Dutch Summer Photo Sessions 2: 2023 -


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iceflower

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Its a nice relaxed looking family holiday photo this year, on a breezy day!
 
A pity they didn’t chose the newly renovated Loo Palace for the photoshoot. The windy beach doesn’t do much. The outfits are rather casual and messy.
 
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Wow, I never noticed before but Alexia looks a lot like her mother. Also every time I see a family photo I think how short Alexia and Ariana are but I think thats just because of how tall their parents are.
 
Ariane seems to be taller than Alexia and about the same height as her older sister and mother nowadays. And Alexia has always been the one who most resembles her mother; Amalia and Ariane are more 'Orange' in that sense.

I would have like a slightly different 'look' for our royal family.
 
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Was Ariane really the only one who didn't get a solo picture with her mother or her father or is that just the misleading impression Getty is giving me?
 
Amalia says she pictured her first year of study a bit differently. She is grateful for all the support, also from the University who thinks along with her situation. She is also happy with her results. The King praied her grades as well. She will continue the 2nd year in Amsterdam.

She was asked if the threats make it more difficult for her to embrace her future. Amalia said she never thought of it like that. She just takes it day by day. Alexia intervened and says how proud she is of her sister.

Alexia joined her elder sister and parents behind the microphones and chatted with the press. The princess will not start her studies just yet but she will do a gap year. She says she has a lot of plans but nothing is planned yet. The Queen clarified: getting a lot of experiences. A combination of work and getting idea of what she wants to do in the future. Alexia said she had two very eventful years [in Wales] and that it would be good for her to 'return to myself'.

A journalist asked about the jokes at home of the King. Alexia: he laughs the loudest at his own jokes. Amalia: once in a while we laugh along. No, I can assure you that there is a lot of humor in our household and we can all laugh enormously about and with each other. Alexia: my parents of course are usually very busy. But during a day we often find small moments to laugh with each other.

Question to Pss Alexia, if she finds it difficult that she is limited oin the use of social media: I don't feel that I am limited at all. I use social media mostly to stay in tocuh with people, my friends. But not much more. Of course I made a few tiktok clips which were leaked when I was 14 years old. But social media I now use to stay in touch.

How do you feel when images of you are leaked by others? Alexia: I will never know who sends what around. And I don't think it is useful to try to figure that out. It is up to me to be more aware about what I post.... Amalia: 'And who you allow in'... Alexia: Who I let in, and when I post something I need to understand: what will happen when it does become public? It has actually been an enormous lesson.
Amalia adds: I also spoke about it with Claudia de Breij in my [18th birthday] book, that social media has had a big impact on my life, and often not in a positive way. But I think that when you grown you learn how to handle it better. You also learn how not to read it, how not to take it personally. Alexia add: not only for us, but for many people it is good not to take things to personally that are said on social media. It is so easy to say something nasty behind a screen. But as long as you know who you are [...] it matters little what is said on social media.


From the video it appears to me that Amalia is measured and thoughtful in what she says or especially how she says it. She does seem more relaxed in front of the camera than a while ago. Alexia seems more intinuative. Lovely to have the two daughters joining in and they handled the questions and themselves well, which at that age must be difficult. One pet peeve of mine: sun glasses when talking to somebody, as the Queen and the PoO are wearing.
 
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Absolutely beautiful photos!
 
Delightful photos. Especially the one with King WA having his arm around the shoulder of Amalia.

I suppose Ariane did not take part in the Q&A because she is not yet eighteen?
 
Amalia said she never thought that her first university year would be so difficult for her.
Alexia spoke but I understood nothing !
 
I really feel for Amalia. Poor girl really. Good that her sister jumped in and said that everyone should recognised how well she is handling the entire ordeal.
 
Alexia comes off so much better in action than in her posed pictures. I really like her. Amalia is an impressive young lady but you sensed she is a little weighed down. I hope she gets a chance to really enjoy this time and be a little free.
 
Delightful photos. Especially the one with King WA having his arm around the shoulder of Amalia.

I suppose Ariane did not take part in the Q&A because she is not yet eighteen?

Indeed. Alexia only turned 18 4 days ago, so this was her first time participating in an official 'press moment'. Previously, both Alexia and Ariane have answered a question or two for example at King's Day but never in this setting.

Amalia said she never thought that her first university year would be so difficult for her.
Alexia spoke but I understood nothing !

Amalia mainly said that she had pictured it quite differently (indeed not as difficult) - meaning that she had been looking forward to a normal student life as member of a student union; not a student living at home with her parents and limited movement due to security concerns.

Alexia indeed chimed in explaining how Amalia had put on a smile each and every day; and that she was really proud of her for doing so, adding that she couldn't have done that.

Was Ariane really the only one who didn't get a solo picture with her mother or her father or is that just the misleading impression Getty is giving me?

I guess that's misleading. Normally only Amalia gets a picture with her father as his heir. This time, there are also some pictures of Alexia with her mother - but those were made while they were posing as a group and Máxima and Alexia were on one end and Willem-Alexander with Amalia and Ariane on the other end.

There was a picture with Ariane and both her parents; as well as one of Alexia with both parents. I think the one of Alexia hugging her father was taken around that same time.

Of course, this time the photographers focused a bit more on Alexia as she turned 18 this week.
 
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Amalia said she never thought that her first university year would be so difficult for her.
Alexia spoke but I understood nothing !

Besides great pics,and people,all Princesses are good at handling the press,and their questions...The over 18 I mean.

Alexia seems a natural in off the cuff comments and answers as a natural.Knowing what she says and how,and very supportive to her older sister in trumpetting her in how Amalia handles the present situation,sort of rising above it.Very impressed,and yes,proud too!
 
Love how Alexia jumped in to support her sister and Amalia responded by touching her arm and smiling. It is so obvious that W-A and Maxima are still very loving and happy together which sets the tone for the three happy, confident young women.:flowers:
 
Full video of the press meeting (of course in Dutch):


Amalia was also asked about her recent international experience; she explained how it was really helpful to learn how to represent the Netherlands internationally. Especially, the reception at Buckingham Palace was really special for her - mostly because she attended with her grandmother.

Just like Amalia already mentioned in the book, Alexia immediately answered a question about humor that it is her father making most jokes and both daughters confirmed that he himself is the one laughing about them; the rest of the family not as much :)

And I really liked Alexia's response on the question what it was like to be limited in her social media use: she quickly quipped with but I don't feel limited... I mainly use social media to stay in touch with friends and that works well. So, there really isn't a real problem or limitation.

Regarding her choice for university study both Alexia and her parents stressed that it is important for her to follow her own interests and ambitions, because 'the daughters' can only fulfil their positions in the monarchy well if they first get to know themselves really well and develop themselves in a directions that fits them. Willem-Alexander has previously expressed this philosophy multiple times; and I think he is right that you need to be confident in yourself (the Dutch expression used is literally translated 'stand firmly in your shoes') before you can take up such responsibilities.

Alexia also interjected when Amalia was talking about how she was being prepared (after they had already had multiple questions about Alexia's role); explaining that both she and Ariane will be there to support Amalia in her future role 'a long long time in the future') not because they have to but because they want to.

In response to the final question, Alexia rightly refused to say anything about whether the security concerns for her had also changed when Amalia's security situation changed dramatically.

All in all, I was very impressed by her professionalism in this setting. As Amalia already indicated in the book, she is the most 'combative' (willing to start an argument with her father) while Amalia and Ariane are more harmony focused. And while that might be a risk in her role as well, I think, it for now it serves her well that she is a little more outspoken - but also knows very well what she is willing to say and what she is not willing to say (for example what kind of 'interest' she will pursue in the future - she didn't mention anything specific but said that it will among other things depend on her grades that she didn't receive yet).
 
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A little detail that the royal family conveniently forgot: dogs are not allowed on that part of the beach!
 
The setting with Huis ten Bosch in the background was beautiful.
 
The setting is nice indeed. That part of the garden was completely changed by the King and Queen during the renovation of the palace.

Pss Alexia indicated she doesn´t know yet where she will study and says she applied to various universities. One of them was indeed the university of Groningen.

The King was asked about the Child benifits scandal and the disagreement between the ministery of Finance and the foundation of Pss Laurentien about the sollutions to the issue. The King said the scandal was a stain on our society and we want to solve it as quickly as possible. I support anyone that wants to help the victims. He doesn´t want to say much more, for example about the video of Pss Laurentien, he continued: ´I leave the emotions with them. It is up to the minister to assess how to implement the damages/repairs'.

The crown princess was asked how she liked the photo sessions. She said that as a child it could be a little intimidating and a bit scary but as you grow older you understand what it is about. Her sister Alexia said she still found the wall of photographers intimidating: 'we are used to it, but it remains very scary. We had to get used to it. You want to do it perfectly, but nobody is perfect or does everything perfectly. It is important we remember that'.


Pss Amalia says she was introduced at various student associations and attended various 'friend days'. 'Nice girls, all of them. And it is an easy way for me to make friends in Amsterdam and to participate like a normal student'. It is unclear if she actually joined any of these associations. Although many students like to join these associations they have become controversial due to various incidents of violence, misogyny etc.


About the anti-Israel protests in Amsterdam she said: 'I think it is to be valued that we live in a country where everybody, not only students, can express their concerns. But I think that I am not the only student who has experienced more stress about the exams because of it,'. Clarification: the University of Amsterdam was closed for some days due to riots.

The King was asked about his prime minister, who is finally leaving after 14 years, 11 of which during WA's reign. 'It is special that for eleven years, since the inauguration, I cooporated with the same prime minister, and always in a very good way. I think there is an entire generation that has been raised in these last years, who doesn't know any better than that Mark Rutte is the Prime Minister. So for the entire country it will be a big change. But I am confident that with each of the next prime ministers I will be able to cooporate very well too'.

 
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They repeat the same scenario year after year, even if it is in different areas of Huis ten Bosch. Taking into account the age of the girls, the small number of public appearances they have and that these sessions are completely agreed with the press, it is a shame that they do not make an effort to find other locations or carry out some family activity. In the end it is always the same photo session with different clothes.
 
Last year they were on the beach. But I get your point. I think it would be nicer if they would go somewhere - a museum or to some other activity- as well. In the past they mixed it up more, but they always kept it close to home.

Like this the session itself will only get interesting when there are grandchildren around, which hopefully will still take quite a few years.
 
More photos:


 
Didn't this photoshoot idea start because the dutch royals got the media to stop posting non-official photos outside of 'work events', and this was the time when the media could get their photos for the year?
I wonder how long they will continue with the princesses going their own way and getting more out and about (and media from other countries won't be as easily controlled)..
 
Last year they were on the beach. But I get your point. I think it would be nicer if they would go somewhere - a museum or to some other activity- as well. In the past they mixed it up more, but they always kept it close to home.

Like this the session itself will only get interesting when there are grandchildren around, which hopefully will still take quite a few years.
The most recent photo session (which was the winter one taking place in December) was also outside in the palace gardens. So, yes, some change of environment would be nice. A very long time ago, they even had summer photo sessions in Italy (they never did them in Greece!).

Didn't this photoshoot idea start because the dutch royals got the media to stop posting non-official photos outside of 'work events', and this was the time when the media could get their photos for the year?
I wonder how long they will continue with the princesses going their own way and getting more out and about (and media from other countries won't be as easily controlled)..
Yes, it was unilaterally announced in June 2005 (so around the time of princess Alexia's birth) after the had sued a few publications in the years prior.

It indeed states that "members of the royal family are not followed with cameras or otherwise when they do not go out on the basis of their official functions (...) This applies in particular to minor members of the Royal House, up to and including school years and any further education." So, it specifically includes the princesses formative years - as long as they are still students. And is primarily focused on protecting the private lives of royal family members and their friends.

Journalists and photographers who adhere to the code are rewarded with invitations to "media moments around the royal family that belong to the private sphere of life". So, that is a part the family committed to uphold so they have some leverage (as the 'sanction' is not receiving accreditation) with the media other than to sue. Nonetheless, this latter legal option of course remains at their disposal - but they've rarely had to use it.
 
Another video capturing mostly the press conference but also some photoshoot moments


Including a great answer by Amalia when asked about her curtsey to the Spanish royal couple - she was asked if making a genuflection was still 'of this time' (read: relevant these days): "I think showing respect is still appropriate these days"
 
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