Dutch State Visit to Sweden

King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden are hosting King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands on their State Visit to Sweden from October 11th to the 13th, to celebrate and build diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties in the first Dutch State Visit to Sweden in over 35 years. Energy transition, sustainability, the life sciences and smart mobility are central themes of the State Visit with  shared values and cooperation on innovative solutions for the challenges of today and the future.

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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima were received by Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel at the Airport before meeting with King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia at the Royal Mews ahead of a carriage procession to the Royal Palace of Stockholm, for the official Welcome Ceremony, during which the King received military honours and inspected the guard of honour. 

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Afterwards, the group were joined by other members of the Swedish Royal Family, including the Dutch King’s goddaughter Princess Estelle, for an Audience and Luncheon inside the Palace, which followed a Press Conference by the two Kings and a meeting of the Dutch Delegation, during which King Willem-Alexander said:

I would like to thank you, Your Majesty, and Queen Silvia for the warm welcome here in Stockholm. My wife and I have been looking forward to this state visit to Sweden. The reason for that is twofold.

First of all, we are personally very pleased to see and speak to you both and to spend some valuable hours with you. We cherish the friendship that has long been felt between our families and passed down from generation to generation.

Secondly, we are happy to visit Sweden because in many ways this country arouses our admiration. Creative and innovative. Fighting for equality for everyone. And a pillar of the international legal order.

In this time when so many challenges come together, we desperately need these qualities.

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In the afternoon, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima were joined by the Deputy Dutch Prime Minister to meet with the Speaker of the Swedish Parliament and the Swedish Prime Minister, before joining King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia to visit the Vasa Museum, following which the Bell of the Swedish Ship ‘Prinsessan Sophia Albertina’, which was wrecked in 1781, was returned to Sweden by the Netherlands, marking cooperation in maritime heritage management and sparking a discussion in defense cooperation.

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In the evening, King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia hosted a State Banquet in honour of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima at the Royal Palace of Stockholm. They processed down the media corridor and received guests before the Banquet. Both Kings gave speeches. 

King Carl Gustaf was in the Order of the Netherlands Lion while Queen Silvia wore the Braganza Tiara (for the first time in over a decade) with the Order of the Netherlands Lion. King Willem-Alexander wore the Swedish Order of the Seraphim while Queen Máxima wore a new version of the Stuart Tiara with the Swedish Order of the Seraphim.

Crown Princess Victoria wore the Napoleonic Amethyst Parure and the Order of the Netherlands Lion, Prince Daniel and Prince Carl Philip were given the Order of the Crown, Princess Sofia wore her Wedding Tiara and the Order of the Crown, Princess Christina was in the Connaught Diamond Tiara and the Order of the Crown while Tord Magnuson received a lesser grade of the Order of the Crown.

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The following day, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima had a conversation with CEOs of Dutch and Swedish companies before hosting a reception for the Dutch community in Sweden. Later, the Dutch King and Queen were joined by the Swedish Royal Family for a lunch with the mayor and the chairman of the city council in the Stockholm City Hall. 

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King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia joined King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima to sail an electric hydrofoil from the Swedish shipbuilder Candela to the Stockholm Exergi energy company, followed by a visit to the SciLifeLab (Science for Life Laboratory) where international researchers in the life sciences and other disciplines can use the research facilities and collaborate on innovative solutions for healthcare.

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In the evening, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima (wearing her Emerald Earrings and the Dutch Emerald Pendant) hosted a Return Concert by the ensemble of violinist Tim Kliphuis in the Konserthuset, in honour of King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia (wearing the Bernadotte Emerald Earrings), and members of the Swedish Royal Family.

Dutch State Visits to Sweden19571987

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