On a very rainy and windy day in Arnhem Her Royal Highness Princess Maxima of the Netherlands visited the workshop, Reclassering Nederland, on January 31, 2013.

Upon her arrival the Princess was greeted by representatives from Reclassering Nederland and then escorted into the building.  Once inside Princess Maxima was given a tour of the facility, met with staff and those participating in the program.

According to RVD, Reclassering Nederland is a program that, “…focuses on reducing the risk of recidivism behavior of offenders.”  Essentially, it is community service.  Those participating in the program “…refurbish tools for reuse…” The tools are then collected by the volunteer organization, Stichting Gered Gereedschap (Foundation Saved Tool), and sent to various developing countries around the world.

Click here to watch a video

Photo courtesy of RVD/HKH

On January 30, 2013, Her Royal Highness Princess Maxima of the Netherlands, in her capacity as the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development, attended the Feeding the World conference held at the Hilton Hotel in Amsterdam.

Guests in attendance during today’s event included “…government representatives, international organizations, academic institutions and representatives from the agricultural sector.”  According to RVD, the purpose of the Feeding the World conference was to “…discuss the future of global food production, sustainability and more.”

Please click here to watch a video.

On January 29, 2013, the Dutch royal court (RVD) announced that His Royal Highness Prince Willem-Alexander of Oranje has resigned from his official positions as he prepares to become King of the Netherlands.

Per RVD:

“In preparation for his accession to the throne, His Royal Highness the Prince of Oranje is resigning from his official positions, with due regard for the terms of office and procedures of the organizations concerned. In the year ahead Her Majesty the Queen and the Prince of Oranje will decide as to the continuation of their honorary posts and their patronage of organizations. Further announcements will be made on this subject in due course. In principle Princess Máxima will continue as Queen to hold her current honorary and other posts.

The Prince has asked the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to immediately relieve him of his duties as an IOC member in the Netherlands. Under the Olympic Charter, this means that the Prince’s resignation must be approved at the IOC’s next session in Buenos Aires in September 2013 and will take effect at the end of 2013.

His resignation as Chairman of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB) will take place in consultation with the Secretary-General. He will also be resigning as Chairperson of the Water Advisory Committee, in consultation with the Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment.

With regards to the King’s Standard and Coat of Arms from his investiture onwards, His Majesty the King will fly the royal standard. The royal standard will be flown above the palaces where the monarch resides and works and at Eikenhorst in Wassenaar when he is in the country. Queen Wilhelmina adopted this standard in 1908, and it has also been flown by Queen Juliana and Queen Beatrix.

From the time of his investiture the King will also use the royal coat of arms. This coat of arms is identical to the one used by Queen Beatrix except that it features a helmet instead of a crown. The royal coat of arms is the same as the coat of arms of the Kingdom, with the addition of the royal mantle.

Following her abdication, Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands will use the same coat of arms as before 1980, which is identical to that of her sisters.”

And, finally, here is a photo of the “…commemorative flag to mark the succession of Prince Willem-Alexander…”

Photo courtesy of RVD/HKH

Here is the inauguration of Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands on April 30, 1980 at he Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam.

With Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands announcing her abdication in favor of her son and heir, His Royal Highness Prince Willem-Alexander of Oranje, today I believe now is the time to post old videos of the abdications of the late Queen Wilhelmina and the late Queen Juliana.