Tag: Queen Maxima

REPETITIVE EVENTS

2024 – Annual Banquet for the Diplomatic Corps in the Netherlands

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On 5th June Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima hosted this year’s banquet for the Diplomatic Corps stationed in the Netherlands. This has been an annual event for quite a few years and luckily for those who enjoy these splendid occasions the Dutch Royal Court still adhere to the elegant dress code of white-tie.

In addition to members of the Diplomatic Corps invitations had also been sent out to leaders of important Dutch companies operating internationally.

The grand Citizen’s Hall had been converted into a splendid Dining Room with long tables, beautiful decorations and floral arrangements. Their Majesties were seated opposite each other at the main table. King Willem-Alexander looked very smart in his tailcoat and white bow tie. He wore the Sash and Breast Star of the highest decoration of the Netherlands, the Military Order of William (Militaire Willems-Orde). This is one of the very few occasions that the King wears this Order as for State Banquets in connection with State Visits he wears either the incoming country’s highest decoration or the Sash and Breast Star of the Order of the Netherlands Lion. His Majesty was also seen wearing a row of miniature medals pinned to his tailcoat. The first one belongs to the Order of the Netherlands Lion and he also wore the Breast Star of this Order. Next in the row of miniatures could be seen the insignia of the Order of Orange-Nassau, then the insignias of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau, the Order of the House of Orange and the Officer Long Service Cross followed by the miniature of the Order of St. John in the Netherlands, Queen Beatrix Inauguration Medal and the Eleven Cities Cross.

Queen Máxima looked magnificent in a red evening gown which she combined with Diamond and Ruby jewels from the fabulous collection of the Dutch Royal Family:

  • Tiara from the Ruby Peacock parure
  • Necklace from the Ruby Peacock parure
  • Pending Ruby cluster earrings from the Mellerio Ruby parure
  • Bracelet from the Ruby Peacock parure
  • Ruby cluster ring

Seated to the right of His Majesty was Ambassador Sahar Ghanem, the Yemen Ambassador to the Netherlands and currently the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps stationed in the Netherlands. Like the King the Ambassador also gave a speech during the banquet.

On her Twitter account the Ambassador provided some more details on the beautiful gown she wore. It was made by the Yemeni brand Saba Soul and the embellishment was not only decorative but had in fact a deeper meaning. It was Yemeni letters and they read a part of the text of the poem “And I Came from Sheba” by the Yemeni poet, Abdul Karim Al-Afeiri.

Other guests at the banquet included Ambassadors from neighbouring Belgium and also the Nordic countries:

Ambassador Anick Van Calster (Belgium) can be seen wearing the Sash and Breast Star of the Order of Orange-Nassau just like Ambassador Jarl Frijs-Madsen who can be seen in the middle of the photo in the twitter post by the Belgian Embassy above. He also wearing the insignia of the Order of Dannebrog pinned to his lapel as a Knight 1st Class of the Order (2011). The Swedish Ambassador Johannes Oljelund can also be seen in the photo wearing the Neck-tie and Breast Star of the Order of Orange-Nassau indicating that he has been awarded the grade of Grand Officer in the Order by His Majesty.

Other guests at the banquet also posted on Twitter:

State Visit

2024 – Spanish State Visit to the Netherlands

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In only a few days King Felipe VI of Spain in the company of his wife Queen Letizia will pay a State Visit to the Netherlands. They will be welcomed by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima on 17th April. The first day of the visit will conclude with a grand State Banquet and it has already been reported that both the Princess of Orange and the former Queen of the Netherlands Princess Beatrix will attend the banquet. It will be the very first State Banquet attended by the Princess of Orange and Royal watchers are naturally very excited. The Princess has already attended a couple of tiara events but these have taken place abroad including Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway’s 18th birthday, the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Crown Prince Christian’s 18th birthday.

Although the Dutch Royal Family hosts splendid banquets for most State Visits they are not always attended by many of the members of the Royal Family apart from the King and Queen. But we are in for a treat this time around. Because not only are the King and Queen joined by the Princess of Orange and former Queen Beatrix but it has also been reported that the King’s aunt Princess Margriet are attending too. So this means that we will have at least five tiaras on display. Speculations are already running high as to what tiara will be worn by who. Luckily the Dutch Royal Family has quite a large collection to choose from.

But in addition to the tiaras and all the other glittering jewels we will also see many donning shining new Orders. From the Spanish Royal Court it has already been announced that both King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima will receive the Order of Carlos III. His Majesty will be awarded the Grand Cross with Collar while the Queen will receive the Grand Cross. Both were awarded the Order of Isabel the Catholic in connection with King Juan Carlos I’s State Visit to the Netherlands in 2001.

At the time of this announcement no mention was made to the Princess of Orange or any other awards which one would expect during a State Visit. It was only some time later that it was finally made public that the Princess of Orange will be awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabel the Catholic. It will be interesting to see how the Princess will combine the yellow colour of the Sash with her gown and jewels. With the colours of the Spanish flag being red and yellow we might see some rubies or even a red gown.

Having paid a State Visit to Spain herself and hosted King Juan Carlos I’s State Visit to the Netherlands in 2001 as well as attending King Juan Carlos’s first State Visit to the Netherlands in 1980 former Queen Beatrix has been awarded both the Order of Isabel the Catholic (1980) and the Order of the Golden Fleece (1985). It is not certain that the former Queen will wear any of them to the State Banquet though. She has already attended a few State Banquets after her abdication where she has not worn any Orders from the visiting country even though we know that she had been awarded one during her reign. Princess Beatrix has been seen wearing the red Bow of the Order of the Golden Fleece after her abdication though. When she visited Spain in 2016 to open the exhibition of Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch athe Prado Museum she was joined by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia and pinned to her dress was the insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece. So it should not come as a great surprise if we see Princess Beatrix wear the red Bow of this ancient Order to the banquet.

Both Princess Margriet and her husband Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven have also been awarded a Spanish decoration in the past. In connection with King Juan Carlos I’s first State Visit to the Netherlands back in 1980 they received the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabel the Catholic.

No announcement has been made by the Dutch Royal Court concerning any Orders awarded. But it is expected that both King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will be awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion. King Felipe VI was already awarded a lower ranked Dutch Order in connection with Queen Beatrix’s State Visit to Spain in 1985 when he received the Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau. Queen Letizia received the Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown in 2014, a few months after King Felipe VI’s accession.

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