ROYAL NEWS: MAY 2000

Last updated: May 1st, 2000

April 1st
Prince William of Great Britain and four friends participated in a bar karaoke competition in a Northern England hotel, singing YMCA of The Village People. It is said they brought the house down. The Prince was in Durham with 41 other Eton-pupils for a school field trip.

April 2nd
In a television programme the Dutch historian Van der Dunk pleaded for a scientific research into the past of the father of Máxima Zorreguieta. Voices are also heard telling Máxima should disassociate herself from her father. Máxima’s father was minister of agriculture during the bloody Argentinian junta of President Videla.

Since today 150 emperor lime-trees connect the local museum at Gottorp Castle with the ethnological section at the Hesterberg, giving back some old glory to the former Princes Garden (Fürstengarten) of Gottorp. The new avenue is called Schleswig-Holstein-Allee.

Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and the Duke of Edinburgh are so embarrassed at the amount of swearing in modern plays that they have stopped going to the theatre, Sunday Telegraph reports. In an interview the Duke told that he and his wife feel uncomfortable because every time a swear word is uttered during a play; the audience will look at them to see their reaction.

April 3rd
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Prince Henrik and three staff members landed by twin-otter from Greenland Airlines in the middle of nowhere to visit their son Crown Prince Frederik and his expedition members in the north of Greenland. During the 2 1/2 hour stay they talked with Frederik, had some coffee and cacao, and were invited on a short sledge ride on two sleighs.

A French archaeological team has discovered a 4000-year old pyramid in Sakkara, south of Cairo. The pyramid probably is of Queen Ankh-sn-Pepi, wife of Pharaoh Pepi. The sepulchral chamber includes a stone with texts of special prayers to protect the death.

A survey of a Dutch television programme tells us that most Dutchmen think that Queen Beatrix should abdicate when she turns 65 in three years. About 35 % of the questioned people think the Queen takes too much distance from her people. About 70 % of the Dutch think Crown Prince Willem-Alexander is ready to become a King. The most popular members of the royal family are Prince Claus and Princess Margriet.

April 4th
King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium arrived in the Netherlands for a three-day state visit. They were welcomed at Valkenburg airport near The Hague by Queen Beatrix and Willem-Alexander Prince of Oranje. In the afternoon the Belgian royal couple laid a wreath at the monument on the Dam Square in Amsterdam. Afterwards they sailed by boat to the KNSM-island in Amsterdam, together with Princess Margriet. In the evening the traditional state banquet was held in the Palace on the Dam.

Princess Mathilde of Belgium was in London, England. After a meeting with the Prince of Wales at St James’s Palace, she visited sick children in the hospital at Great Ormonde Street. The children there are fighting against cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

A new British film on Princess Diana of Wales will be made, based on a bestseller biography on the princess. Actress Faye Dunaway will play a royalty-journalist of the British royal family.

The parliamentary standards watchdog, the Neil Committee, is beginning its inquiry into the conduct of peers. It will decide whether members of the House of Lords should be governed by a code of conduct and be obliged to register all their outside earnings. Lord Neill of Bladen will also look at disciplinary procedures and investigate machinery and penalties. A consultation paper is being published in the first stage of the inquiry.

April 5th
A local Romanian court has ruled that a state company must return the Savarsin Castle and its surroundings back to King Michail I of Romania. The company has 15 days to appeal the ruling. The King bought the castle in 1943. After the King had left the country it became a hospital, a private residence of late dictator Nicolae Ceaucescu and since 1989 it has been used for high-level tourism.

King Albert II of Belgium visited the Organisation against chemical conduct of war in The Hague, and declared in favour of signing the treaty about this question. After the visit he met with his wife Queen Paola and the prime minister of the Netherlands at the Binnenhof, the governmental centre of the Netherlands. Later at the day the couple visited the Amsterdam Arena, where soccer team Ajax houses.

Last night three drunken men were arrested in Amsterdam. One of the men wore a big wreath of flowers around his neck. After a short inspection it was found out that it was the wreath King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium had laid at the monument on the Dam Square the day before.

Wales’s 'Elgin Marbles' are coming home to mark the 600th anniversary of the last Welsh rebellion. The Pennal Letters of Owain Glyndwr (ca.1354-1415/16), the last Welsh national to claim the title Prince of Wales, are being lent to the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth by the Archives Nationales in Paris, France. Dating from 1406 and written in Latin Owain Glyndwr had sent the letters to the French King Charles VI seeking his support. The letters are named after a village near where Owain Glyndwr held his parliament.

Camilla Parker Bowles today covers The Mirror in swimsuit. She was secretly photographed on the island of Mauritius.

Prince Ernst August of Hannover sued British American Tobacco. The company now needs to remove posters for Lucky Strike cigarettes. The posters show a crumpled cigarette-box with the text: "Was it Ernst? Or August?"

April 6th
The historical Stadtschloss (City Palace) of Potsdam, Germany, once designed by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff, will be rebuild, the municipality council decided yesterday evening. The second residence of the royal house of Prussia, made of red sandstone, has been destroyed and burned down in a British air raid in April 1945. The façades stayed but were fully removed in 1959 against the wish of the people.

King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium closed their state visit to the Netherlands, together with Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, by visiting 's-Hertogenbosch. They made a boat trip through the canals and visited the North-Brabant Museum. Thousands of enthusiastic people cheered and carried colourful balloons. The King and Queens received lots of flowers and gifts.

Maximilian Count of Bentheim-Tecklenburg has become engaged to Marissa Fortescue, daughter of the Hon. Seymour Fortescue and Mrs. Benjamin Bonas.

April 7th
Thom de Graaf, leader of the Democratic Party of the Netherlands (one of the governing parties), said in an interview on the Dutch news that the authority of Queen Beatrix needs to be curtailed. She should no longer be a part of the Government, but only the Head of State, and she should no longer be the chairwoman of the State Council. He says the Queen now sometimes becomes involved in political choices, which don't have ministerial responsibility. That's why he thinks the Queen also cannot play a role anymore in the formation of a new cabinet. He also wants to curtail the number of members of the royal house. De Graaf summons Prime Minister Wim Kok to talk about the issue with the Queen herself and Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, before the last one takes over the throne. To change the position of the monarch a changing of the constitution is necessary.

The Consumer's Association has claimed visitors to many leading British tourist attractions are being ripped off. Buckingham Palace came bottom of a survey of 300 tourist attractions carried out by the organisation. The survey described the Queen's London home as sterile and inhuman. Canterbury Cathedral was also singled out for criticism - it was said by the Association to be 'grasping' for making visitors leave via a gift shop.

April 8th
In the Netherlands there came lots of reactions to the monarchal attack of the democrat leader yesterday. The Christian Democrats and the Liberal party say such changes would "amputate" the monarchy and they say it's no modernisation. The leader of the Christian Democrat Party say the attack means a serious shortage to the dedication of the Queen. Also the labour party says to be satisfied with the functioning of the Queen, but doesn't rule out a discussion about the monarchy in the 21st century. The vice-chairman of the State Council, Tjeenk Willink, says he doesn't see the need to restrict the authority of Queen Beatrix. He says there is even more reason to think of a widening of the role of the Queen. He sees two fundamental functions for her: symbol of national unification and guarantee democracy. Both functions are under pressure right now and at such a moment you can't fumble on it. Only the left (green) party reacted with enthusiasm to the statements of the democrats.

April 9th
Next month Prince Laurent of Belgium will take the oath as a senator. The Prince will be the 7th member of the Belgian royal family who becomes a senator.

Dutch Democrat leader Thom de Graaf says he is bewildered about the unbusinesslike reactions to his interview about the monarchy. He says it is apparently hard to detach the discussion from the question if the Queen works hard. De Graaf says that he respects and appreciates the Queen a lot, but he mentions that many people do not dare to think about the royal house. He thinks the Queen can do no wrong, but should leave decision-making to the Parliament and the cabinet.

Princess Zahra Aga Khan and her husband Mark Boyden are expecting their first child.

April 10th
Three prominent members of the Dutch labour party want to start a discussion inside the party about the abolition of the monarchy and the question if the country should get a chosen president. According to them citizens by order of other citizens fill all functions in turns. They say there is no reason to make an exception for the function of head of state. The suggestion will be discussed at the Party Congress later this year.

For the first time a huge light spectacle has been organised at the temple of pharaoh Ramses II and Queen Nefertari in Abu Simbel, Egypt. The computerised spectacle shall enlighten the four giant statues in the colours in which they were painted once. Most paint has disappeared now because of the erosion. The spectacle of light and sounds is meant to promote Egyptian tourism.

New Zealand is to drop the honorific titles of knight and dame in favour of a homegrown honours system, Prime Minister Helen Clark has announced. The change to a fully New-Zealand-based honours system has the approval of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The prime minister said: "The time has come to move on. Knights and Dames do seem to be a bit of a throwback to the past". The change will come into effect before the Queen’s birthday honours on June 5th.

A public meeting is being held to discuss the proposed sale of a mountain range, the Black Cuillins, on the Isle of Skye. The head of the Clan MacLeod has said he is putting them up for sale with a 10m British pounds price tag. He claims he has been forced to sell to pay for repairs to the family’s Dunvegan Castle. Highland Council, which has called the meeting, says the mountains are an international landmark and should be acquired for the nation.

April 11th
At a meeting last night the inhabitants of the Isle of Skye and the Highland Council called for more research to establish whether the mountain range, the Black Cuillins, belong to John MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. So legal moves are considered to stop the clan chief from selling. No public body is expected to offer the 10m British pounds asking price.

Togbui Ngoryfia Olatidoye Kosi Cephas Bansah King of Hohu Ghana, who lives in Ludwigshafen, Germany, wants to marry for the third time. After two unsuccessful marriages in Germany, the 51-year-old King says to have found the love of his life in his girlfriend Gabriele Jung. The couple met five years ago, when Gabriele Jung came to the King’s workshop to let her car fixed. The King is reigning his people by fax and Internet after having finished work in the afternoon.

Prime Minister Wim Kok of the Netherlands finally gave a reaction to the monarchy discussion. He says he has no objection against a discussion about the future of the monarchy. But he thinks the Queen should stay a member of the government.

Another monarchy survey in the Netherlands. According to a news programme 27 % of the Dutch wants the Queen to have less political power, 65 % says it is fine like it is, and 6 % even says the Queen should get more political influence. 40 % is in favour of a discussion about the monarchy, as 48 % doesn’t like the idea. 15 % of the Dutch questioned wants a republic, 68 % wants to keep the monarchy. Some 75 % of the Dutch appreciates the way the Queen functions. Finally 44 % thinks hereditary succession is out of date, while another 44 % thinks hereditary succession is all right.

April 12th
Queen Fabiola and Prince Laurent welcomed King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan at the Laeken Castle, Belgium. The Jordan royal couple pays a two-day-visit to the country. King Albert II and Queen Paola who were supposed to welcome them, were not present, and the state dinner in the evening was cancelled. On Thursday the Jordan King will visit Waterloo, and later on meet the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chairman of the European Committee Romano Prodi.

Prince Rainier III of Monaco officially appeared in public for the first time after his operations in December and February. Together with his grandsons Andrea and Pierre Casiraghi he watched the football-match between Monaco and Nantes.

The Queen Mother has become a citizen of Volgograd in a ceremony marking her past work on behalf of the wartime population of the Russian city. Along with her later husband, King George VI of Great Britain, she helped organize aid for the citizens of what was then Stalingrad. Receiving the award in London, she told the city's mayor that she had greatly admired the 'fortitude' of the people. Thousands died during the lengthy Nazi siege of Stalingrad.

April 13th
In the afternoon Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium, who came back from their skiing-holidays in Switzerland, visited the hospital and talked with Queen Paola. King Albert II is said to do fine. Today no visitors were allowed at his bedside at the intensive care of the Hospital of Our Lady in Aalst.

Prince Laurent of Belgium has criticized the unbridled capitalism, the policy of the former Prime Minister Dehaene and some concrete companies. The Prince said that Belgium, thanks to them, will have the Euro but no ecology or justified distribution. He also pleaded for a top-500 of environmental conscious companies. He spoke as chairman of his environmental institute. In Belgium now the question is if a member of the royal house can do such social and political pronouncements. It is said not to be against the Constitution, but it is not according to royal tradition. Only the King could call to account the Prince on request of the Prime Minister.

This year Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands is asked to arrange an exhibition with pieces of art out of the depots of the Amsterdam City Museum.

King Albert II of the Belgians underwent a two-and-a-half hour quadruple by-pass operation in the Hospital of Our Lady in Aalst. Pain in his chest started yesterday afternoon, and the King consulted his doctor. He was taken to a hospital in Brussels for some medical tests. First it was said he was extremely tired lately. Soon after midnight it was clear the King had heart problems. The operation was needed to prevent for an infarct. It is said the King does fairly well all things considered. Queen Paola has been with him in the hospital. The King surely needs to stay in hospital for about 10 days.

April 14th
Princess Marie of Liechtenstein, wife of Prince Hans Adam II, already celebrated her 60th birthday today. On the photo with grandchildren Josef Wenzel and Marie-Caroline.

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark already got some flowers for her 60th birthday on Sunday.

In the morning King Albert II of the Belgians has left the intensive care of the Hospital of Our Lady in Aalst. Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt was the first visitor, followed by Prince Philippe, Princess Mathilde and Princess Astrid.

Last Saturday María, the daughter of Simoneta Goméz-Acebo y de Borbón and José Miguel Fernandéz y Sastron was baptized. She was born in January.

April 15th
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark invited 1200 guests for a ballet at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. Among the noble and royal guests were her own family (except for Crown Prince Frederik), her sisters with husbands and children, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, the Duke of Edinburgh, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain, Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Joséphine-Charlotte of Luxembourg, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine of Sweden.

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands will give an interview on the Dutch television on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of her accession to the throne. The interview has been broadcasted before the discussion about her political role started. It will be broadcasted on television on April 28th. Her role as a Queen is one of the items Queen Beatrix talks about.

While King Albert II of the Belgians has started revalidation today at the hospital, his wife Queen Paola, Prince Philippe -who celebrated his 40th birthday today -, Princess Mathilde, Princess Astrid and her husband Prince Lorenz, visited him. Many people bring flowers to the hospital for the King. Further Prince Laurent named a sailing ship in Antwerp, while Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde did the same in Oostende. Prince Philippe received many congratulations for his birthday.

April 16th
Queen Margrethe II of Denmark celebrated her 60th birthday today. The day started with a service in the church of Christiansborg Palace. Around noon the Queen appeared on the balcony of Amalienborg Palace. At 3:00 in the afternoon she started a carriage ride from the Amalienborg Palace to the Town hall of Copenhagen with escort of the Regiment of the Garde Husars. Between 50.000 and 100.000 people were standing in front of the balcony and along the route to cheer their Queen. In the evening some 350 guests were invited for a gala in the great hall of the Christiansborg Palace.

April 17th
On June 21st the Channel Island Jersey issues some post stamps on the occasion of the 18th birthday of Prince William of Great Britain. The stamps show the Prince on skies, playing polo and in evening dress. The fourth one shows him with Caernarvon Castle in Northern Wales, at least that was what the designer thought. After publishing the designs in a newspaper it was found out soon the castle on the stamp is the nearby Beaumaris Castle.

King Carl XVI Gustaf and his wife Queen Silvia were in a hurry on Saturday to pick up their children from the airport of Copenhagen. Their Ferrari and the cars, which followed them, a Rolls Royce and another Ferrari, rushed over the motorway with a speed of 240 km an hour it is said. The King has stated he drove too fast and made his excuses to the Danish people, but says he drove by far not as fast as it is said. But the police tell their cars couldn’t even keep up with the cars of the King.

April 18th
Willem-Alexander Prince of Oranje arrived in Japan for a one-week visit on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Japanese-Dutch relations. He arrived near the place where the Dutch sailing ship 'De Liefde' (love) reached Japan on April 19th, 1600. The Prince and Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan were present at the opening of the Holland Week in Oita later at the day.

The Serb government has complained by the United Nations for not being notified about the visit of Queen Noor of Jordan to Kosovo. They say that the fact that they weren’t notified violated the Serbian sovereignty.

April 19th
After 200 years a mystery is solved. A DNA-test on the heart of a little 10-year-old boy who died of tuberculosis imprisoned in the Temple of Paris, France, on June 8, 1795, proved it is of Louis XVII, the son of King Louis XVI of France who was beheaded in 1793. The DNA of the heart has been compared with the DNA of his mother Queen Marie-Antoinette and some other family members by researchers from Louvain, Belgium. Louis de Bourbon Duke of Anjou announced the results at a press conference, where next to the press also members of the French nobility were present. During the past 200 years several people have stated that Louis XVII had escaped during the French Revolution, married and had children. Descendants of these people now say they are sure the results of this DNA-test are false and that they keep on believe they descend from Louis XVII.

Willem-Alexander Prince of Oranje enjoyed some old Dutch games at the market in Nagasaki, Japan, at the start of the Edo Sanpu, a modern version of the court travels to the Japanese dignitaries Dutch merchants made in the 17th century. The modern Edo Sanpu uses three buses, which will drive through Japan.

April 20th
During a meeting in Nagasaki, Japan, Willem-Alexander Prince of Oranje and Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan both held a speech. The Prince of Oranje said he hopes the celebration of 400 years Japanese-Dutch relations will not close Japanese eyes for the dark pages of World War II so that the relationship can straighten out, be strengthened and be renewed. He said to be sure that the people of Nagasaki, who suffered themselves so much during this war, would understand.

A new inquiry in the Netherlands says if the country will become a republic Prime Minister Wim Kok will have the best change to become the President. He got 28% of the votes. Queen Beatrix only got 3 % and Willem-Alexander Prince of Oranje only 2 % of the votes of the people questioned for this inquiry.

April 21st
Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain celebrated her 74th birthday at Windsor Castle together with the Duke of Edinburgh. Children and grandchildren are expected on Sunday.

King Albert II of the Belgians has left hospital in the afternoon. He said goodbye to the medical staff and went home. Revalidation at home at Laeken Castle will take some more weeks.

An interesting story on Dutch TV-text. In the 60’s the British royal family almost became homeless. At the time the Government considered to expel the family from Buckingham Palace to save money, as the family had a huge amount of expenses. They were thinking of asking the family to look for an own residence and pay for it their selves, also for costs of staff and maintenance. The Prime Minister finally abandoned the plans and an arrangement with the family was made.

April 24th
At a press conference at the end of his Japanese trip Willem-Alexander Prince of Oranje gave his opinion on the monarchy-discussion in the Netherlands at this moment. He said: "The monarchy is an institute that keeps up with the times. Exactly that is the power of the Dutch model. Otherwise it would have been abolished a long time ago." He also indicated not to aspire a ceremonial role as a King. He said that his host Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan sometimes must have been jealous at him because of what he can and may do. Today Prince Willem-Alexander also said goodbye to Crown Prince Naruhito and his wife Masako. The last one appeared in public for the first time after her December-miscarriage.

83 % of the Dutch people is in favour of a possible marriage between Willem-Alexander Prince of Oranje and Máxima Zorreguieta. About 59 % thinks it is not necessary to find out what her father's role was during his period as Minister of Agriculture. Just 17 % says her father cannot be allowed to attend the wedding, although 50 % says Máxima should publicly take distance from her father's past and political actions. The new research appeared during the Easter weekend in which Máxima visited her family and friends in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Haakon Crown Prince of Norway spent three days in the snow around Easter in the high north of Norway with the Sami-people. He saw a stadion snow scooter cross (and of course tried a scooter himself), played a kind of hockey game and attended a concert of Mari Boine. The visit was highly appreciated by the people.

April 27th
Bernhard Prince of Oranje-Nassau, Van Vollenhoven, and his fiancée Annette Sekrève have announced their civil wedding will take place in Utrecht on July 6th and the religious wedding in the Dom Church in Utrecht on July 8th.

Prince Claus of the Netherlands will be absent at the Queen's Day celebration on Saturday and also at the commemoration ceremonies for World War II on May 4th and 5th. His health doesn't permit to attend long meetings. At the moment the 73-year-old prince has to contend with intestine complaints and pain in his back.

April 28th
The Germans handed over the remaining parts of the Bernstein-room, a mosaic and a commode, to the Russian president Putin in the throne room of the Catherine Palace near St. Petersburg. The room, once called the eight miracle of the world, was given to Czar Peter I of Russia in 1716 by King Friedrich Wilhelm I of Prussia, and disappeared in 1942 from the summer palace of Tsarskoie Selo, where it had been since 1755.

April 29th
Queen Beatrix and her family, except for Prince Claus, celebrated Queen’s Day in Katwijk and Leiden. For the first time Annette Sekrève, the fiancée of Prince Bernhard, was present. Despite of the rain the royal family was surprised with lots of music, dance, singing, games and of course presents. Thousands of people stood along the route. In an unexpected speech at the end of her visit Queen Beatrix thanked all people who organised the celebrations on Queen’s Day in the Netherlands for the past 20 years. She said Queen’s Day is always a great pleasure for the family. Along the route there were many banners with texts about Prince Claus and of course Máxima. It was said on television Máxima was in the Netherlands today.

Queen’s Day 2000

April 30th
In a television interview Bruno Tobback, a Flemish Member of Parliament, pleaded for abolition of the political power of the Belgian King. He also criticised the Queens Fabiola and Paola, and Princess Mathilde, for not speaking Flemish well.


Royal News: March 2000. Last updated: April 1st, 2000.