Máxima at the Opening of the Women Inc. Festival

Princess Máxima attended the opening of the Women Inc. Festival yesterday, at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam - not too far from where Máxima and her husband, Prince Willem-Alexander, had their civil wedding service in February 2002.

PPE Picture Gallery

ANP Picture Gallery

Copyright: PPE/Nieboer

December 2007 Calender

December 2007 Calender for the Danish, Dutch and Norwegian Royal Families

December 1: NED – Máxima will attend the Women Inc. Festival
December 1: NOR – Sonja will open the Bridge which will connect Lofoten to the Mainland
December 2-9: DEN – Frederik is Regent
December 3: NOR – 2nd Birthday of Sverre Magnus
December 3: NOR – Harald grants an audience to the Chief of the Naval Staff and the sculptor Skule Walsvik (appointed Officer of the Order of St Olav)
December 3: NOR – Harald hosts a Luncheon for the Council Members of The Order of St Olav
December 3-4: NED – Willem-Alexander will attend the Asia Pacific Water Summit in Japan
December 4: NED – Máxima, together with Princess Mathilde of Belgium, will receive the Overview of the Art of Painting
December 4: NOR – Harald, Sonja, Haakon and Mette-Marit host a Dinner for the County Governors
December 6: NOR – Harald grants an audience to the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
December 6: NOR – Harald, Sonja, Haakon and Mette-Marit host a Dinner for the Members of the Supreme Court
December 7: NED – 4th Birthday of Catharina-Amalia
December 7: NOR – Harald attends the Council of State
December 7: NOR – Haakon grants an audience to representatives of the Wergeland Year 2008
December 7: NOR – Harald grants an audience to Marie Aakre (appointed Officer of the Order of St Olav)
December 8: DEN – Mary attends a Christmas Concert by the Royal Danish Children’s Choir
December 10: NED – Catharina-Amalia will attend her first day of kindergarten
December 10: DEN – Mary visits the Rådmandsgades School
December 10: DEN – Mary attends a celebration of the 60th year of the United Nations’ World Declaration for Human Rights
December 11: DEN – Frederik opens the exhibition Danmark-ekspedition
December 12: DEN – Frederik visits the Korshærs Church's Christmas Distribution
December 12: DEN – Frederik participates in arrangement at the Royal Danish Geographic Society
December 12: NED – Beatrix, Willem-Alexander, Máxima, Constantijn and Laurentien will attend the Prince Claus Awards Ceremony
December 24-25: DEN – Margrethe, Henrik, Frederik, Mary, Christian, Isabella and Joachim will celebrate Christmas at Marselisborg Palace
December 25: NED – 38th Birthday of Bernhard Jr

Máxima at opening of "Ik & De Ander, De Ander & Ik"

Yesterday Princess Máxima attended the opening of the art exhibition "IK & DE ANDER, DE ANDER & IK" (Me and the Other, the Other and Me) in Bussum.Photo Gallery from PPE
Copyright: ANP/RVD

Máxima opens De Kamers

Princess Máxima yesterday attended the opening of De Kamers (The Rooms), a house of culture, in Amersfoort.Photo Gallery from PPE

Copyright: PPE

Willem-Alexander's 40th Birthday Party

The Prince of Orange - Willem-Alexander - hosted a belated birthday party celebrating his 40th year on Saturday September 1st. The party was held at Het Loo Palace, and went well into the night.The birthday boy arrived in a horse-drawn carriage with his wife, Princess Máxima, and their three daughters - Princess Catharina-Amalia (3 and a half years), Princess Alexia (27 months) and Princess Ariane (4 and a half months). The Prince's eldest daughter had a slight accident when the carriage pulled to a stop (see video), but otherwise all three girls were as cute as buttons in pink gowns. The other guests arrived via the Royal Bus.

The Prince's mother, Queen Beatrix, and brother's Constantijn and Friso - with wives Laurentien and Mabel - were also in attendance. Other family members invited were Willem-Alexander's aunt, Princess Margriet, and uncle Pieter van Vollenhoven; their children Maurits and wife Marilène, Bernhard Jr and wife Annette, Pieter-Christiaan and wife Anita, and Floris with his pregnant wife Aimée. Máxima's parents, Jorge Zorreguieta and Carmen Cerrutti, and brother Martin were also in attendance; as well as plenty of royal guests including Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Crown Prince Philippe and Crown Princess Mathile of Belgium, the Earl and Countess of Wessex, and Prince Felipe, Princess Letizia, Infanta Cristina and Inaki Urdangarin of Spain.

Added: Article from HELLO! Magazine - "Crown Prince Willem's daughters lead guests at royal birthday ball"

Copyright: ANP, Scanpix, PPE

September 2007 Calender

September 2007 Calender for the Danish, Dutch and Norwegian Royal Families

September 1: NED - 40th Birthday Celebrations of Willem-Alexander
September 3: NED - Máxima will open "De Kamers"
September 4: NED - Beatrix will open the new campus of Wageningen University
September 4: DEN - Joachim will visit the Moesgaard Museum
September 5: NED - Máxima will open the art exhibition "Me and the Other & the Other and Me"
September 5: NOR - Sonja will attend the opening of the 2007-2008 season of the Oslo Filharmonic Orchestra
September 6: NOR - Harald and Märtha Louise host a Luncheon for the Princess Märtha Louise Fund
September 6: NOR - Harald will attend the Anders Jahre Award Ceremony
September 6: NOR - Mette-Marit will attend the Grieg Gala with the Bergen Filharmonic Orchestra
September 8: NED - Beatrix will attend a concert by the World Orchestra for Peace
September 8: NOR - Harald will attend the opening of the 120th Autumn Exhibition
September 8: DEN - Mary will attend the Circus Benneweis Gala Performance for the Mental Health Fund
September 9: DEN - Mary will attend a golf tournament in Helsingør
September 10: NOR - Märtha Louise will attend the event marking the dissolution of The Norwegian Sports Organization for the Disabled
September 11: NED - Beatrix & Máxima will attend the premiere of the Hans van Manen Festival
September 12-13: DEN - State Visit from Brazil
September 12: NED - Beatrix will open the new venue for the Amsterdam Archives
September 12: NED - Laurentien will make a speech at the World Illiteracy Day
September 13-14: NOR - State Visit from Brazil
September 14: NED - Beatrix will open the new venue of the Rijksdienst Art-Historical Documentation
September 15: NOR - Mette-Marit will attend the feast and gala performance of the OsloHimmel Festival
September 17-21: DEN - Frederik & Mary (with Isabella) will visit New York
September 18: NED - Prinsjesdag
September 18: NOR - Haakon attends the event marking the 10th anniversary of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention
September 20: NOR - Mette-Marit will visit Svalbard
September 22: NOR - 36th Birthday of Märtha-Louise
September 22: NED - Willem-Alexander will attend the opening of the exhibition "P. Struycken, the Digital Paradise"
September 23: DEN - Frederik & Mary will award the Kronprinsparrets Kulturpris
September 25: NED - 39th Birthday of Friso
September 26: NED - Willem-Alexander will attend the opening of the "Mosae Forum"
September 30: NOR - 35th Birthday of Ari

Upcoming State Visits - The Next Three Months

There are going to be State Visits a many in the coming months, with State Visits occurring in all three of the blog's feature countries.

Kongehuset.dk announced yesterday that the Queen and Prince Henrik will host the Brazilian President and First Lady on September 12 and 13 for a return State Visit (Margrethe and Henrik visited Brazil in 1999).

The Brazilian President will also pay a State Visit to the King and Queen of Norway between September 13 and 14.

The Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima will pay an Official Visit to the Slovak Republic between October 2 and 4.

Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik will visit South Korea between October 8 and 10.

Queen Beatrix, the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima will pay a State Visit to India starting October 24; followed by the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima's Official Visit to the Kingdom of Bhutan.

So there will be plenty of opportunites to see the royals in the coming months!!

Date for the Christening of Ariane Announced

The RVD today announced that the christening of Princess Ariane, the third daughter of the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima, will be held on October 20th, at the Cloister Church in The Hague.

RVD

July 2007 Calender

July 2007 Calender for the Danish, Dutch and Norwegian Royal Families

July 1: DEN - Christening of Lilleprinsesse
July 1: NOR - Haakon & Mette-Marit at Christening of Lilleprinsesse in Denmark
July 4: NED - Laurentien opens the new venue of the Brede School
July 4-6: NED - Willem-Alexander at 119th Session of the International Olympic Committee in Guatemala
July 4-8: NOR - 70th Birthday Celebrations of Queen Sonja
July 4-8: NED - Beatrix & Máxima at 70th Birthday Celebrations of Queen Sonja in Norway
July 4-8: DEN - Margrethe, Henrik & Frederik at 70th Birthday Celebrations of Queen Sonja in Norway
July 4-8: DEN - Joachim is Regent
July 7: NED - Laurentien opens the new Central Library Amsterdam
July 11: DEN - Frederik at the 100th Anniversary of Skagen Harbour
July 11: DEN - Margrethe & Henrik hold an audience with the French Ambassador
July 17: DEN - Margrethe & Henrik visit Sønderborg
July 17: DEN - Margrethe & Henrik take up residence at Gråsten Palace
July 17: NED - Friso unveils the Delfi-C3
July 20: NOR - 34th Birthday of Haakon
July 21: NED - Margriet & Pieter open the Kingdom Games
July 22: DEN - 5th Birthday of Felix
July 27: NED - Beatrix, Margriet & Pieter at the Closing Ceremony of the Kingdom Games
July 29: DEN - Henrik to attend a celebration of composer Dietrich Buxtehudes
July 30: DEN - Margrethe will receive the Ambassador for Luxembourg

Máxima in Kenya

Princess Máxima is currently in Kenya to attend meetings on accessible finances in her capacity as a member of the UN Advisory Board in the Financial Sector. Here she is pictured with the Kenyan President, Mwai Kibaki.

Máxima at a press conference with the Kenyan Finance Minister, Amos Kimunya.

Copyright: Reuters/Kenyan Presidental House, RVD

Guest List for Sonja's 70th Revealed!

Kongehuset.no has revealed the guest list for Queen Sonja's 70th birthday celebrations beginning July 4th. The guests are as following:

Guests on July 4th:
Norway
-TRH the Crown Prince and Princess
-Princess Märtha Louise and Mr Ari Behn
-Princess Ragnhild, Mrs Lorentzen, and Mr Erling S. Lorentzen
-Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner, and Mr Johan Martin Ferner
Denmark
-HM the Queen and HRH the Prince Consort
-HRH the Crown Prince
-HE Countess Ruth of Rosenborg
Sweden
-TM the King and Queen
-HRH the Crown Princess
-HH Princess Desireé, Baroness Silfverschiöld, and Baron Niclas Silfverschiöld
-HH Princess Kristine Bernadotte
The Netherlands
-HM the Queen
-HRH Princess Máxima
Luxembourg
-HSH the Grand Duchess
-HSH the Hereditary Grand Duke
-HSH Prince Felix
Belgium
-TRH the Duke and Duchess of Brabant
Other Royal Guests
-HM Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
-Archduke Christian
-Princess Alexandra and Count Jefferson-Friedrich von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth
-Lady Elizabeth Shakerley

Guests on the Royal Cruise:
Norway
-TRH the Crown Prince and Princess
-Princess Märtha Louise and Mr Ari Behn
-Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner, and Mr Johan Martin Ferner
Denmark
-HM the Queen and HRH the Prince Consort
Sweden
-TM the King and Queen
-HRH the Crown Princess
The Netherlands
-HM the Queen
-HRH Princess Máxima
Spain
-HM the Queen
-HRH Infanta Elena and HE the Duke of Lugo
Luxembourg
-HSH the Grand Duchess
-HSH the Hereditary Grand Duke
-HSH Prince Felix
Belgium
-TRH the Duke and Duchess of Brabant
Other Royal Guests
-HM Queen Anne-Marie of Greece
-Archduke Christian
-Princess Alexandra and Count Jefferson-Friedrich von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth

The guest list is mainly female guests, so Sonja's 70th is going to be a girl's party!

Dutch Photo Session in the Royal Mews

Prince Willem-Alexander, Princess Máxima and their three daughters - Amalia, Alexia (the birthday girl!) and Ariane - have completed a photo session celebrating the 2nd birthday of Princess Alexia in the Royal Mews in The Hague.

PPE Picture Gallery here

Added: Royal Press Picture Gallery here

Copyright: RVD & Yord/AP

Máxima at Taskforce Youth Unemployment Project

Princess Máxima yesterday attended the final day of the Taskforce Youth Unemployment Project in The Hague.


PPE Picture Gallery here

Copyright: RVD/ANP

Dutch Royals at the Opening of the Lustrum Symposium

Princess Máxima, in her capacity as Chair of the Curatorium, yesterday opened the Lustrum Symposium of the Prince Claus Chair at Noordeinde Palace. Queen Beatrix, Prince Willem-Alexander and Prince Friso were also in attendance.

PPE Picture Gallery here

Added: Máxima's speech:

Your Majesty, Professor Fresco, Dear Chair holders, Ladies and gentlemen,

It is with great pleasure that I now open this symposium to celebrate the fifth chair holder of the Prince Claus Chair on Development and Equity, on behalf of its Curatorium. A very special welcome to prof. Louise Fresco, who will deliver the key note lecture, and to our five Chair Holders, professors Mansoob Murshed, Amina Mama, Gaspar Rivera-Salgado, Rema Hammami, and Nasira Jabeen. A very special word of thanks to Her Majesty, for her incredible hospitality. It is amazing to be able to celebrate this in your Palace and with your presence. Thank you!
Five years already, time flies. After the passing away of my father in law, Prince Claus, the idea of this Chair arose. Prince Claus was strongly committed to development and equity in North-South relations. Through his work, his travels and his contacts he gained a deep understanding of the opportunities for equitable development. But also a deep understanding of the obstacles to it. His views, and above all his attitude towards people in the developing world became a source of inspiration to many, and still is.
In commemoration and respect for his work, the Utrecht University and the Institute of Social Studies together shaped this chair. The Chair aims to stimulate research and teaching in development and equity by establishing a rotating professorship. The two participating institutions will alternately appoint an outstanding young academic from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean or the Pacific to the Chair.
The Prince Claus Chair was launched in a special academic ceremony in the Dom Church in Utrecht on March 2003. In this same ceremony and in view of the 50th anniversary of ISS, Utrecht University awarded an honorary doctorate to the then President of the Inter-American Development Bank, dr. Enrique V. Iglesias. His work has always focused on the relation between economy and administration on one side and civil society on the other. A person Prins Claus was very fond of.

From the very beginning, we have been very fortunate with excellent candidates. We started with dr. Mansoob Murshed, an economist from Bangladesh, who works in the field of trade and freedom as well as that of peace and conflict management. We then had the honour of having dr. Amina Mama, from Nigerian/South African background, who was appointed for her contribution to the academic field of African Culture and its relationship to development. In 2004-2005 we had dr. Gaspar Rivera-Salgado with us, a sociologist from Mexico, who had contributed already significantly to academic research on indigenous rights and migration, particularly in Latin America and the United States. Last year dr. Rema Hammami, from Palestinian background, was our Chairholder. She was appointed for her contribution to peace and co-existence in the Palestinian Territories. And this year we have the pleasure to have in our midst dr. Nasira Jabeen, from Pakistan, who is an expert on the possibilities and constraints of good governance as a concept in the developing world.
To all five we say ‘Thank you’, thank you for being such excellent representatives of the Prince Claus Chair in Development and Equity. You have been willing to leave your own country, your university, your family and friends to come to the Netherlands. You have engaged in education and research and you have participated in publications, lectures, seminars, etc. And you have also contributed to outreach activities. To take one example, dr. Rivera-Salgado was involved in a project on Human Rights and Migration, in which pupils from secondary schools studied the theme from different angles, and presented the results to experts and to each other at a concluding seminar in Utrecht.
Ladies and gentlemen, the variety in backgrounds and academic expertise reflects the complexity of development and equity. It also reflects the necessity of contributions from different disciplines to gain a more profound insight into ways and means through which development and equity can be encouraged. The Curatorium hopes that the activities of the Prince Claus Chair contribute to this goal.
Personally, I am delighted to be part of this process. To be able to give a platform to these talented people in Europe means more opportunity for us to learn from them and their ideas. I hope in consequence that our Chairholders will therefore become stronger voices in their regions of origin. As Prins Claus said in one of his 23 statements at the ISS ‘freedom of speech as an essential element in any form of democracy and therefore a prerequisite for true development’. With all my heart, I wish that we continue to support these academics as just one way for us to contribute to development in the strong belief that people develop themselves within their own cultural environment.

Copyright: RVD/ANP

Máxima speaks at High Level Inclusion Congress

Princess Máxima spoke yesterday at the High Level Inclusion Congress in London, in her capacity as a UN Advisory Board Member in the Financial Sector.

PPE Picture Gallery here

Added: Royal Press Picture Gallery here

Máxima's speech:

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure for me to be able to address this special group of people today. I would like to thank my hosts DFID and the Treasury, for inviting me and allowing me to share some thoughts with you as a member of the UN Advisors groups on Inclusive Financial Sectors.
Ladies and gentlemen, by now, research has convincingly shown that a sound financial sector is an essential part of the development process. Financial development and improving access to finance not only accelerates economic growth, but also reduces poverty and income inequality.
Access to a wide variety of financial services and products, such as loans, savings, insurance products and remittances can be a powerful tool to generate income, build capital and protect people against risk. However, as we all know, world financial systems are still not inclusive today. Well over two billion people do not have access to basic financial services and we are here to change that.
Having said that, I must stress that microfinance is not THE solution to the poverty problem. Nor is a small loan always the best way to help a person without resources. Grants and other types of direct support are sometimes better solutions. This is important to remember in the determination of development policies.
The Advisors to the Year of Microcredit, recommended in 2005 that the UN should appoint a group of experts to see the work they had begun through to completion. As a result, the UN Advisors Group on Inclusive Financial Sectors was established last June. This advisory group is formed by a broad international group of experts from private and public sector, practitioners, NGO’s, donors and academia.
The key role of the Advisors Group is to advise and guide the UN and its member states on building financial sectors that enable wide access to a diverse range of financial services. Our Advisors group aims also to support, not replace existing initiatives. I am therefore inviting all individuals, organisations and governments to work with us and share their concerns, experiences and solutions. In this field, as in many others, combining and coordinating efforts is key to increase effectivity…and that is probably one of our main tasks.
For me, it is reassuring to see that the Advisors Group, with its broad and diverse composition – some of them here present - did not waste a lot of time agreeing on the direction we wanted to go. We developed plain and simple Key Messages for governments, regulators, development partners and the private sector. I’ll quickly take you through these Key Messages displayed on the screen.
For Governments, we feel that their key role is to create a helpful policy environment to allow for the development of a financial system that enables all citizens to buy the financial services they need. Governments should resist the temptation of becoming finance providers themselves. No government scheme has ever reached true sustainability and efficiency, and certainly has not assured greater access. There are however great examples of enabling governments, providing the right environment and removing obstacles. One of those obstacles is interest rates ceilings. We strongly advise governments to invest in a level playing field and consumer education rather than imposing an artificial interest rate. It does not solve the problem, rather destroys the solution.
From Regulators we ask that they establish an enabling environment with the appropriate regulatory framework where a diverse range of institutions can provide financial products and services and where technological innovations can be fostered. Regulators must keep pace with the innovations in the microfinance industry. Sometimes, cutting the red tape is more useful than trying to regulate a moving target like this new financial industry.
For Development Partners, the key message is “do no harm.” Their key role is to provide appropriate interventions without crowding out the local private sector. Donors should find their niche in supporting technological development, or go out to those remote areas where the private sector cannot go. Their participation is to ensure that the financial sector becomes strong, competitive and sustainable. Capacity building is key!
And to the Private Sector participants, we say: if we want to reach scale in a sustainable manner, we have to think outside the box about innovative partnerships and collaborations. Local banks have a major task here and can be supported by multinational companies. I have seen many examples of innovative partnerships around the world. In Brazil, banks are working together with pharmacies and lotteries to expand local presence. In South Africa, banks have partnered with supermarkets to facilitate financial transactions. In the Philippines and Kenya, mobile phones are extensively used for banking, Mexico uses cement distributors, etc. So, a wide variety of private sector participants should be engaged in inclusive financial sectors. Not only direct providers of financial services, but also telecom, technology, rural organizations, retailers, and other companies that support the financial services industries.
Like I said before, it is crucial that regulators closely follow these innovations in the sector. Laws and regulations should allow for original partnerships and unexpected models to grow.
One last thing I want to draw your attention to is the following key message: what is not measured cannot be managed. World Bank research has gathered empirical evidence that suggest financial sector deepening reduces poverty. That is good news, indeed very good news, but we can do more. We really need in-depth financial data to determine the right interventions and substantiate the right policy choices. With reliable and fundamental data we can make a case for businesses to get involved, for governments to stick to the right path and for funders to keep investing in financial sectors.
On behalf of my fellow Advisors to the UN, I ask you, gathered here, to challenge yourself and join us on that extra mile to inclusive finance. We need to make a dent in poverty and help reach the Millennium Development Goals that we all have set together.
Thank you very much.

Copyright: RVD/WPA & Royal Press

Máxima Returns to Work!

Princess Máxima will return to official duties tomorrow, after taking three months maternity leave after the birth of Princess Ariane. The Princess shall address the High Level Inclusion Congress, in her capacity as member of the UN Advisory Board in the financial sector. The congress will take place in London. Photos will be posted as soon as they are available!

Thank-You from Willem-Alexander & Máxima

What has been dubbed the "Wassenaar Surprise" was revealed yesterday, at 0:01 Dutch time. The surprise? A lovely new photo of little Princess Ariane with her parents, and a thank-you note from Willem-Alexander & Máxima.

Read the thank-you note (in Dutch) here

A translation of the thank-you:
"The continuous stream of wonderful flowers, beautiful drawings, sweet cadeaus, personal letters and well-wishings we might receive from so many since the birth of Ariane was heartwarming. The enormous amount makes it necessary to express, on behalf of Ariane, our gratitude to You in this way, despite the fact we would like to have done it in a more personal manner.After an advanced start with the for us so trusted team from Bronovo Hospital, three weeks later Ariane appeared to have a virus and various bacterias. To our deep concern she needed to be admitted in Leyden Universitary Medical Center. Thanks to adequate action and excellent handling, also for the parents, the tide could be turned quickly and we are very grateful towards the nursing staff and the doctors. After a few days in the hospital we could, intensely happy, enclose Ariane again amidst our family, fully recovered and blossoming as before.This short but so heavy period in the yet still so short life of Ariane caused a new flood of sweet and heartwarming reactions which have been a great support for us. Your sympathy has touched us so deeply and we feel an intense gratitude for that."

Copyright: RVD

Surprise from Wassenaar!

According to royalblog.nl, the Prince of Orange and Princess Máxima will give us a surprise from Wassenaar on Wednesday! Could it be a possible photo-session with all three Orange princesses? Stay tuned...

Welcome to the Three M's Blog!

Welcome! The Three M's Blog is a focus on three of Europe's "M" Crown Princesses - Mary of Denmark, Máxima of the Netherlands and Mette-Marit of Norway - and their respective royal houses!