Does the royal family get on the same plane when they travel? What does their visit to the Caribbean part of the Kingdom actually cost? And can Amalia just leave her studies for a few weeks? These are a few of the questions that came in after a call on NU.nl. In this article we give you the answers.
Does Amalia have an exemption from lectures now that she’s been walking around the Caribbean for two weeks?
According to the Government Information Service (RVD), the trip was “planned in good consultation with the University of Amsterdam”. Amalia has been studying Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics (PPLE) there since September. Because of the visit to the Caribbean, she is away for a while outside the holidays and she can miss important material. But Amalia’s responsibilities are taken into account. “In consultation, customization is possible where necessary,” according to the RVD.
Will Amalia and Willem-Alexander fly together? Are there no rules for this in connection with availability for the succession to the throne?
This rule is often observed by, for example, members of the British royal family. But it does not appear that the members of the Dutch royal family are flying separately. When Amalia and her parents arrived on Bonaire last week, they got off the plane together.
The RVD does not want to confirm that the family is indeed traveling together. The service says it does not make any announcements about “transport movements of members of the Royal Family”. But the RVD hints that the king, queen and crown princess go from A to B in the same plane. “Of course, air travel is one of the safer modes of transportation.”
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What will they do on the working visit? And why isn’t it called a state visit?
A state visit always takes place at the invitation of the head of state of that country. The aim is to confirm and deepen the good relationship between the Netherlands and the other country. In this case, Willem-Alexander himself is king of the places that are visited, so there is no question of a state visit.
The visit Amalia and her parents make to the Caribbean is an introductory visit. The princess is the future head of state and will probably become queen of the Caribbean islands one day. That is why it is important that she gets to know these areas. This is done, among other things, by talking to the residents and learning about the culture and history of the six islands.
How did Princess Amalia prepare for her first working visit?
A background file has been compiled in consultation with the islands, the RVD says after questions from NU.nl. This contains information that the princess can use to prepare for the journey. Such a file is also made for the King and Queen when they go on a state or working visit, for example.
What about the CO2 emissions of this trip? Will it be compensated?
During this introductory visit there is a lot of flying back and forth. From the Netherlands to Bonaire, then to Aruba and finally the islands of Sint Maarten, Saba and Sint Eustatius are also visited (they go to Curaçao by ship). The royal family will then fly back to the Netherlands.
According to the RVD, the emissions of members of the royal house, but also of the cabinet, are compensated. This is done through the KLM CO2 Zero programme. An additional amount is then paid on top of the ticket price, which is spent on sustainable projects.
What does this trip cost and who pays for it?
The exact cost of this trip is not known. However, the RVD shares that 80,000 euros has been estimated in 2023 for visits to the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. This includes the flight costs incurred.
NU.nl will be present on Sint Maarten from next Monday and will report on the visit there. More reader questions will be answered in separate articles in the near future, such as: how popular are the Oranjes actually on the Caribbean islands?
