On May 15, 2012, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands along with Their Royal Highnesses Prince Willem-Alexander of Oranje and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands attended the 2012 Appeltjes van Oranje Awards (Apples of Orange) ceremony held at the Paleis Noordeinde in Den Haag.

According to RVD and NOS, “… each year the Oranje Fund awards initiatives that successfully connect different groups of people with the Appeltjes van Oranje Awards…”  There were ten initiatives nominated this year and only three winners.  This year the 2012 Appeltjes van Oranje award went to Smarter Together Neighborhood Farm Baalder, COOLzaad van Stichting BuurtLAB, and Beheer Cultuurhistorische Perenboomrij.

Besides receiving this great award, made of bronze and designed by Her Majesty, the winners also receive 15,000 Euros.

Click the links below to watch a video as well as to view photos.

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Sources: RVD and NOS

His Royal Highness Prince Willem-Alexander of Oranje was in Epe on May 8, 2012, to attend the inauguration of a new high-tech sewage treatment plant.

This new water purification technology entitled, Nereda, purify’s,  “…domestic and industrial waste water into sustainable water.” Nereda, also reduces energy costs by 30% and is much cheaper “…to build than the current common sewage cleansing.”

Fascinating.

Click the links below to watch a video clip, in Dutch, and to view photos.

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Sources: RVD/HKH and NOS

On May 8, 2012, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands attended the opening ceremony of the 50th International Annual Meeting of the World Wide Fund for Nature in Rotterdam.

According to RVD, today’s meeting:

… is held for the first time in Netherlands on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Dutch branch of the WWF, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

The theme of the annual meeting is ‘Economy of the Future’. Prof. J. Randers,  gave a speech in which he outlines a number of future scenarios for sustainable development of the world.

Afterward, Her Majesty visited a photo exhibition by famed National Geographic photographer, Mr. Frans Lanting, entitled, LIFE: A Journey Through Time.

To learn more about Mr. Lanting and his work please click here and here.

Click the links below to watch a video as well as to view photos.

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Sources: RVD/HKH and NOS.nl

On May 5, 2012, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, accompanied by German President, Mr. Joachim Gauck, attended a concert on the river of Amstel to celebrate National Liberation Day.

According to NRC.nl the concert was:

… moderated by the Noord Nederlands Orkest (North Dutch Orchestra) led by Swiss conductor, Michel Tabachnik. Soloists included Guus Meeuwis, Sabrina Starke and mezzo-soprano Karin Strobos. Students from the Fontys Dance Academy and the Lucia Marthas Dance Academy of Tilburg participated in the event.

Click the links below to watch videos as well as to view photos.

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Source: RVD and NRC.nl

On Friday, May 4, 2012, Her Majesty Beatrix of the Netherlands, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Willem-Alexander of Oranje and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands participated in National Remembrance Day held at Dam Square in Amsterdam.

According to the online newspaper, Radio Netherlands, roughly 20,000 people joined the royal family in Dam Square “…in memory of war victims during and since World War II.”

During yesterday’s event Her Majesty Queen Beatrix and Prince Willem-Alexander presented a wreath at the National Monument.  Then, the there was a two-miniute silence in remembrance of those who passed.

On Saturday, May 5, 2012, His Royal Highness Prince Willem-Alexander attended the National Liberation Day service alongside German President, Mr. Joachim Gauck, held at the Grote Kerk in Breda.

Click the links below to watch videos, in Dutch, as well as to view photos.

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Sources: Radio Netherlands, RVD/HKH, and Telegraaf.nl

On April 30, 2012, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands along with Their Royal Highnesses Prince Willem-Alexander of Oranje and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, and other members of the lovely Dutch royal family celebrated Koninginnedag 2012 in the Utrecht province of Rhenen and Veenendaal.

Sadly, His Royal Highness Prince Johan Friso did not attend nor did his wife, Princess Mabel.  The prince is still at Wellington Hospital in London where he is in treatment following his accident in Lech, Austria in February 2012.

For more information about Koninginnedag 2012 please click here (in English; more articles to come.)

Click the links below to watch several videos as well as to view photos from today’s event.

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Source: RVD

On April 25, 2012, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands was in Oranienbaum, Germany where she attended the inauguration of the exhibition, Dutch Design: Huis van Oranje, held at the newly restored Schloss Oranienbaum.

Her Majesty was accompanied by the President of Germany, Mr. Joachim Gauck, as well as local dignitaries.  According to RVD:

The exhibition includes hand-made pieces such as furniture, jewelry, glass and ceramic utensils, accessories and handmade couture pieces, complemented with various crafts and historic objects from the Royal House Archives. The exhibition was  commissioned and organized by the Kulturstiftung DessauWörlitz, in close cooperation with the Dutch Embassy in Berlin and the Royal House Archives.

 Click here to view photos.

For more information about the exhibition, Dutch Design: Huis van Oranje, please visit their official website here.

Source: RVD/HKH