Koninginnedag - Queen's Day 2012
 

Given the seriousness of the condition of Prince Johan Friso after being caught in an avalanche last week there is a good chance that Queen's Day will be a much more sober affair than normal.

Amsterdam had already reduced the number of activities in the centre of the city to try and bring it back to being an Amsterdam affair rather than attracting people from all over to it.
It is highly likely that the Queen's planned visit to two towns in Utrecht province will be cancelled, and that local organisations will similarly tone down the celebrations.

Just so any of you planning on visiting then are prepared.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17153623

Very sad, apparently there is not much chance that he will recover.

Now that is pretty premature and very speculative. Rhenen and Veenendaal (the towns that are on the role to be visited by HM and family) are not the most interesting towns to visit anyway (certainly not for over-sea's travelers), even if the royal family is there. I very much doubt festivities elsewhere will differ much from the usual (QD still is more than two months away, after all!). Unless, of course, the worst happens in April.

We all still hope the prince will recover and we wish the royal family the best in these difficult times, but any speculation like this is totally uncalled for and may even be considered distasteful by many.

when i was at queen's day few years back the last thing on the mind of the zillions of teens and 20s types carrying cases of Heineken - and all Dutch wearing orange thru and thru - last thing on their mind I think was the Queen or royal family.

Perhaps folks of a certain age will tone down but this seemed a thoroughly Dutch young persons' party all in all - like at Museumplein with the huge concert stages, etc.

I really did not notice it being any party attracting many foreigners as everyone seemed to be wearing orange - they closed Centraal Station down because of the huge throngs of young folk - yeh all seemed to be carrying Heinie cases - getting off the trains causing a dangerous situation - I have some videos I took in the station of those really overloaded trains coming in and ejaculating their hoardes who tried to squeeze down narrow staircases.

The Dutch certainly do love the royal family. They also love a good party. The only thing to rival Queen's Day in Amsterdam is Carneval in Mastricht which was celebrated this past weekend. It is crazy. My photos of Queen's Day are at http://tinyurl.com/yln3hrp. I have been there a number of times and might go again this year.