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local Monday 30 January 2023

Aruba welcomes our Royal Family

ORANJESTAD – Two weeks
of excitement are coming From the moment of their
to a climax today with the arrival, the King, Queen
arrival of the royal family of and Crown Princess will be
the Kingdom of the Nether- heading to the Whilhelmi-
lands, King Willem-Alexan- na Park for some activities.
der, Queen Maxima, and Primary schools are invited
crown princess Amalia. Ex- to attend and there will be
citement for the royal fam- a military show at the park,
ily’s tour of the Caribbean is after which they will walk
particularly high as it marks to the ceremonial house
the first time the Caribbe- of the Governor for a short
an part of the kingdom is meeting. Leaving the Gov-
meeting the crown princess ernor, the royal family will
Amalia since she turned 18 walk to the Parliament for a
on the 7th of December meeting with local legisla-
2022. tors, and then continue on
to the Bestuurskantoor – the
The historical moment be- seat of government – for a
gins at 10:30 with the arrival meeting with the Council
of the royal family at the of Ministers of Aruba.
Reina Beatrix airport. They On the way there will be
will be touring the island on different presentations of
a jam-packed schedule full art, singing and dance for see an exhibition of Boy ter dedicated to the royal Netherlands
of activities. It is understood the royal family to experi- Ecury, Aruba’s WWII hero. family. The night will end at The kingdom of the Nether-
that the royal family per- ence the culture of Aruba. Afterwards they will tour Fort Zoutman with the royal lands consists of four coun-
sonally requested that the Residents and visitors alike the streets of San Nicolas to family enjoying the Bon Bini tries: the islands of Aruba,
visit allowed them to expe- are invited to be present admire some of the beau- Festival. Sint Maarten and Cura-
rience the island for them- along the route to give King tiful murals. Once again, çao, and the Netherlands
selves, and this is reflected Willem-Alexander, Queen our visitors are invited to be On Wednesday there are consisting of the European
in the hands-on aspect of Maxima and Princess Ama- present and greet the royal no scheduled activities portion and the Caribbean
the visit. lia a very warm welcome. family. After this there is a as Aruba will bid the royal portion (which consists of
special activity prepared family farewell and they Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eu-
People are invited to meet Also today, in the after- for the royal family at Nico- will depart to continue their statius).
the royal family at different noon, there is an activity laas Store. Caribbean tour in Cura-
points during the visit, and in San Nicolas, where the çao. According to the web-
a large turn-out is expect- royal family will be visiting Tomorrow, 31st of January, site of the Dutch govern-
ed to welcome them. Filomena College and will there will be a few smaller For our visitors, do not miss ment, the King and the
activities, and as always, this opportunity to meet the ministers together make
the public is welcome to Royal Family of the Neth- up the Government of the
be present. In the morn- erlands! The best spots to Netherlands. The ministers
ing, Princess Amalia will visit meet the royal family will and state secretaries are
Royal Aruba Aloe, and af- be at the Whilhelmina Park, responsible for the day-to-
terwards the royal family in San Nicolas during their day business of govern-
will visit the University Aruba walk, and at Plaza Padu ment. On 10 January 2022
for a debate with the stu- and Fort Zoutman. the fourth government led
dents. by Mark Rutte took office.
King Willem-Alexander and
After this, the King and Prin- Queen Maxima last visit- The Netherlands is a con-
cess will head to the Frans ed Aruba in May 2015, for stitutional monarchy. This
Figaroa stadium while the the SailAruba event. The means that the head of
Queen will visit Qredits, a SailAruba event was part state is a King or Queen
program offering financing of the celebrations com- whose powers are laid
and guidance for entrepre- memorating 200 years of down in the Constitution. In
neurs. the Kingdom of the Neth- the Netherlands the pow-
erlands and 350 years of ers of the monarch are ex-
In the afternoon there will the Marine Corps, and took tremely limited. Under the
be a beautiful presentation place from 1st until the 3rd Constitution, the ministers,
of the Bon Bini Festival and of May. and not the monarch, are
different activities on the responsible for what the
Plaza Padu in the City Cen- About the Kingdom of the Government does.q