since it is Holland: complete with cows…
© RB; Photos by © Royal Press Europe, Albert Nieboer
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