Willem-Alexander & Máxima Visit Australia & New Zealand: October 23-November 4, 2006

[Marengo]

Willem-Alexander & Máxima Visit Australia & New Zealand: October 23-November 4, 2006

Prince of Oranje and Princess Máxima naar Australia (23 - 28 october 2006) en New-Zealand (31 october - 4 november 2006)

HRH The Prince of Orange and HRH Princess Maxima will pay an official visit to Australia from 23 untill 28 of october 2006. They were invited by HE Governor-General Michael Jeffery in order to celebrate 400 years of bilateral contacts between the countries. The couple will visit Canberra, Uluru, Tasmania and Sydney.

THe couple will pay an official visit to New-Zealand from 31 october till 4 november. They were invited by HE Govenor-General Anand Satayan and and will visit Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Auckland

http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/content.jsp?objectid=16459

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Please post any information, articles, and pictures here.

 

[Danielle]

Wow, this is very exciting. I hope there will be an opportunity for me to see them. Does anyone know when they might release an itinerary of their schedule? I'm sure it will be posted here when it's released.

 

[Marengo]

The royal house website will release an exact sheduele for sure, but not to long before the visit, I think. Considering how they ordered the message I think Sydney will be visited last (in Australia), so the 28th and maybe the 27th to...
I hope you will be able to spot them somewhere, Danielle. Make sure you have your camera with you.

 

[JessRulz]

Program Outline of the Visit

A program outline of the visit to Australia & New Zealand was posted yesterday on koninklijkhuis.nl

It is devided up by day, and does not give exact times or anything, like I already said, it is a program outline of the visit

AUSTRALIA

Monday October 23 (Canberra):

• Arrival at the military part of the Canberra airport
• Visit to the Australian War Memorial and a visit to the recollections gallery and museum
• Reception of the Dutch Communitees in Canberra
• Official dinner at Government House, offered by the Governor-General

Tuesday October 24 (Canberra/Uluru):

• Visit to the Australian Insititute of Sport (AIS)
• Attendance at a discussion over the relations between Australia and South-East Asia/Indonesia at the Australian National University
• Visit to Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre
• Dinner in the open air, and conversation with experts and inhabitants about life in the outback

Wednesday October 25 (Hobart):

• Lunch with the Governor of Tasmania
• Visit to the exhibition 'Antartica: Islands to Ice' at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
• Reception of the Dutch Communitees in Tasmania
• Official dinner at Government House, offered by the Governor of Tasmania

Thursday October 26 (Tasmania):

• Visit to the Tahunae Forest Airwalk, before a walk between the tree tops of the moderate rainforest
• Sphere flight over the World Heritage Wilderness Area in South-West Tasmania
• Visit to Port Arthur

Friday October 27 (Sydney):

• Sailing trip
• Conversation with the Promising Young Australians
• Attendance at a discussion over integration with administors, co-workers and immigrants
• Official dinner offered by the Governor of New South Wales
• The end of the 400-year bilateral celebrations at the Sydney Opera House, with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra lead by Jaap of Sweden

Saturday October 28 (Sydney):

• Breakfast with the CEO of Dutch and the Netherlands related commitments, during a round-trip through Sydney Harbour
• Visit to the Aboriginal Art Project in the Art Gallery
• Reception of the Dutch Communitees in New South Wales

 

[JessRulz]

Program Outline of the Vist Part 2

Program Outline continued...

NEW ZEALAND

October 31 (Wellington):

• Arrival at the military part of the Wellington Internationl Airport
• Visit to the Parliament House
• Welcoming Ceremony at Government House (with a Guard of Honour and Maori welcome)
• Meeting with the Governor-General of New Zealand
• Visit to the National War Memorial
• Visit to the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum (Maori culture)
• Official dinner, offered by the Governor-General of New Zealand

November 1 (Nelson/Wellington):

• Visit to the Medieval Tasman National Park
• Visit to the wine producer, Woollaston Estates
• Visit to the Cawthorn Laboratory
• Visit to the Medieval Tasman Statue
• Visit to the Museum of Collectable Cars
• Reception of Dutch Communitees in Wellington

November 2 (Christchurch):

• Visit to the Antartic Centre
• Attendance at a discussion about relations between New Zealand and Europe at the University of Canterbury
• Attendance at a rugby match between New Zealand and Dutch children
• Reception of Dutch Communitees in Christchurch

November 3 (Auckland):

• Attendance at a discussion between the Department of Labour and the Refugee Migration Service over the new New Zealand migration administration
• Visit to Selwyn College, a multicultural secondary school
• Lunch with the CEO of Dutch and the Netherlands Relations
• Visit to the Designer Textiles Ltd, the company which makes clothing produced from New Zealand Merino wool
• Dinner, offered through the government

November 4 (Auckland):

• Visit at the Dutch elderly person complex, Our Town
• Reception of Dutch Communitees in Auckland

 

[JessRulz]

I am not surprised that they will be visiting Port Arthur while they are in Tasmania, it is a very popular tourist attraction, and pretty much every tourist who goes to Tasmania visits Port Arthur.
I've been to the Tahunae Forest Airwalk, we went there with school last year, and it is very high up in the forest...not my cup of tea.
Hope W-A & Maxima aren't scared of heights!!

 

[rosalyn]

New Zealand Schedule

Is there an error on the dates for New Zealand? October 2rd.......??
Are the two little darling girls going too? thanks

 

[maxima88]

The two little girls will not come. In the interview given in last summer in Italy, a journalist asked if they would come. Maxima told them that if they where comming, it would be more a 'satisfaction' for them as parents. But the girls would not have anything to it. Because it would be going from the hotel to another.

 

[kate14]

Thanks everyone for the update. Wow, almost 2 weeks w/ out seeing the 2 Princesses, will probaly be hard on WA and Maxima.

 

[sara1981]

The two little girls will not come. In the interview given in last summer in Italy, a journalist asked if they would come. Maxima told them that if they where comming, it would be more a 'satisfaction' for them as parents. But the girls would not have anything to it. Because it would be going from the hotel to another.

yeah but Amalia and Alexia not join with parents while on their trips but im sure the nanny will stay with the girls or Maxima's parents im not sure!

 

[Australian]

I wonder why they are not going to Melbourne. I think they would enjoy it there. I hope they enjoy themselves in Australia and New Zealand.

 

[monica]

thankss for the information !!!!!

 

[sara1981]

i cant wait what Maxima wores for gala evening dress she wores and daytimes dresses in australia and new zealand

 

[Danielle]

Saturday October 28 (Sydney):
Visit to the Aboriginal Art Project in the Art Gallery

Thanks for posting the information. I think the best way for me to see them will be then. Of all the Royal visits here, I think will be the best ever opportunity. I'm always there and have a few 'contacts'. But, and this is pretty 'trivial', what would I do if I actually saw them? Sure, it's nice to imagine meeting them, but if I really saw them I would be too scared to greet them, and there would be heaps of cameras. We're not used to royalty here and I wouldn't want to come off disrespectful. Maybe I could get a little gift for the new baby and the girls. I don't think a lot of people are going to know they're coming. Another story if it was CP Mary.

 

[lucien]

I wonder why they are not going to Melbourne. I think they would enjoy it there. I hope they enjoy themselves in Australia and New Zealand.

Oh but they will be in Melbourne for the weekend,IIRC,ahead of the official start in Canberra.Just to take a rest and getting adjusted to the different time/climate.And then on monday morning they'll fly to Canberra by KBX.

 

[Australian]

Here is an article about the Dutch visit as well as the Danish visit and pregnancy(?) It talks about Maxima and WA towards the middle. Apparently some people are getting mixed up with the Dutch and Danish royal families.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20560795-2,00.html

 

[princess leonor]

It's great they're going to Australia and New Zealand. I think Maxima is going to have a hard time leaving her girls behind in Holland. She's going to miss those cuties

 

[lucien]

The PoO and Princess Máxima have left for "Oz" earlyer today and they're expected to arrive there tomorrow for a short private visit ahead of the start of the official visit on monday.

 

[carlota]

i'm really looking forward to this visit. it's always a pleasure for me to see willem and maxima.

i loved port arthur by the photos i saw when frederik and mary went there. will be lovely to see willem and maxima there!

i must say i was impressed by the schedule, seems like a lot for a pregnant woman! not to mention that she has already been in quite a lot of activities this week...

 

[magnik]

I can't waite to see photos from Australia and New Zeland
I hope that everything will be great, Maxi, WA, weather...

 

[EmmieLou]

Can't wait for this, must be terrible deciding on whether to bring the children or not.

On one hand as a parent you would miss them so much but they are at that age when then need to be stimulated and if Willem and Maxima are going from event to event then they would be stuck with a nanny.

I guess they would have time to see them between events but maybe the long flight is putting them off too.

I am sure there will be lots and lots of phone calls between Austraila and Holland though.

Maybe Maxima's parents will take care of the children along with a nanny.

Mary and Frederik being in Australia showed the country in a great light, really looking forward to this trip.

 

[dazzling]

This visit will be very intresting. looking forward to seeing all the pictures

 

[nokklav]

i think although they will be very busy they will take their daughters considering the trip is veryu long compared to others

 

[lucien]

i think although they will be very busy they will take their daughters considering the trip is veryu long compared to others

Oh no,nokklav,the trip would be far to much for the two little children.Have a look at the itinerary,daily flights and staying at different hotels on a daily bases in both Oz and New Zealand,far too strenious,so no,the children stay with the best babysit immaginable to them,granny Beatrix.

And as this trip takes a fourtnight,I don't rule out that Máxima's parents are helping out in the babysit department as well,it happened before in simular cases,they stayed at the "Eikenhorst".

TRH arrived in Australia on saturday,having a private weekend before the official start at noon monday in Canberra,04.00AM in the Netherlands.

 

[prinsesbeagle]

no kids

Looking at their own words, they're not going to take their young children with them and thats the right decision. By the time the kids would finally be over the jetlag, they have to make that 24 hour flight again. Plus their parents would not have any time for them. Not going to happen.

I doubt her parents will be the ones to look after the kids. Their nanny and Queen Beatrix will, as they have done on previous occasions.

 

[magnik]

Imagine Beatrix like a small girl playing with her granddaughters in sand-pit

 

[mandyy]

Princess Maxima of the Netherlands arrives with her husband Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of Orange in Canberra, Australia October 23, 2006.
#4-6: His Royal Highness Willem-Alexander, the prince of Orange and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands are pictured after signing the Senate visitors book at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Monday, Oct. 23, 2006.
#1-6: from Polfoto
#7-8: Reuters



gallery from getty images
http://editorial.gettyimages.com/source/search/FrameSet.aspx?s=EventImagesSearchState%7c0%7c1%7c0%7c28%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c1%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c72224223%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c%7c%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c0&p=7&tag=1http://editorial.gettyimages.com/ms_gins/source/home/home.aspx?pg=1

 

[soCal girl]

Thanks for posting the first photos, mandyy!

WA and Maxima both look absolutely radiant but I must ask though, what is that ridiculous thing on Maxima's head?

 

[amina1]

I really don't like the shoes

 

[popy]

Thanks for the pictures mandyy
I don't like Maxima's hat