One of my favourite royal couples last week celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary. Armin Prinz zur Lippe and Traute Prinzessin zur Lippe are both 88 years old, but last time I saw them, in August 2011, they still looked pretty healthy. Prince Armin, son of Fürst Leopold IV zur Lippe and his second wife, met […]
The engagement of the Prince of Orange and Máxima Zorreguieta
The Hague, 30 March 2001 The announcement Queen Beatrix: For me and my husband it is a great joy to announce the engagement of our son Willem-Alexander with Máxima Zorreguieta. We, as parents, are particularly happy with their decision to spend the rest of their lifes together. We have learned to know Máxima as an […]
Queen Beatrix enjoys a concert in Groningen
On 15 March Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands probably paid her last official visit as a Queen to my hometown Groningen, so there was no doubt about it that I would go and see her. She attended a jubilee concert of the Noord Nederlands Orkest in De Oosterpoort. During the season 2012/2013 the 150-year-old orchestra […]
Princess Lilian of Sweden has died
The Swedish court on Sunday evening announced the death of Princess Lilian of Sweden, Duchess of Halland, at her home, Villa Solbacken at Stockholm. The Princess died just after 6pm surrounded by King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia and their children. In recent years she had suffered from Alzheimer’s. The funeral service will take place […]
Royal Amsterdam
Because of the investiture of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands on 30 April you won’t be able to visit the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, nor the New Church for some time. The royal palace closes after 7 April and will only reopen on 7 May. You however have to check their website anyway when you […]
Crown Princely gathering in the Netherlands
The Prince of Orange and his wife Princess Máxima of the Netherlands invited their crown princely colleagues for a meeting in the Netherlands. The photo was taken on 2 March at the Castle Het Oude Loo in Apeldoorn. Present were Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg, Crown Princess Victoria and […]
A Song for King Willem-Alexander
The national committee inauguration last week said there will be a “Konigslied” (king’s song) written on the occasion, and as many people as possible should sing it on a special choosen moment on 30 April, the day Queen Beatrix will abdicate. But you wonder if it is necessary at all to spend any money on […]
My royal book collection
Spent the past days trying to do something about my messy royal bookshelves. Not sure though how long it will take before new books want to take their place.
Queen Beatrix 75th birthday party
All pictures and copyright: Josée Z. On 31 January Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands celebrated her 75th birthday, in private. On Friday 1 February she held a private party for family members, staff and former members of staff at the Beatrix Theater in Utrecht, The Netherlands. The guests saw a ballet performance by Introdans and […]
Celebrating 33 years as a royalty watcher
Usually I wouldn’t even have thought about it. But with the Queen having announced her abdication on Monday, it just occured to me on Thursday that I was actually celebrating my 33th anniversary as a royalty watcher. I am not quite sure whether that was the real starting date, but I think so. On 31 […]