It was recently announced that Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands will attend the opening of the 2012 Floriade World Horticultural Expo (FWHE) on April 4, 2012 in Venlo.

According to the official website for the FWHE this event:

… is held in the Netherlands every ten years since 1960 and always at a different location in the Netherlands. From 5 April until 7 October 2012, the sixth edition of Floriade will be organised in Venlo in central-eastern Netherlands. The central theme of Floriade 2012, ‘Be part of the theatre in nature, get closer to the quality of life’, has been translated into five core sub-themes, which will be portrayed via five themed zones on the park.  The five core sub-themes at Floriade will cover the different aspects of the relationship between the consumer and the horticultural sector.

For more information please visit the official website for the 2012 Floriade World Horticultural Expo here. 

Today, March 7, 2012, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix was in Soesterberg where she opened the “…the new Sergeant-Major Scheickkazerne explosives ordnance disposal EOD…” Afterward, Her Majesty unveil a new plaque as well as toured the new facility.

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

• VIDEO 1 (in Dutch)
• VIDEO 2
• Gallery One
• Gallery Two (click the photo to view the set of images)

Meanwhile in Amsterdam, Her Royal Highness Princess Maxima of the Netherlands attended the First Rural Coachingsdag of Qredits.  According to RVD the purpose of today’s event:

…aims to promote entrepreneurship in the Netherlands by means of providing micro-credit.  Qredits provides financing, with a maximum of 50,000 Euros to start-ups as well as existing entrepreneurs, who, despite a good business plan or no business plan can get credit at a bank.  Support and guidance is also available to entrepreneurs.

Click here to view photos.

Sources: FWHE, RTV Utrecht, Reformatorisch Dagblad, RVD/HKH, and PPE.

On March 6, 2012, Her Royal Highness Princess Maxima of the Netherlands was at the Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen in Amsterdam whereupon she received a copy of the report, A Billion to Gain.

According to RVD/ Het Koninklijk Huis, today’s event was  organized by ING Micro-financing and the Dutch Platform for Micro-finance (CNP).  For more information about the report please click here. (in English)

Click here to watch a video news clip.

Click here to view photos.

Afterward, Princess Maxima attended the opening of the new project, Women Inc, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, municipalities as well as local organizations.

This new project aims to “…focus on the importance of economic independence of women and inspire them with education and motivation.”  

Click here to watch a video news clip. 

Click here to view photos.

Sources: Het Koninklijk Huis, NPM, and PPE.

Photo courtesy of Het Koninklijk Huis

It was announced by RVD via Het Koninklijk Huis, that His Royal Highness Prince Johan Friso of Oranje-Nassau has been transported from Innsbruck University Hospital in Austria to Wellington Hospital in London for further care.

Per the press announcement (rough translation):

His Royal Highness Prince Friso has arrived in London today, his hometown for the past several years.

Based on opinions by medical experts, Wellington Hospital was chosen where Prince Friso, in his current condition, can receive the best care for his needs. London also provides for his children the most prospect of continuity and stability.

Today marks an ends of a long and intensive period for the Royal family and in particular the family of Prince Friso.  Now it is time to begin the rehabilitation process, which will be tried to start.

The family of His Royal Highness Prince Friso has all the space needed to cope with the health situation of Prince Friso and life there on in to focus. The family therefore invites the media to continue the necessary privacy of the family.

Princess Mabel would like to express her gratitude for all the messages of support and expressions of sympathy, “The warm compassion in the past period has given me support and strength.  My gratitude for this is big. Thank you.

Her Majesty the Queen, Princess Mabel and her children have also departed from Lech, Austria to London.

Click here to watch a news report (in Dutch).

Source: RVD

On February 27, 2012, His Royal Highness Prince Willem-Alexander of Oranje attended the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the Java Sea held at the Kloosterkerk in Den Haag. Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands was to attend the event; however, she decided to stay by her son, Prince Johan Friso, side at Innsbruck University Hospital.  As a result, Prince Willem-Alexander replaced the Queen during today’s celebrations.

The Battle of the Java Sea began on February 27, 1942, in which the Allied Forces — Dutch Navy , American Navy and Australian Royal Navy — fought against the Japanese forces.  Over 2,300 men lost their lives.  Click here for more information and here.

During today’s event Prince Willem-Alexander met with survivors from the battle as well as listened to music by the Dutch Royal Navy Marine Band.  According to the website for the Dutch royal family today’s ceremony was :

…organized by the Royal Netherlands Navy Karel Doorman and the Foundation Fund. The Fund was established in 1944 to provide financial support to (former) soldiers of the Royal Navy and their survivors, who by war or service conditions have become financially dependent.

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

• VIDEO (in Dutch)
• VIDEO (in Dutch)
• Gallery One 
• Gallery Two

Source: Het Koninklijk Huis

On February 24, 2012, it was announced that His Royal Highness Prince Johan Friso of Oranje-Nassau has “… permanent brain damage and may never regain consciousness…” notes Wolfgang Koller, head of ICU and Trauma Center, during a press conference at Innsbruck University Hospital in Innsbruck, Austria.

As you may know by now, Prince Johan Friso was struck by an avalanche on Friday, February, 17, 2012 in Lech, Austria.  The second son of Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and the late Prince Claus was buried alive for — what has now been confirmed — 25 minutes.  The search and rescue team who found Prince Johan Friso tried desperately for 50 minutes to resuscitate the Prince.  They succeeded; however, because the Prince Johan Friso lacked oxygen for 25 minutes his brain was permanently damaged.

At this time, the Dutch royal family are looking for a rehabilitation center for His Royal Highness Prince Johan Friso of Oranje- Nassau in, what many believe, the Netherlands.

Click here to watch a video from the press conference.

My thoughts as well as prayers go out to Prince Johan Friso, Princess Mabel, their children, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix and the entire Dutch royal family.

Source: NOS

It was announced by RVD (the Dutch government information service) that Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands will extend her stay in Lech, Austria to remain by His Royal Highness Prince Johan Friso of Oranje-Nassau’s side.  As you know by now, the Prince is in a coma at Innsbruck University Hospital.

As a result of the Queen’s extended stay she has cancelled all of her official appointments for next week.  RVD also announced that His Royal Highness Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of Oranje will represent Her Majesty during the “…70th anniversary commemoration of the Battle in the Java Sea…” on February 27, 2012.   Afterward, the heir to the Dutch throne will return to Lech, Austria to be with the rest of the royal family.

Source: Radio Netherlands via RVD

On Wednesday, February, 22, 2012, Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of Oranje and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands along with Princess Mabel were at the Innsbruck University Hospital to visit Prince Johan Friso of Oranje-Nassau who is still in a coma.

Today, the Dutch royal house announced that Prince Johan Friso’s condition:

…remains unchanged.  It is stable, but he is still not out of danger.  The doctors attending the Prince will issue a statement giving a full prognosis as soon as they are able. That is not yet the case as of today.

Click here to watch a video. 

Source: Het Koninklijk Huis