Beatrix - News and Photos

[anirac]

Well I am reading it at the moment, however it would most certainly be more correct to say I am fighting myself thru those pages.
I never once read anything so extremely arrogant and floating above. Wilhelminas spirituality and Geblabber about God and the Holy spirit is very difficult to read, her patriotism completely ignoring the Netherlands tragedy during the occupation and her complete ignorance of what is well known about her family so naive that it is almost endearing.
For ex. most of her speeches during the war from GB (the ones she quotes in her book) are touching the lost lives and the danger in the occupied areas only slightly whereas she dwells on that she (we as in pluralis majestatis) plans on reforms after the war, however which ones?. She writes about the exiled government without ever really saying something.
A good example is her defence of Juliana, who according to the book had been accused of living the safe live in Canada and busying herself entirely with her children. That the Queen says was not correct, Juliana had worked tirelessly to better the conditions of the poor dutch, meeting them whereever possible. She had been a rock overseas. BUt no explanantions as to how, what where. What exactly did she do? Achieve? Attempt? No examples whatsoever and personally and without a pinch of blame I would say Wilhelmina didn't exonerate Juliana but merely reminded people of that rumour which had it been correct would have had my blessing anyway.
A funny anecdote is the mentioning of her son-in-law, who apparently enjoyed the "carefree" live of a warhero a dare devil without family to worry about a bit too much. She said that he felt the bitter seperation of wife and children so badly, that she felt it necessary to move back into with him.  I wonder if she felt it safer to move back to keep a sterner eye on him? Keeping rumours at bay?
Anyhow, all in all I actually started to not like her.

I tought as much that she had write it in that way. That's why I said, that it is not the historical point of view what makes this book interesting for me. It is the way Wilhelmina saw herself. The royal self-image or the position of the Queen because of God's will it is so out of time. That also was a reason she abdicated as far as I remember. She felt that she couldn't cope with the modern times. And that is exactly what you write (The things about arrogance, floating above, God and Holy Spirit). I am not sure if you can blame her for that. I think it is a result out of her education. Since she was 10/18 years she was the Queen (the first 8 years under the regent of her mother, but that doesn't matter) and she learned to be a Majesty like all the other regents of Europe before the First World War. Most of them were superficial, thought they stood above just because they lay in the right cradle and inherit a God's will position I think till her dead she was a relict of the old times. And I think it is how she wrote it: as an relict that couldn't cope with the modern, that try to defend herself and her position and who wished back the times of an almost unlimited regent.
She was allways the Queen even after her abdication and also in her family and I think she also acted like that. I read somewhere (so that is not  100%trustable source  ) that especially her older granddaughters hadn't that strong band with her. One reason was like you wrote "Wilhelminas spirituality and Geblabber  about God and the Holy spirit". They tought that this royal self-image was out of time. And the other reason was the way Wilhelmina dealt in the family. Beatrix and Irene called Wilhemina's residence "Het Loo" "Het Koulde (Kaltes) Loo" and the home of her other granny Princess Armgard, the mother of Prince Bernhard, as "Het warm Loo"

That is just all my interpretation without reading the book, just from what I read and heard about her, but as I said I would like to read it (even if it is difficult and you have yourself fighting through the pages )

[fairy]

You make a lot of very good and valid points.
Times have changed a lot since she was a) a child growing up in what she called the cage and b) a queen reigning in the way she saw her duty.
HOwever I think she was a very strong character, very stubborn and very single-minded. Her upbringing allowed her to become as charismatic as she probably was. I doubt that many people back in her times would have given any contra (still valid today), so when she as she said,all but dismissed her gouverness and her teachers at the ripe age of 12/13 (sitting thru the lessons with the intention of not really listening but staying there in order not to 'make Mother unhappy') she was probably able to without anyone setting her head straight. At that age she had discovered the problem of science (evolution) and Gods creation and decided not to pay any more attention to science...

Something that I consider extremely "Victorian" is her devotion for "Mother" and later on her "Mama-in-law". Even though she had probably rather limited contact with her mother. Quote: " the hour in the evening that I used to spend with Mother whenever she had time" and still is convinced of the very popular idea of the mother sacrificing herself entirely for her children. Judging herself cruel for hurting her mother by leaving her upon her marriage...

Another aspect that is really quite endearing is how she writes about her granddaughters. She doesn't mentioned them too often (I am not yet thru though) but when she does than with a very obvious and warm affection and pride. She seemed to have adored her daughter and at least as long as they were children the girls.

[anirac]

[...]
HOwever I think she was a very strong character, very stubborn and very single-minded. Her upbringing allowed her to become as charismatic as she probably was. [...]

Something that I consider extremely "Victorian" is her devotion for "Mother" and later on her "Mama-in-law". Even though she had probably rather limited contact with her mother. Quote: " the hour in the evening that I used to spend with Mother whenever she had time" and still is convinced of the very popular idea of the mother sacrificing herself entirely for her children. Judging herself cruel for hurting her mother by leaving her upon her marriage...

Another aspect that is really quite endearing is how she writes about her granddaughters. She doesn't mentioned them too often (I am not yet thru though) but when she does than with a very obvious and warm affection and pride. She seemed to have adored her daughter and at least as long as they were children the girls.

It is very interesting and rather funny that the stubbornness, the strong charackter and the charisma are the most noticeable character traits that come to your mind, if you think about the female reign Queens of the Netherlands. Lets wait for Amalia 

I think that "Victorian" is the best describtion of Wilhelmina and I am happy (for the girls in first instance) that you vitiate my thesis about grandmother and granddaughters althought it is just for the first years. Let me know if this changed in Wilhelmina's last years. (if you could handle it to come through the book   )


A short trip in the presence

Yesterday Beatrix received the Czech president Vaclav Claus
http://www.anp-photo.com/search.pp?mailingid=9499

And today she visited Roombeek. It the part of Enschede, which was almost completely destroyed 8 years ago, when a firework company exploded. She opened the cultural centre.
http://ppe-agency.com/sho...e=2&search=22-04-2008 Enschede
http://www.anp-photo.com/...ailingid=9508&flush=1

The "puddle" was the place were the explosion started at May 13th 2000. 23 people died in the fire (4 of them were fire workers) and almost thousand people were wounded. One day later Beatrix and prime minister Wim Kok came to see the disaster with their own eyes.

http://i180.photobucket.c...rac_86/0000365818-001.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.c...0KeineKniginnurMensch.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.c...irac_86/koniginenburg.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.c.../anirac_86/kokkonburg.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.c...irac_86/kokenkoningin.jpg
I think this photo was the most famous, when Beatrix try to comfort a police officer and laid her arm around her shoulder
http://i180.photobucket.c...nirac_86/beatrix_dpa_.jpg

[fairy]

first: It is now officially summer in the Netherlands, HM has switched from woolen fur blankies to light wraps. But red? Honey there is no need to wear a signal colour or even put a flashing neon sign on your head, The QueenBee will never be mistaken.

As to the pictures from the Enschede tragedy, she looks like she was really sick to her stomach. It must be quite hard to visit such places and show the right amount of concern. You either look to unimpressed or too moved. But she looked really sick. Terrible incident back then.

On a lighter note and simply because I can't help myself as the court jester: was she afraid that the fumes might ignite her hairspray or why did she not wear her helmet? (spray bottle usually say: "stay away from open fires, easily ignitable")
However the hairstyle looks sooooooo much nicer, quite pretty actually. So pretty that I am willing to let the candy coloured teeny pink lipstick pass>>>>>

[anirac]

It is not just summer. It must be hot At the last engagment yesterday evening and today she didn't even wear a blanket.

Yesterday she arrived with Laurentien at a conference about early child development

http://ppe-agency.com/sho...e=2&search=22-04-2008 The Hague

(Is it me or does her "helmet" looks very soft?  )

And today she opened a new bio-energy central.

http://www.anp-photo.com/...onjobid=20703&flush=1

(Completly new outfit. And I don't like it  )

[fairy]

I tell ya she is reading me, what can I say? Read my last post about how pretty this softer look is and wow me...
O my God, she reads me, QUEENBEE, Heree over Hereeeee, OMG (Doing a frantic wave a la mary on the helipad) 

[Chris]

http://ppe-agency.com/sho...e=2&search=22-04-2008 The Hague

I love The Bee.  Check that outfit...what is it, a silk and velvet oriental carpet draped fetchingly over one shoulder?  No wonder she left off the blanket.  And I'm delighted to see her lunch is safe under the usual chapeau de dejuner.  I really love The Bee.  Of all of them, she's the one I'd most like to spend an afternoon with.

[fairy]

Nothing is draped over the shoulder. It is her purse that pulls up the fabric. NO nothing of the sorts of draping or wrapping to hinder us from enjoying the full effect of this eighties housewife pyjama top.
Well Bee, the hair is perfect, no lunchbox on top, wonderful now lets talk about clothes... (whoever of her costume designers said she was a bit insecure as to what she should wear was soooo on the mark)

[Chris]

Nothing is draped over the shoulder. It is her purse that pulls up the fabric. NO nothing of the sorts of draping or wrapping to hinder us from enjoying the full effect of this eighties housewife pyjama top.
Well Bee, the hair is perfect, no lunchbox on top, wonderful now lets talk about clothes... (whoever of her costume designers said she was a bit insecure as to what she should wear was soooo on the mark)

She does have a lunchbox, fairy.  Check the pictures where she's wearing the red muu muu.  Please don't frighten me...hearing that The Bee went out without a lunchbox is the same as hearing that Santa's not real. 

[fairy]

Ah, now I see, we were talking about two different events. The daytime event with the red sofa cover drapped indeed quite seductively over her shoulder shows the cooler firmly in place. ANd rightly so, she was out and about in the Netherlands and had no way of knowing whether or not she'd be home for lunch.
The second event with the dark crushed velvet pullover at the theater however didn't allow for a cooler and there she had her hair in this very soft and very flattering do. So flatteringly pretty indeed, that I almost forgot to look at Laurentien, who to honor that event mugged either Kate Middleton or cousin-in-law Marilene and stole their boots.

As to Santa Claus, of course there is one, look for a man in underwear, since it is quite possible that the red muu muu originated from ...

[anirac]

http://www.anp-photo.com/...ailingid=9630&flush=1

Yesterday was Befrijdingsdag /Liberation Day in the Netherlands. At the end of the day there is a huge classic open air concert (the star this year was Roberta Alexander) before Carre, the theater where Beatrix and Magriet had their birthday bash. The street and the bridges are full of hundreds of people. What makes this concert special IMO is that most of the listener attended by boat and celebrate and listen to the concert at the Amstel. Beatrix attended the concert every year. She is coming by car and leave the concert by boat under the sound of  Dame Vera Lynn's "We"ll meet again" and cheered at by the crowed.

[anirac]

On Thuesday Beatrix made a working visit to the province Drenthe.
http://www.royalimages.nl...ailingid=9643&flush=1
http://i180.photobucket.c...ac_86/aktuell/7477066.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.c...ac_86/aktuell/7478521.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.c...ac_86/aktuell/7478573.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.c...uell/beatrixbuinenkvk.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.c...ac_86/aktuell/7478789.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.c...ac_86/aktuell/7478933.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.c...ac_86/aktuell/7478927.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.c...ac_86/aktuell/7478922.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.c...ac_86/aktuell/7478916.jpg
http://i180.photobucket.c...6/aktuell/beatrixkvdv.jpg

Love the hat. But the rest...  Otherwise she was afoot the whole day and smiled, who would be interested in the rest AND she didn't wear any poncho/blanket the whole day. Could it be that it was really hot this day 

One of the jounalists asked her if she has a secret to endure all this appointments like Queensday, Remembrance Day, Liberation Day, the visit to Drenthe, the state visit next week to Estland... Her answer was quiet simple: Gewoon 's ochtends opstaan en doorlopen. (Get up in the morning and keep moving) 

[Chris]

On Thuesday Beatrix made a working visit to the province Drenthe.
Love the hat....

Yes, it's lovely to see a lunchbox with a fancy brim and a little netting.  Nice change from the usual.  The Bee looks good, but not quite up to her recent appearance in the pink number.  Now THAT was very nice.  The Bee looks much better in spring and summer clothes (IMO)...no need for horse blankets, furs, dangling hems, or voluminous coats.   

[anirac]

On Thuesday Beatrix made a working visit to the province Drenthe.
Love the hat....

Yes, it's lovely to see a lunchbox with a fancy brim and a little netting.  Nice change from the usual.  The Bee looks good, but not quite up to her recent appearance in the pink number.  Now THAT was very nice.  The Bee looks much better in spring and summer clothes (IMO)...no need for horse blankets, furs, dangling hems, or voluminous coats.   

Oh, come on... deep inside we love her for the horse blankets, furs, dangling hems and voluminous coats

[Chris]

On Thuesday Beatrix made a working visit to the province Drenthe.
Love the hat....

Yes, it's lovely to see a lunchbox with a fancy brim and a little netting.  Nice change from the usual.  The Bee looks good, but not quite up to her recent appearance in the pink number.  Now THAT was very nice.  The Bee looks much better in spring and summer clothes (IMO)...no need for horse blankets, furs, dangling hems, or voluminous coats.   

Oh, come on... deep inside we love her for the horse blankets, furs, dangling hems and voluminous coats

Yeah, you're right.  (Don't tell fairy I said so!)  I love The Bee no matter what she's wearing.  She's quite a gal.