Alexandria's Little Corner of the World

Today, a new picture of Queen Beatrix with her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife, Crown Princess Maxima with their three children, Princesses Amalia, Alexia and newborn Ariane. They were taken at Villa Eikenhorst in Wassenaar, where the Crown Princely family make their home.

Isn't little Amalia adorable snuggling up to her Grandma Trix like that? It could only be more adorable if Grandma Trix had her arm around Amalia, too! Little Alexia seems to be more somber than her big sister, though, looking a bit more serious.

And because I'm me, I only wish that Maxima had worn different shoes with that outfit. They don't even match!

Labels: Dutch, Royalty

On Wednesday morning, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander presented his newborn daughter to the public at Bronovo Hospital. During the meeting with the press, the proud new daddy said that he didn't mind in the least being the only man in a household of four women. He also said that his daughter was a "perfect" baby, having slept through the night except for one feeding.

Wednesday morning, Crown Princess Maxima left the hospital, less than 24 hours after having gone into the hospital to deliver her third baby. In (low) heels and smiling broadly to boot, the Crown Princess wave to the assembled photographers as she was leaving the hospital. At home, her eldest daughter Princess Amalia allegedly checked her mommy's belly to reassure herself that the creature in her parents arms is what had been in her mommy's belly the entire time!

Then on Friday morning, her husband went to the town hall to "register" his new daughter, where he announced her names: Ariane Wilhelmina Máxima Ines. Ariane is a name that the couple liked (and is in fitting with the theme of "A' names for their other daughters), Wilhelmina was the name of the Crown Prince's great-grandmother, Máxima for her maternal great-grandmother (and not for her mommy) and Ines for her maternal aunt. On Wednesday when the Crown Prince presented his wee daughter they already had a name for her but he would not say it, and even Amalia and Alexia didn't know their new sister's name until that morning as the Crown Prince was afraid that his daughters would "slip" with the information before it was officially publically known.

I like the name, even if it's not a particularly royal or regal name. My only "objection" to the name is that her name isn't Ariana with an "A" at the end like her sisters: Amalia and Alexia. But it is a sweet name for a sweet girl.

Labels: Dutch, Royalty

The women of the Dutch royal family were out in full force on Wednesday, March 8, in support of International Women's Day.

Queen Beatrix was in Leeuwarden at the Natuurmuseum Fryslan, celebrating the 4th anniversary of the International Polar Year 2007/2008.

Daughter-in-law Crown Princess Maxima was at the Palace Church in The Hague at the opening of the Thousand and One Force project, which encourages women from ethnic minorities to engage in volunteer work.

And daughter-in-law number two, Princess Mabel was also in The Hague, at the Hague Academy near the Peace Palace where she attended a conference on World Female Day.

(Daughter-in-law number three, Princess Laurentien wasn't around on International Women's Day, but we did see her earlier in the week, on Monday in Utrecht, where she attended the opening of the Read and Write! (Lees en Schrijf!) program, which was founded by the ETV.nl foundation, an initiative to help adults who have problems with reading and writing.

Labels: Dutch, Royalty

Today, Queen Beatrix along with two of her sons, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Prince Constantijn posed with their families during the start of their annual winter ski vacation in Lech, Austria.

Maxima looked better than she has her entire pregnancy in knee-high tan boots with a matching wrap over a ski jacket. Her daughters, Amalia and Alexia were ever so colourful in co-ordinated ski suits with striped hats. But poor Alexia had a crying fit after falling in the snow. Amalia seemed to have a good time with her cousin Eloise, poking at her cheek, but Eloise gave back as good as she got!

Cousin Eloise is the spitting image of her mom, Laurentien, who was happily entertained her son Claus-Casimir by swinging him in the air. Dad Constantijn was on crutches after having had surgery for a soccer injury.

Labels: Dutch, Royalty

Yesterday, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Orange celebrated their fifth anniversary. The couple married in a ceremony in Amsterdam, first in a civil ceremony in Beurs van Berlage, followed by a religious ceremony in Nieuwe Kerk, a 15th century church.

The date of the wedding was chosen carefully by Willem-Alexander for its numerical symbolism: 2002-02-02.

Foregoing a gown by a Dutch designer as well as a designer from her native of Argentina, the future princess chose a gown by designer Valentino and wore the diamond stars tiara.

Labels: Dutch, Royalty

Today, Countess Zaria, the youngest daughter of Prince Friso and Princess Mabel was baptised in a private ceremony at Huis Palace ten Boch. Zaria was born on June 18. She donned the Viktor & Rolf bow-infested gown that her older sister Countess Luana wore before her. (In some ways I think the baptism gown is actually worst than Mabel's wedding dress because at least the bows on the wedding gowns were real bows. The bows on the baptism gown are printed on, as in part of the fabric. Bow-patterned fabric? When will it ever end?!)

Big sister Luana looks much nicer today than she did in the pictures from the Queen's birthday, but for goodness sake, can Mabel or Friso not run a brush through her hair? I know she's two and she's likely fairly active so her hair gets messy. But her hair doesn't even look like it saw a brush within 24 hours of the photo being taken.

Labels: Dutch, Royalty

Tomorrow, Queen Beatrix will celebrate her 69th birthday, and in celebration of it, the Dutch royal court has released a new picture of Trix with her seven grandchildren.

Little Eloise (to the left of the queen, holding her baby sister Leonore) looks like a mini Laurentien and is beaming from ear to ear. She's all teeth that Eloise!

And Amalia looks so grown up in this picture, even from her pictures from her birthday at the beginning of December she looks older. I think it's the longer hair and the longish pants. And what cute tops Maxima has dressed her two girls in, and how Amalia is in green pants and Alexia is in red ones. But what is with Luana's outfit? She looks like the poor little servant's kid who snuck into the picture at the last minute. Couldn't Mabel find her eldest daughter something nicer to wear than what was in the dirty laundry hamper? I'd even settle for something with bows than this striped shirt and pants with the socks pulled up nearly to the knee caps. You got Amalia and Alexia dressed in matching floral blouses, Eloise in tights and a cardigan, Claus-Casimir in a button up shirt while Luana is in some mismatched outfit and Zaria has no socks. Come on Mabel, pull your kids together!

Labels: Dutch, Royalty

On Wednesday, Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands opened the 20th edition of the Kinderjury, a panel of schoolage students who choose the best books of the year. Laurentien is an active fighter against illiteracy, so this is a cause right up her alley.

As per usual, Laurentien doesn't always make the most conventional of clothing choices. Her very colourful outfit rather blends in with the stage and the confetti strewn about. I'll admit that the outfit seemed funny at first, but on a second reflection, looking at the outfit three days later, it's grown on me. It's not for everybody of course, but it is a colourful and spirited outfit and fitting for the people she was spending the occasion with. What 5 year old wants to see a woman in a boring black suit, right?

Labels: Dutch, Royalty

Today Princess Mabel of the Netherlands, in her role as the patron of the THIMUN (The Hague International Model United Nations) Foundation, made the keynote opening speech to the General Assembly in The Hague. In her speech she made reference to her husband who had participated in a mock UN in 1984 representing Oman. She said that he had told her that the task taught him the importance of considering the motives, perspectives, objectives and priorities of other nations and from looking at a situation from their perspectives and to try to solve problems by considering their perspectives as well. She discussed her internship at the UN in 1993 and how she went there with great ideals for the institution itself, of her trip to Bosnia where she witnessed firsthand the violence and aggression there, and how despite the greatest and most evil acts some people are able to still be kind to others and to do good for others even when they have so little.

I think that despite all the controversy surrounding "Mabelgate" and her alleged relations with a mob boss and whether she and Friso lied to the government about her activities, Mabel is a very intelligent woman with a big heart. Her intelligence and her social conscience are greatly overshadowed by all the pre-wedding scandal. And that she is someone who aspires to greatness for the betterment of the world and that with her tough as nails attitude she will fight hard for the things she feels strongly about, and whatever you think of her fashion sense or whether she lied to the Dutch government, you have to admire someone who will go so far out on a limb for something they believe in, even if you don't necessarily believe what they are fighting for.

Labels: Dutch, Royalty

Today in Gastein, Austria, the van Vollenhovens continued to celebrate their fortieth wedding anniversary with a family photosession.

Whee! The entire family arrived at the photoshoot via toboggans, which the adults and kids alike seemed to greatly enjoy. It makes me think of superheroes being parachuted in to save the world! A whole fleet of van Vollenhovens! (And not a hair out of place for the ladies or the men!)


Margriet and Pieter still look very much in love. They are no doubt an inspiration for their four sons and their wives.


New parents Pieter-Christiaan and Anita, who doesn't look as tired as she did in that first official picture with Emma.


And still newlyweds, Floris and Aimee.


Little Lucas van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven, who is just adorable in his little glasses.


The van Vollenhoven men and women. (It seems that no one told Annette that all the royal ladies were going to wear their white ski jackets today.)


And the entire van Vollenhoven family with the anniversary couple.


There is also a video which can be found here.

Labels: Dutch, Royalty

This coming Wednesday, on January 10, Princess Margriet and her husband, Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven will celebrated their 40th anniversary.

Yesterday, the couple released new pictures of themselves and their family, something I have been waiting for since 2003, when the last van Vollenhoven family was released. Since the last photoshoot there have been four new additions: two more grandchildren in Samuel and Felecia and two more daughter-in-laws in Anita and Aimee. (Pieter-Christiaan and Anita's daughter Emma did not make it into this picture as the photos were taken in Apeldoorn on October 1, while little Emma was born on November 28.)

As a comparison, the family portrait in spring of 2003:


And the newest family portraits:




The anniversary couple:


And with their five grandchildren (notice how much little Lucas - with the glasses - looks like his grandpa Pieter and how enthusiastically Isabella cheers like her grandma!):

Labels: Dutch, Royalty