New kings on the block

There's always one friend who will never quite let you get away with anything.  If you get a new car, they get one a few months later.  If you move, they find themselves upping sticks not long afterwards.  You become king of your country following the abdication of a long serving monarch, they grab a crown of their own a few months later.  We got to see the newest crowned heads in Europe together for the first time today - and let's not split hairs about neither of them actually having a coronation.

 

The king and queen of the Belgians drop in for coffee with the king and queen of the Netherlands.  Luckily, they rang ahead so everyone had their best clothes on

 

Queen Maxima and Queen Mathilde made up for that with some pretty spectacular hats for their indoor chat.  The meeting marked the end of the introductory tours that both couples have been undertaking since then took over their country's monarchies earlier in the year.  Willem-Alexander and Maxima finished their getting to meet you tours of the European royal houses three weeks ago while Philippe and Mathilde completed their Joyeuses Entrees into major Belgian towns and cities a week ago. 

 

 

Leading politicians were also present at the meeting between the kings of Belgium and the Netherlands at the Noordeinde Palace on November 8th 2013

 

And with this brief meeting between old friends, it was almost as if the introductory periods of their respective monarchies came to an end.  Pretty soon, Willem-Alexander and Maxima were off to Moscow for their first major state visit since becoming monarchs and Philippe and Mathilde return home to a full agenda.  After the excitement of the handover from one era to another, the pageantry of the ceremonies and the writing of chapters in the history books, the day to day duties of being king and queen now rule once more in Belgium and the Netherlands.

 

 

The Dutch tour of Europe

The new Dutch king and queen have finished their tour of European royal courts where they've been introducing themselves as monarchs for the first time.  The tour has been dotted amongst their other engagements over the last few months and started back in June before coming to an end on October 14th 2013.  They kept things simple at every turn with a spot of lunch with the royals before an afternoon chat with leading politicians.  Here's a look back at how the new Dutch monarchs said hello to some familiar faces.

 

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands on their first introductory tour - Luxembourg.  They met the Grand Duke, Henri, and the Grand Duchess, Maria Teresa, on May 24th 2013 at the Grand Ducal Palace. 

 

 

The next stop was Denmark on June 25th 2013 where they had lunch with Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik at the Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen

 

The visit to the UK was slightly shorter with a meeting with Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle on July 10th 2013

 

 

The first visit after the summer break was to Spain on September 18th 2013 where the royal couple had lunch with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid

 

 

King Harald and Queen Sonja welcomed Willem-Alexander and Maxima to the Royal Palace in Oslo on October 2nd 2013

 

 

The last stop on their tour was Sweden where they spent the day on October 14th 2013, starting with lunch with King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia at the Royal Palace in Stockholm

 

Earlier in the summer, the Dutch Royal House said it would announce a visit to Belgium after the long holiday.  But with their fellow new king and queen on the block in the middle of their Joyeuses Entrees around their own country, it might be some time before these good neighbours and friends get to say hello to one another officially for the first time since their respective successions.

Princess Beatrix and the kindness of strangers

Two weeks after losing her second son, the former queen of the Netherlands is resuming her public life. Her official duties for this week include an appearance at a concert in central Amsterdam on August 28th.  But she was seen in public for the first time since the death of Prince Friso at another musical event where she accompanied her third son, Constantijn, and his wife, Laurentien, who were scheduled to attend.

 

Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands appeared in public for the first time since the death of her so, Friso, at a concert in the Portuguese synagogue in Amsterdam

Princess Beatrix was with the couple at a concert at the Portuguese synagogue in Amsterdam given by the International Mahler Orchestra at an event organized by the European Cultural Foundation. 

 

The princess wore mourning for her first public appearance since losing her second son

After the loss of a loved one sometimes the hardest thing to cope with is the sympathy of others who want to help share the sadness but whose comforting words bring back the tears so hard to keep away in those moments.  Princess Beatrix smiled gently through her whole public appearance and Constantijn and Laurentien were never far from her side as she negotiated the kindness of strangers for the first time since losing her son.

 

Prince Johan Friso of Orange-Nassau died on August 12th 2013, eighteen months after suffering brain damage in a skiing accident in Lech in Austria

The Dutch royal household has just announced some more public engagements over the coming month for the former queen as she comes to terms with life without her son.  And no doubt as time moves on, the condolences of her fellow citizens will help the princess as she grieves.