King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Máxima wrapped up their four day working visit to Germany in Schloss Oranienbaum near Dessau in Saxony-Anhalt. Oranienbaum - Orange Tree - has a close connection to the Dutch royal family as it was build in the late seventeenth century by Princess Henriëtte Catharina, daughter of the Dutch Stadholder Frederick Hendrick, and Princess of Anhalt-Dessau. The Dutch King is a 9th generation descendant of Henriëtte.
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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands marked the 500th anniversary of the start of the Reformation by Martin Luther by visiting the 'Schlosskirche' (Palace Church) in Lutherstadt Wittenberg. According to tradition it was at the door of this All Saints Church that Martin Luther put his 95 theses opposing the Catholic Church's sale of indulgences. That was the starting point of the Church Reformation, and brought about the protestant churches.
The Netherlands were influenced by Luther, although it was John Calvin who had a stronger and lasting effect on its culture, religion, history and tradition, King Willem-Alexander said after the visit. The Dutch Royal Couple are on a four day working visit to the German states of Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.
Queen Margrethe of Denmark visited the same Church in October and presented an altar cloth she had made and designed herself. One week later the Church was visited by King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden during their State Visit to Germany.
© RB Hans Jacobs
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Three years after her voluntary abdication former Dutch Queen Beatrix is still keeping a busy schedule. Not always in the public eye, but with private visits she is keeping abreast of developments in Dutch society. She also pays special attention to the charities she is patron of, and as always the Arts in its many shapes and forms, hold her attention and interest.
King Willem-Alexander was asked Friday how his mother had made the transition from Queen to Princess. He declined to answer. "I cannot and will not speak for my mother", he said. But it was obvious she was still very active, and also on occasions represented him at home and abroad. She was also spending a lot of time with her grandchildren, he added. He thought she started her new phase in life in high spirits and the past three years have passed quickly.
Princess Beatrix recently travelled to Bratislava, in Slovakia, to open an exhibition at the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, situated on a peninsula in the Danube River, and to symbolically mark the hand over of the Dutch EU presidency to Slovakia. She met with Slovak President Andrej Kiska at the Presidential Palace. © RB Hans Jacobs
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Despite a mild concussion Queen Máxima still took part in Friday's pre-Summer photo op in the back garden of the Dutch royal family's residence Eikenhorst in Wassenaar, near The Hague. Princess Amalia showed up on crutches after she sprained her right ankle the night before.
'Part of growing up' her father King Willem-Alexander said – he was surprised by all the media attention given to her injury. He was glad in his youth the media focussed less on every scratch or cut he and his young brothers got. It was part of life the King quipped.
Máxima said she still suffered from dizziness and 'great headaches' and had to take rest. The King added it was difficult to get his wife to do just that, but promised he would see to it that she did take her rest. The Queen fell – presumably at a party – last week Friday but ignored the signs of a possible concussion and did not see a doctor till five days later.
The photo session was chaotic and got out of hand at times – and had Queen Máxima fear for the central piece of art in the garden, and the flowers in front of the terrace. Security personnel had to contain the photographers and cameramen who were vying for the best position in front of the royal family.
The King and his daughters looked on in bemusement. The scuffling and even swearing made for good entertainment he said afterwards and gave them something interesting to look at. It was worse than in Britain the British photographers remarked; they were already sour because they had missed Prince George's little excursion with his parents that morning.
As by tradition – although skipped in 2013 – the royal couple also took questions from the press, in two separate rounds, for the written media and tv and radio. Questions covered a wide range of issues, and the King and Queen also made a statement about the recent deaths of two Dutch soldiers serving with the United Nations in Mali.
Queen Máxima said all three daughters succeeded in going to the next level at school, and the King added that Princess Amalia will take up Chinese as one of her subjects in the next school year. Her parents had taken her on an introductory vacation to China last year, just ahead of their State Visit to the People's Republic. Chinese had interested the Princess of Orange, and she had now chosen it as an elective subject.
The royal couple did not give any hints about their holiday plans. But the King, who will attend the opening of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro early next month, did not exclude the possibility he would take his daughters to watch some of the sports in Brazil.
© Royalblog, Hans Jacobs
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Ten kilometers she promised and ten kilometers she delivered. Princess Margriet, 73, was the second oldest on the ice at FlevOnice, but she patiently and dilligently made her rounds around the 400 meters long track. Each round adding to her total, and each time receiving a stamp on her scorecard as proof of her achievement in the 'Holland 100'.
Each stamp translated into money for the good cause this whole event was organised for: to raise money for fundamental research into the nature and treatment of lymphoma and to raise awareness of this cancer. Princess Margriet's second son Prince Bernhard, a father of three, was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2013. After his recovery he co-founded Lymph&Co, which seeks to financially support cancer research. The 'Holland 100', which combines 10 kilometers of skating with 90 kilometers of cycling, is one way to raise money.
Princess Margriet was not the only member of the extended Royal Family to lend her support. Her husband Pieter van Vollenhoven gave moral support from the sidelines, taking pictures of his wife, children and grandchildren. Eldest son Prince Maurits with Princess Marilène and their two youngest children skated more than four kilometers, with Princess Aimée and her daughters cheering them on.
Prince Bernhard's youngest brother Prince Floris was been the most active and succesful fundraiser. With some friends he has already reached 82 percent of the set goal of 100,000 euros. “And we will reach our goal”, Floris said after completing a tough ten kilometers earlier, before getting on his bicycle for the second part of this typical Dutch duathlon.
Prince Bernhard had wanted to compete in both sports, but a knee injury kept him on the sidelines of the skating event in which his wife Princess Annette skated. Both did embark on the cycling adventure. “I will see how far I will get”, the Prince, already expressing satisfaction with the more than 360,000 euros raised for Lymph&Co.
© Royalblog Hans Jacobs
See also: Princess Margriet and her sons to skate 10 km to raise money for lymphoma research
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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima registered their daughter Princess Alexia under an assumed name in Feldkirch's Landeskrankenhaus to thwart snooping media and others from finding out about her condition and exact whereabouts. Princess Alexia was 'Alexandra Huber' for the four days she resided in the Austrian hospital the local Voralberger Nachrichten reported.
According to Dutch TV-show Shownieuws the Dutch Government Information Service (RVD) would not comment on the article on page 8 of the newspaper which also gave details about the doctors – Michael Vonmetz and Burkhard Simma – who operated on the ten year old Princess and looked after her after her surgery.
Alexia (pictured with green helmet) last week Saturday made an ugly fall while skiing in the nearby ski resort of Lech am Arlberg where the Dutch Royal Family had been vacationing for several days. She was flown by helicopter to the hospital in Feldkirch, accompanied by her mother Queen Máxima and followed in by the King in his car. Princess Alexia was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday, and is now working on her revalidation the Court announced earlier this week.
Blauw Bloed, the Dutch TV's weekly royalty programme, said on Saturday the Royal Family were back in Lech this weekend. They were spotted in town by a Dutch journalist.
© RB Hans Jacobs: Sources: VN, EO Blauw Bloed, SBS Shownieuws
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Members of the extended Dutch Royal Family are showing their athletic prowess in the second edition of the 'Holland 100'. It is a charity event to raise money for serious research into the nature and treatment of lymphoma and to raise awareness of this cancer. Participants will cycle for 90 kilometers and speed skate for 10 kilometers.
Latest: Dutch Royals skate en cycle in fundraiser
The 'Holland 100' is organised by Lymph&Co, an organisation co-founded by Prince Bernhard, who suffered from lymphoma. Many members of his family take part, including his mother Princess Margriet of the Netherlands. “I am Bernhard's mother and I support this wholeheartedly. I will skate at least 10 km. Just as last year !! And you can donate money for each additional kilometer”, she said while already raising 3000 euros.
Prince Bernhard's youngest brother Prince Floris has been the most active and succesful fundraiser. With some friends he has already reached 82 percent of the set goal of 100,000 euros. “Impressive fundraising. Really amazing!!", Bernhard said of his brother's efforts. Other members who are involved are Bernhard's wife Princess Annette and his elder brother Prince Maurits.
© RB Hans Jacobs; Photos by © RB Hans Jacobs
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Dutch Princess Alexia on Tuesday was discharged from the regional hospital in Feldkirch, Austria. "With her parents she left the hospital. She's doing well. The princess will now continue to work on her rehabilitation. She will walk on crutches for the coming period", the Government Information Service announced at the beginning of the evening.
On behalf of King Willem-Alexander a simiular message was posted on the Facebook page of the Royal Family:
"Princess Alexia was today discharged from hospital. She is doing well. She will now have to work hard on her rehabilitation and will for the time being walk with the aid of crutches. Thanks for all the wishes for a speedy recovery." - WA
For Princess Alexia, who broke her right upper leg while skiing in Austria Saturday, it is important that the fracture heals properly. Afterwards she will have to learn to walk again. King's Day (27 April) is the first and only time she is expected to take part in a public event. That's relatively fast. Time will tell whether she will make an appearance - if only on a stand.
© RB Hans Jacobs
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Dutch Princess Alexia, 10, is still in hospital in Austria. She was taken to the Landeskrankenhaus in Feldkirch on Saturday after a fall while skiing in the Funpark in Oberlech on the last day of the family winter holidays. Princess Alexia broke her upper right leg and underwent surgery right away. The surgery went well the Royal House said Saturday.
LATEST: Dutch King: Alexia is doing well, Princess leaves hospital
* Princess Alexia in Lech (green helmet), with views of Feldkirch.
Queen Máxima accompanied her daughter in the helicopter to the hospital, while King Willem-Alexander followed by car. From Lech am Voralberg to Feldkirch is 60 kilometres. Although the Government Information Service (RVD) will not disclose who is staying with Alexia, it is generally assumed Queen Máxima stayed behind to support her. The princess had to start school again Monday, as did her siblings Amalia and Ariane.
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Dutch Princess Alexia, the ten year old second daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, broke her right leg on the last day of the family's skiing holiday in Austria, Saturday. She was taken by helicopter from Lech am Arlberg to a near by hospital, where the young princess succesfully underwent surgery. According to the Dutch Government Information Service Princess Alexia will likely remain in hospital for a couple of days.
The Dutch royals started their annual winter holiday last week and happily posed for pictures on Monday. Austrian observers remarked how well the three Princesses Amalia, Alexia and Ariane were skiing, Austrian newspaper Wiener Zeitung wrote Saturday evening in its on line edition. According to Austrian media reports the Princess was injured while visiting the Funpark; Austrian police said no third parties were involved in the incident.
Austrian media immediately linked the accident to the tragedy which befell the Dutch royal family in 2012, when the present King's brother Prince Friso was swept off his skis by an avalanche, and 18 months later eventually succumbed to the injuries he suffered.
Princess Alexia earlier this week in Lech:
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