Dutch Royal News

[Cordelia Fitzgerald]

Good points, fairy and emac!  I think the hat was so jarring that I looked critically at everything but minus the hat, it was a lovely look and most importantly she looked like she felt comfortable and confident and proud.

[karma chamelion]

There are too many different things going on in CA's outfit...the cloche which doesn't match the dress which doesn't go with the green of the emeralds.  Maybe she put it all together with her teenage-girl taste, and Max let her go with it.  I hope that's the case, because it would have shades of MT of Luxembourg if Max were choosing to put her daughter in something that isn't as flattering as it should be.

As I said, the hat was bad, the emeralds are green as was the dress, so that is considered suitable and IMO the purse/clutch was exactly what a young girl would choose. It is fun, it is young and even though it didn't match the jewels and the outfit (or the occassion) it is something that girls her age would really like and carry.

As with Maxima's outfit: The model is fabulous. It is a design that looks great on Barbie, but not on a real life person. Maxima is very tall and also quite slim (not Kate or Leti-thin, but compared to the average she really has a great figure - the camera does add a couple of pounds) and she looked covered in a bed spread. Perhaps because of the scuba-dive fabric I don't know, but this is a model, that would best be left as a sketch.

Did the little fairies see her ensemble and did they approve, that's what I want to know.

[fairy]

Good question.... Sadly I have no information on that. The elder Miss Fairies are back at Uni, the youngest is currently rolling her eyes at anything royal after the british funeral...

[karma chamelion]

Good question.... Sadly I have no information on that. The elder Miss Fairies are back at Uni, the youngest is currently rolling her eyes at anything royal after the british funeral...

Aw, I don't blame the youngest little fairy in the least. That is so cute. 

[Principessa]

Salute of Honor Cavalry Honorary Escort during Prinsjesdag

The Cavalry Honorary Escort paid a salute to King Willem-Alexander. Queen Máxima, the Princess of Orange, Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien were also present.

[Principessa]

https://nos.nl/artikel/24...en-noemt-kritiek-goedkoop

Loosely translated as:


Rutte defends royal family and calls criticism 'cheap'

Prime Minister Rutte is displeased with the request of some opposition parties to let King Willem-Alexander waive the annual increase in his income. He calls the request cheap. "The royal family is a vulnerable and delicate property," Rutte said in the annual debate about the king's budget, where the king's salary is often the subject of discussion.

In this debate, it is mainly a few right-wing parties such as JA21 and the MP Van Haga, but also the Party for the Animals, Denk and Bij1 that explicitly ask for a salary discount for the King, Queen Máxima and Princess Beatrix. They will receive an extra 2 million euros in 2023, which the parties find too much, partly because of the energy crisis.

Refund
The king is struggling with an image problem, party leader Eerdmans of JA21 notes. "We are making a moral appeal. The sentiment is alive now. Refunds could help his image," says Eerdmans.

Think thinks the pay increase is unfair. "There are people with empty stomachs who can't pay their energy bills," says Van Baarle van Denk. Bij1 the Orange considers a symbol of inequality. "The support is steadily declining and the wage increase should not continue," said Simons van Bij1.

Company
Prime Minister Rutte believes that the parties present the issue too simplistic. The king also has to deal with higher costs, according to the prime minister. "When people hear about an increase of 2 million euros, they think this is a lot, but that money is also used for staff and the company. Hundreds of people work there."

The prime minister is not concerned about the waning popularity of the royal family. In April, a survey by research agency Ipsos showed that less than half of the Dutch had confidence in Willem-Alexander's performance. He received a score of 6.7, significantly lower than the 7.7 in 2020.

trip
In the debate, ruling party D66 points to the "declining support" for the monarchy and thinks that this is caused by several incidents in the two corona years, such as the trip to Greece and the busy birthday of Princess Amalia.

Rutte says that polls and popularity figures are snapshots. "Sometimes such figures give hope, sometimes it makes you humble." D66 MP Sneller understands the remarks in perspective, but does warn: "Sometimes it is risky to act too laconic."

BV Netherlands
Government parties VVD, CDA and the ChristenUnie are, as usual, positive about the importance of the monarchy. According to the VVD, the Oranges are an "added value", referring to a working visit by Queen Máxima to the United States. "All attention goes to the Queen, where she works for the BV Netherlands."

[Hester]

Sell some baubles, King.

[Princess MS]

Sell some baubles, King.

They have so much wealth they can pay their own way ..... why does taxpayers have to pay their huge indulgent lives

[Principessa]

https://nos.nl/collectie/...optie-en-ook-verdedigbaar

Loosely translated as:

NOS News•Today, 10:38•Adjusted today, 13:20

Rutte: King to World Cup in Qatar is an option and also defensible

The cabinet will attend the World Cup in Qatar with a government delegation. This means that it cannot be ruled out that King Willem-Alexander will also go at some point. "That is certainly an option," said Prime Minister Rutte. Despite the human rights violations in the country, Rutte finds this justifiable.

"The dialogue about human rights can best be conducted if you are also at the World Cup, it does not help to sever ties," says Rutte.

In a letter from Minister Hoekstra of Foreign Affairs, the cabinet informed the House of Representatives that it would "send a government delegation to encourage the Dutch national team as usual at comparable major sporting events".

This despite a parliamentary motion last year that stipulates that no government representative is allowed to go to the World Cup: no king, no prime minister and no minister. Government parties D66 and ChristenUnie also supported this motion.

Hoekstra says that the cabinet has "considered" this motion and has consulted with international partners and human rights organizations before the decision to go anyway. There is also consultation with Qatar about the human rights situation, says Hoekstra, and that has already improved in many respects.

Another factor is that other EU countries are planning to go with an official delegation. Hoekstra says that the Netherlands may turn out to be the only country without a government delegation, and that would not do the "constructive-critical dialogue" with Qatar any good.

War and energy crisis
Before the weekend it became clear that the cabinet is disregarding the wishes of the House of Representatives, because the oil state of Qatar is too important a discussion partner in the current energy crisis to stay away.

In the letter to the House, the government refers to the international consequences of the war in Ukraine and the security of energy supply. In addition, Qatar plays an important role in the Gulf region and in the relationship with Iran about a nuclear energy agreement and Qatar helped to evacuate people from Afghanistan, the cabinet emphasizes.

When asked whether these considerations are more important than human rights, Rutte says: "No. It is all important." It is not yet clear whether there is a parliamentary majority that understands the cabinet decision.

Countless deaths
The delegation is sensitive because of human rights. Since the award of the World Cup to Qatar in 2010, migrant workers have been exploited in the construction of stadiums, roads and hotels. Many people have died as a result.

The cabinet supports the call to FIFA to set up a fund to compensate the labor migrants and their surviving relatives.

[Paige]

https://es.vida-estilo.ya...5MnnZwkpcsZ4uqEeskoHPYiEA

https://www.nu.nl/konings...talen-over-inkomsten.html

A majority of the Dutch Parliament has backed a motion for the current King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, his mother Beatrix and Crown Princess Amalia, as well as their partners, to pay taxes on the income they receive from the state, ending a constitutional exemption. .

The motion received 90 votes in favor (out of a total of 150 deputies), with the support of the left-liberal D66 (one of the four coalition parties in the Dutch government), the social democrats PvdA, the green left GroenLinks and the far-right PVV. , among others.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte's Liberals (VVD) voted against the proposal.

The motion requires the Government to prepare a constitutional amendment to introduce this change in article 40 of the Magna Carta, which includes the tax exemption currently in force and which applies to the former Queen Beatrix, William Alexander and the heiress of the throne, Amalia, as well as their respective partners.

In the case of the king, this year it is an amount of 1,007,000 euros in salary, which he receives in a net transfer, but if he had to pay social security contributions and income tax on his allowance, then I would have 489,000 euros less.

Although the deputies have voted in favor of this motion, amending the Constitution is a rather complicated and long process, which requires new debates and votes in the Parliament and the Senate, on two occasions, with a mid-term general election, and the second vote must support the proposal with a two-thirds majority.

In the general budget for 2023, the king's total allocation will increase by €276,000 to €6.4 million a year, a rise that has drawn criticism from many parties, especially as many citizens face financial difficulties due to the inflation and high energy prices.


The king said during the state visit to Sweden last week that he has "no influence" on the increase in the benefit. Furthermore, he did not want to answer substantive questions about the indignation about the total of 464,000 euros that he, Queen Máxima and Princess Beatrix have extra to spend next year.

[ralf103]

good. Sorry but IMO there is no real reason why the royals shouldn't be taxed on what is clearly set out as "personal income". I'm sure this wouldn't have been such an issue if the royals had been more modest in their lifestyle and behaviour recently - lessons don't seem to have been learnt so maybe a hit where it hurts most - the wallet - will help reinforce the message.

[VanillaMoomin]

It will be interesting to see what happens next. The Dutch are really angry with their royal family and the family seem so out of touch with the zeitgeist of these difficult times. I understand their immense wealth and privilege has insulated them from Covid, the war, the climate, etc, but I don’t understand why they haven’t got an attaché to save their bacon by telling them now is the time to at least *pretend* to care about the Dutch people and the hard times they are going through. Oh well, perhaps massive tax bills will wake them up a bit.

[TheMorWearsPrada]

If everyone else in the country has to pay tax on their income, they should too. It would be wise of Wax not to fight this one.

[Larzen]

And then what will happen, they increase the sallary so they end up with the same amount post taxes😂

[Pomme]

The most recent poll of May 2022 inducates that 51% of "The Dutch" are still ok with this King (47% with Amalia as future queen). In 2020 it was still 76%. Something abt covid or so.

PM Rutte has his head too far up Wax's toosh to see he has to act on the dynamics, if only for PR purposes.
Amalia declined the money she is entitled to (from 18y on) as heir, which was applauded.
The income tax thingy would be another good step.
"We" would just like to see that "they" also feel the effects of the current economic situation. Then again, "we" are going on autumn break holiday en masse, food banks have seen an increase but still only feed abt 1.5% of the population (and eligibility is not hard), and ppl continue to spend.
Yes there are plenty of ppl suffering but statistically it is a small percentage. "We" are still quite comfortable as a people, and with that comes the liberty to complain about the top dog and the ceremonial top dog and his family.
And that's enough polliticks for the day.

ETA: Wax going to Qatar WC, now that would be a really really stupid move.