Dutch kisses for the English Queen.

Yes, the Dutch King and Queen visited the English Queen. A real state visit with all the glitter, diamonds and Royal procedures. Prior to the state visit, the Royal Couple met some Dutch residents of the United Kingdom. At the Dutch residence, they mainly talked about themes that currently characterize the close relationship between the two countries. The King and Queen talked with Dutch entrepreneurs, academics, Dutch people who are active in the creative sector, volunteers within the Dutch community and Dutch people who are concerned about the consequences of Brexit.

It’s a token of friendship to bring a present. Queen Wilhelmina gave 37 horses when she visited, Beatrix brought one horse and now Willem Alexander... a little bronze statue of a horse. Queen Maxima had a few dozen specially designed bags. They were nice, light bags made out of recycled linen from old PTT (Royal Post, Telephone and Telegraph) mailbags. They were developed to transport schoolbooks, but don’t look like school bags because she heard that these are no longer allowed anymore. She felt sorry for the kids at Spalding Grammar School, that banned schoolbags and forced 17-year-old student of that school, Jacob Ford to search for alternatives. In that quest, Ford devised to take his books by microwave to his classrooms. The school felt that the first-class players could injure themselves on the large, heavy bags. As a solution, the school concocted that teenagers should just carry their books between classes. Jacob Ford disagreed and used his microwave as a protest. He has written an essay of no less than 3,000 words in which he states that compromises must be made. In the end, he was suspended for two days, in this case, a good thing so he could meet the Dutch Queen Maxima.

King Willem-Alexander has praised Queen Elizabeth as 'a trusted beacon' in the midst of all the movement in the world. "What strikes you is your ability to constantly keep in touch with the pulse of time," he said in his speech at the state dinner at Buckingham Palace. "Even an adventurous slant is not strange to you, as you showed six years ago at the opening of the Olympic Games. For millions of eyes, you filled the role of the most fearless Bond Girl ever with verve". Just as during his speech to the British parliament earlier, Willem-Alexander spoke on behalf of the cabinet of his disappointment about the forthcoming departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union. But he also said to fully respect the Brexit.

After the King gave a speech in the British Parliament, the Royal Couple spook briefly with a few parliamentarians, after which they met the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall for tea at Clarence House. Later on, they had a meeting with the leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn. He, as well as some Tori politicians earlier that day, expressed the worries they have about the growing protest against Brexit. “My wife’s father could have given you some tips about handling these kinds of problems”, a remark that was luckily unhearable because of some hard blowing trumpets while the Queen entered the room.

According to the Dutch King, it is all the more important to nurture the mutual bilateral bond. "We are grateful to you for expressing the special bond between our two Kingdoms with your invitation to us. Now more than ever we have to cherish this bond." A personal note from one Royal to another was also there. "You and your family are dear to us and we rejoice with you in all beautiful and festive events, our goals to protect our shares in multinationals, our wealth and tax avoidance, even within the younger generations," said Willem-Alexander. Then the king brought a toast to both kingdoms and Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip, who has virtually withdrawn from public life and therefore wasn’t part of the state banquet.

Queen Máxima wore a showpiece from the Dutch Royal Jewelry Collection at the State dinner in London: the tiara with the Stuart diamond. The drip-shaped rose diamond came into possession of the Oranges in 1690, just after the coronation of King William III and Queen Mary II, as a still rough “big stone'. Mary had it sharpened according to the model of the Amsterdam rose. The stone of about 40 carats is known for its blue-grey colour and could when they would sell it, feed all the people who are inline at the foodbanks for the rest of their lives. There was a long wait for that moment when Máxima would show up with the Stuart diamond. The state visit to Great Britain seemed to be the moment to show the bloody thing off.

When the Dutch Royal couple arrived and were welcomed by the English Queen, Willem Alexander bent deeply to give the Queen two kisses on the cheeks. Maxima had to actually kneel down to kiss the Queen, a privilege not even granted to her grandchildren. Maxima’s high heels made her bigger than Donald Trump but at least she didn’t lose sight of the little old lady. In between they met a lady in a little house with number 10 on the door, Maxima gave some rumba and salsa tips to the lady who is looking for a new carrier in dancing. When the Royal couple left and were said goodbye at the stairs of Buckingham Palace, the whole kissing ritual was repeated. 8 Dutch kisses for the English Queen, if that isn’t real friendship... although you could actually hear her say “Of you go!” when they got into the limousine, accompanied by a rather special hand gesture that obviously wasn’t the wave as written down in the protocol.