There have been no kisses or hugs, at least in public. William and Máxima of the Netherlands received their guests, Kings Felipe and Letizia, inside the royal palace in Amsterdam, before the two couples left the building to preside over the ceremony that every corresponding state visit entails. In a rainy and windy Amsterdam, the first appearance of the two couples of kings was blessed by a timid sun that warmed and illuminated Dam Square but, an hour later, relentless rain accompanied them when, once again, Felipe and Letizia left the building to walk around the square and place a wreath of flowers at the monument in memory of those who died in World War II.
The first state visit of the Kings to the Netherlands officially began this Wednesday shortly after 10 in the morning. At that time, William Alexander of the Netherlands and Philip VI left the royal palace in Amsterdam followed by Queens Máxima and Letizia. The close friendship between the two couples and their evident harmony and complicity did not make an appearance this Wednesday; the two couples left the palace greeted. The ceremony has been cold, in every sense, and protocol, despite the showiness of the military formations that have rendered honors, the music band that has performed the two anthems, as well as the presence of the Prime Minister on the Dutch side. Mark Rutte functions, accompanied by seven ministers, from his cabinet.
Only the presence of some children from Het Amsterdams Lyceum carrying little Spanish flags set a spontaneous note. Both Máxima and Letizia spoke to the children in Spanish, which is one of the languages ??in which subjects are taught at that school, the oldest in the Netherlands.
For their first joint appearance of the two queens, Máxima has chosen a set of a chiffon blouse and taffeta skirt, all in burgundy color to match the brand’s burgundy gloves, shoes and bag. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat, she has adorned her blouse with a dragonfly-shaped brooch and diamond earrings. Beside her, Queen Letizia has been more discreet; She has debuted a green tweet dress, designed by Moisés Nieto and on her head, a raffia headdress with a crescent-shaped net from the Balel Madrid brand. As jewelry, there are emerald and brilliant earrings that, on other occasions, Queen Sofia has used.
The welcome ceremony has given way to a meeting between the delegations; that of the Netherlands headed by Prime Minister Rutte and the Spanish one, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Miguel Albares.
While this was happening inside the royal palace, outside an intense rain has begun to fall on Dam Square, while four units of the honor guard were preparing to surround the monument in which the Kings were going to deposit a crown of flowers. Felipe and Letizia, she covered in a beige cape with a synthetic fur collar by Carolina Herrera, left the palace each carrying a transparent umbrella and took the walk between the palace door and the monument under heavy rain. Letizia could not hide the cold that she was experiencing but even so, the ceremony with its minute of silence and her honors developed completely normally.
After the floral offering, the two royal couples shared a private lunch.
