Princess Margriet & Prof Pieter Van Vollenhoven, Current Events 1 (Jul 2003-Nov 2006)

[Squidgy]

Yes, that's right Marengo - today is our favourite Dutch princess's 63rd birthday!

Do you think we will get a nice new portrait of her & her ever growing family?? I think over the last couple of years, the Van Vollenhoven clan has been releasing a series of photos around this time of year, haven't they? It would be so nice to see them all together.

 

[Marengo]

Well, I am not sure but I expect one soon as well, I think they didn't release one with Anita and Aimee on it, so I am looking forward to it as well.

 

[Squidgy]

I hope I'm not getting too off topic, but I know people have mentioned that for the birthdays of some members of the RF, that flags can be put out. I think this is only for the Queen (& maybe the Prince of Orange?).

What is this custom exactly and do a lot of members of the public actually participate in it by putting flags out? Was there ever a time when it was "OK" to put a flag out for Margriet's birthday?

 

[Marengo]

from www.koninklijkhuis.nl:

When may I fly the flag and when not?


In 2005, the Prime Minister drew up instructions for flying the flag on government buildings. The instructions also apply to local authorities. There are no such instructions for individuals, businesses and non-governmental organisations, but they are advised to follow these instructions.
The flag is flown on the following dates (or if the date given falls on a Sunday, on the date between brackets):

• 31 January (1 February): the Queen’s birthday
• April (28 April): birthday of the Prince of Orange
• 30 April (29 April): Koninginnedag (the Queen’s official birthday)
• 4 May (4 May ): Remembrance Day (half mast from 18:00 to sunset)
• 5 May (5 May): Liberation Day
• 17 May (18 May): birthday of Princess Máxima
• 15 August (16 August): the formal end of the Second World War
• 3rd Tuesday in September: Prinsjesdag (the State Opening of Parliament); only in The Hague)
• 7 December (8 December): Birthday of Princess Catharina-Amalia
• 15 December (16 December): Kingdom Day

On Koninginnedag and the birthdays mentioned above, the flag is flown with an orange pennant. On all other occasions, it is flown without the orange pennant.
On the occasion of special events in the Royal House (such as births, marriages and deaths), special instructions may be given.
During official visits by foreign heads of state, the flag is flown only in the places visited.

---

So no flag for Margriet. Most people only put the flag out on Queensday. There are some for the Queens birthday les for the Prince of Orange, and even less for Maxima and Catharina-Amalia. Public buildings all have the dutch flag in top, with an orange pennant on these days. The members of the RF do not participate in this, only on Queensday they are present when the national anthem (Wilhelmus) is sung & the flag is raised upon their arrival in the first village/city they visit.

 

[Squidgy]

Ah! Thanks so much for the detailed explanation Marengo! I see occasionally references to putting the flag out on the BRMB and never really understood what it meant. (BTW, I found it interesting that so many of the "flag days" were related to WWI and WWII commemorations).

 

[Marengo]

well, only to WW2 as we didn't participate in the first world war & remained neutral (according to some sources the reason the germans didn't attack us tht time was because of the fondness Wilhelm II had for his dutch cousin, a fondness which was not returned btw,as Wilhelmina broke of all contacts when Wilhelm II arrived in excile in The Netherllands, and even before the dutch court did everything possible to prevent him from attending dutch hay-days. Queen Emma privately expressed her worries that Wilhelm II might upstage the bride during Wilhelmina-s wedding ).

Anyway, I think most private flags are shown on Queensday (in my hometown most people, almost everybody has a flag on that day. My 91-y/o greataunt usually puts orange flowers in front of the window as well), closely followed by Liberation day and commemoration day (half mast). But I think n the more republican Amsterdam less flags are flown from private houses.

 

[Squidgy]

well, only to WW1 as we didn't participate in the first world war & remained neutral (according to some sources the reason the germans didn't attack us tht time was because of the fondness Wilhelm II had for his dutch cousin, a fondness which was not returned btw,as Wilhelmina broke of all contacts when Wilhelm II arrived in excile in The Netherllands, and even before the dutch court did everything possible to prevent him from attending dutch hay-days. Queen Emma privately expressed her worries that Wilhelm II might upstage the bride during Wilhelmina-s wedding ).

Anyway, I think most private flags are shown on Queensday (in my hometown most people, almost everybody has a flag on that day. My 91-y/o greataunt usually puts orange flowers in front of the window as well), closely followed by Liberation day and commemoration day (half mast). But I think n the more republican Amsterdam less flags are flown from private houses.

Oops! Thanks for the correction about there being no "flag day" commemorating WWI - I only saw the words "Remembrance Day" & thought of what is Remembrance Day in Canada - Nov 11 - which marks the end of fighting in WWI.

That's great that people in your hometown show so much spirit & enthusiasm for these traditional customs.

As for Margriet never being honoured with the putting out of flags - boo hoo! Oh well, if I was living in the Netherlands, I would put out a flag anyways - one covered with daisies!

 

[Alexandria]

As for Margriet never being honoured with the putting out of flags - boo hoo! Oh well, if I was living in the Netherlands, I would put out a flag anyways - one covered with daisies!

I'd join you in putting a flag out for Princess Margriet, too! A daisy-covered one sounds even better!

It's too bad that nothing more is done to honour and commemorate Princess Margriet's special day by the Dutch people. I think she deserves such an honour as much as the Prince and Princess of Orange.

By the way Squidy, I love your new avatar of Princess Margriet! She has such a lovely smile and such a welcoming presence about her.

 

[Squidgy]

I'd join you in putting a flag out for Princess Margriet, too! A daisy-covered one sounds even better!

It's too bad that nothing more is done to honour and commemorate Princess Margriet's special day by the Dutch people. I think she deserves such an honour as much as the Prince and Princess of Orange.

By the way Squidy, I love your new avatar of Princess Margriet! She has such a lovely smile and such a welcoming presence about her.

I agree Alexandria - Margriet seems to get little honour, yet she has given so much to her country. She's always conducted herself in the most dignified way & has managed to keep her private life out of the scandal sheets. Oh well, I suppose she herself would not really want any sort of tribute done in her honour!

Ps. Glad you like my avatar! I know you are an admirer of the princess too (& her daughter-in-laws - I love how you've managed to fit them all on your avatar)

 

[Squidgy]

Jan. 20 2006 Margriet christens a ship in Rotterdam today.

(She has been wearing a lot of lavender/lilac coloured outfits over the past year. Thank goodness the colour suits her well & it is cheerful looking!)

Photos: ANP

 

[Marengo]

Ah, I saw this on the television news. Margriet looked very elegant and she has a lovely voice. Thank you for posting the pictures.
The hat seems to be a pastel version of the green one she wore on Prinsjesdag.

 

[Squidgy]

Ah, I saw this on the television news. Margriet looked very elegant and she has a lovely voice. Thank you for posting the pictures.
The hat seems to be a pastel version of the green one she wore on Prinsjesdag.

It does look very similar in style to the green one she wore in September. She seems to really like that style of hat.

And yes, I agree she has a lovely voice. I haven't heard her speak much in Dutch, but have heard her talk quite a bit in English when she is visiting Canada. Her English is perfect BTW. One speech I remember in particular was when she was saying how touched she was that the flag flew at half mast over the Canadian parliament when her mother, Juliana, died. She spoke with emotion and even had a bit of difficulty getting some of the words out. It was very moving - nice to see that after years of public speaking, living with strict protocol, etc., there is still a real human being beneath the royal exterior!

 

[purple_platinum]

Princess Margriet has baptised new pilot vessel Princess Margriet, sister of Queen Beatrix, has baptised the new SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull) pilot vessel at the Cruiseterminal in Rotterdam. The name of the pilot vessel is PERSEUS and will be used in the harbour of Rotterdam-Rijnmond. The vessel is 25meters long and 14 meters wide.



(from sipa via newscom)

 

[Marengo]

It does look very similar in style to the green one she wore in September. She seems to really like that style of hat.

And yes, I agree she has a lovely voice. I haven't heard her speak much in Dutch, but have heard her talk quite a bit in English when she is visiting Canada. Her English is perfect BTW. One speech I remember in particular was when she was saying how touched she was that the flag flew at half mast over the Canadian parliament when her mother, Juliana, died. She spoke with emotion and even had a bit of difficulty getting some of the words out. It was very moving - nice to see that after years of public speaking, living with strict protocol, etc., there is still a real human being beneath the royal exterior!

Is her english with a british accent?
Of all her daughters it is generally believed that it is Margriet who takes most after her mother, so it is nice to hear such a story (new to me).
---

and thanks purple platinum for posting more pictures, you are a treasure in these things (and in many more )

 

[purple_platinum]

how very sweet of you, marengo... you made my day!
i've always like seeing more of the vollenhovens..

 

[Squidgy]

Is her english with a british accent?
Of all her daughters it is generally believed that it is Margriet who takes most after her mother, so it is nice to hear such a story (new to me).

Marengo, I don't think Margriet speaks with a British accent, although I think I know why you are saying this - because some people have commented on this Forum that her sister Beatrix speaks with a bit of a British accent.

I would say she speaks English with a slight Dutch accent. Although, it is a very mild accent, you can tell that English is not her Mother tongue. (However, having said that, I think she speaks English better than the man who was Canada's Prime Minister for 10 years - Jean Chretien.) And her knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary is excellent.

You know, I think I only heard her speak in Dutch once - in an old video posted on the web from when she was engaged to Pieter. So that's from a few years ago. Does she do much public speaking in the Netherlands, or does she leave that job mostly to her big sister?

 

[Marengo]

She doesn't speak in public very often, and when she does it is usually very short (as with the baptism of a ship). She sometimes participates on camera, to raise funds for the red cross for example. She even attended (with husband and 2 sons) a very big television programme (one of these television marathons for a good cause, in this case the red cross) and spoke there around 15 years ago, urging the viewers to become a member of the red cross. I believe it was one of the most succesfull fundraisings ever here in Holland.

 

[Squidgy]

She doesn't speak in public very often, and when she does it is usually very short (as with the baptism of a ship). She sometimes participates on camera, to raise funds for the red cross for example. She even attended (with husband and 2 sons) a very big television programme (one of these television marathons for a good cause, in this case the red cross) and spoke there around 15 years ago, urging the viewers to become a member of the red cross. I believe it was one of the most succesfull fundraisings ever here in Holland.

I sort of got the impression she didn't speak in public much. Thanks Marengo.

BTW, are the pictures below from the Red Cross television marathon?? I saw them on Bruno Press awhile back, but could never figure out what was going on.

 

[Marengo]

Squidgy, I think we are a perfect team, the two of us , for the picture are of the television marathon I was telling about! How funny! The woman in the 2nd picture is the 'grand lady' of dutch television btw. She did a programme on Juliana's 75th birthday (attended by the RF) and presented a book as national present. The book (which I have!) has an enormous amount of pictures send in by people from all over the country + their stories/remarks (if only I had a scanner).

 

[Alexandria]

Was Princess Margriet not on Dutch TV late last December or early last January pleading on behalf of the Red Cross for help for victoms of the tsunami victims? I recall a picture of Princess Margriet dressed in black, with tears in her eyes.

I only saw a still image; I am not sure if there is an accompanying video for it.

 

[Marengo]

Yes she was! Not in the studio though (as for the red cross), but her message was recorded (and repeated often).

 

[Squidgy]

Squidgy, I think we are a perfect team, the two of us , for the picture are of the television marathon I was telling about! How funny! The woman in the 2nd picture is the 'grand lady' of dutch television btw. She did a programme on Juliana's 75th birthday (attended by the RF) and presented a book as national present. The book (which I have!) has an enormous amount of pictures send in by people from all over the country + their stories/remarks (if only I had a scanner).

Ha! Ha! Yes, we are a perfect, though not equal, team Marengo! All I do is find the pictures sometimes, while you provide the wonderful wealth of information about them - the hard part! (But I see you are posting alot of pictures yourself these days, so you might be putting me out of a job!)

It's so nice to finally know what those pictures were all about. I could never figure out why Pieter-Christiaan was there. I thought maybe she was being presented with some award or something like that - but now I know.

 

[Squidgy]

Was Princess Margriet not on Dutch TV late last December or early last January pleading on behalf of the Red Cross for help for victoms of the tsunami victims? I recall a picture of Princess Margriet dressed in black, with tears in her eyes.

I only saw a still image; I am not sure if there is an accompanying video for it.

How did I miss that?? I know she attended the Tsunami memorial with other members of the RF last January, but I never heard about this.

It's great that Margriet is so involved in the Red Cross, both at a national and an international level. She has been active with them since she was a very young woman and I can't see her ever stopping her involvement with them.

 

[Marengo]

She has been active with them since she was a very young woman and I can't see her ever stopping her involvement with them.

And even before that she was trained/educated to be a nurse (in Leiden, where she met Pieter).

--

For a dutchman the hard part (providing information) isn't as hard as for a canadian, I think As I just discovered photobucket I am still very enhausiastic in posting these things!

 

[Squidgy]

For a dutchman the hard part (providing information) isn't as hard as for a canadian, I think As I just discovered photobucket I am still very enhausiastic in posting these things!

... and may your love affair with Photobucket never end (so we can keep getting wonderful pics!!)

It is hard to find info on Margriet in English. I just get little anecdotes here & there. But she's not completely off our radar over here in Canada. Just yesterday there was a picture of her (along with her parents & big sisters) in the Ottawa Citizen. (The article was on the Rockcliffe Park Public School that Beatrix & Irene attended for a few years. It really didn't say much on Margriet - just that she opened a Reading Park in Juliana's name when she was here last May.)

 

[Marengo]

Sadly there isn't that much information on Margriet here either, of course her public engagements gets in the press, but she lives a rather private life (good for her). I remember some paparazzi pictures of her helping one of her sons to move and packing & carrying boxes though.

 

[Squidgy]

Sadly there isn't that much information on Margriet here either, of course her public engagements gets in the press, but she lives a rather private life (good for her). I remember some paparazzi pictures of her helping one of her sons to move and packing & carrying boxes though.

Well, as long as her public duties get some press coverage, I'm happy. Like you Marengo, I think it's wonderful that she has managed to have a private life.

There have been few paparazzi pictures. I haven't seen the ones of her helping one of her sons to move, but I recall some of her cleaning the window sill at Bernhard's house. I think it was right before Annette gave birth to Samuel, so I guess Margriet was helping out with things. I was totally shocked to see those pictures - it was the first & only time I've seen a senior member of any RF doing housework! (Then I felt guilty because the pictures seemed like such an invasion of her privacy - but she probably didn't really mind these pictures too much. I mean such pictures certainly didn't hurt her public image of being a down to earth, kind person any!)

 

[Squidgy]

A photo of Prof. Mr. Pieter Van Vollenhoven's visit to Rijsbergen & Zundert on Jan. 18 2006 from koninklijkhuis.nl

 

[Squidgy]

The official website for the RF said that Margriet & Pieter were scheduled to attend last night's dinner to celebrate 400 years of Dutch/Australian relations, but according to this article http://www.tiscali.nl/content/article/nbinn/471219.htm (sorry it's in Dutch only), she didn't attend because her back is still bothering her.

I was going to ask if anyone had heard if she was planning to attend the Special Olympics in Turin in March (since Margriet became a member of the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) Honorary Board last spring), but it perhaps she is reluctant to commit herself to much these days??

 

[Marengo]

Thank you very much Squidgy! I was already asking questions about her attendance at the GREMB! I hope it will get better soon, she has had this problem way to long!

I haven't heard anything about her attendance of the Paralympics either btw.