It have been some strange days. From Thursday to Friday I was in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the 50th anniversary on the throne of Queen Margrethe II. I had just gone through security at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam when checking my phone, I discovered messages about Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain […]
A Royal House for Saint Nicholas
The moment all children in the Netherlands yearly are waiting for: the arrival of Saint Nicholas (Sinterklaas he is usually called here). Halfway November he arrives by steamer with his many helpers. While the youngest children think he is really existing, the elder children still shout “Sinterklaas” or “Piet” and are looking forward to all […]
No King’s Day 2020 – How to celebrate anyway?
King’s Day 2020 will be more different than ever. The last time the royal visit on that day (Queen’s Day at the time) was cancelled was in 2001, when because of foot-and-mouth disease the royals couldn’t visit Hoogeveen and Meppel. It was possible to celebrate in some other parts of the country, but the royals […]
Singing – A new way to celebrate royal birthdays!
It seems to be the new way to celebrate royal birthdays at the moment. More than 100.000 Danes sang for their Queen, Margrethe II, on 16 April, and she watched it herself, as it was all shown live on national TV. At the end she shortly appeared in the doorway of the Fredensborg Palace and […]