Of the midst of a surge in Covid cases, the Dutch royal family has expressed remorse over the heir-apparent to the throne’s birthday celebration last week.
Princess Amalia’s 18th birthday celebration in the royal grounds was attended by 21 guests, all of whom had been vaccinated and tested, according to the family. Guests were also expected to maintain a certain level of social distance. The celebration, however, was not proper, as King Willem-Alexander subsequently conceded to Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
In a letter to parliament, Mr Rutte stated, “The King advised me that on consideration, it was not a good idea to organize [the meeting].”
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“With this outside event and by taking measures, the family attempted to address the coronavirus guidelines properly,” Mr Rutte remarked. After a spike in cases in November, the Netherlands is presently under tight coronavirus restrictions.
Between December 8 and December 15, an average of 15,984 people tested positive for COVID-19, the government says.
Only four visitors are allowed at people’s homes, citizens are being urged to work remotely, where possible and all hospitality settings must close by 17:00 local time.
Princess Amalia turned 18 on December 7th, and the small celebration was intended to mark her official ascent as her father’s heir, which saw her take the title of Princess of Orange.
The party was held in the gardens behind the Royal Family’s residence at the Huis ten Bosch palace in The Hague. Two canopies were raised against the walls of the palace to offer protection against the rain, and guests mingled beneath the cover.
A spokesperson for the Government Information Service pushed back against some reports in local media suggesting that over 100 people had attended the party.
The spokesperson told De Telegraaf newspaper that the family had been convinced the event complied with coronavirus regulations in “a responsible manner” and repeated Mr Rutte’s claims that there had been no more than 21 guests.
At the end of October 2020, King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima, and their youngest daughter, Princess Ariane, were forced to cut short a holiday to Greece at a time when the Netherlands had just gone into a partial lockdown.
The public backlash forced the family to return after just one day and prompted a hasty apology from the king, who said it “hurts to have betrayed your trust in us”.
