As Norway prepares for King Harald’s state funeral on September 9, royal families from across Europe have been confirming their attendance. Among the largest delegations will be from the Netherlands, as King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia, and Princess Beatrix have all said they will be traveling to Oslo for the service.
On Wednesday, King Willem-Alexander reportedly spoke publicly about his friendship with the late Norwegian king, describing him as “a unique person” and “a great friend” from whom he had learned a great deal, according to the Dutch press. King Willem-Alexander also shared a piece of advice that the late monarch had given him that he said had stayed with him. “He taught me: you take the office and your responsibilities very seriously, but not yourself,” Willem-Alexander said. “A life lesson I live by every day.” He added: “I will miss him, Norway will miss him, and the world will miss him. I am deeply grateful to have enjoyed his friendship for so long.”
The Norwegian and Dutch royals at a state banquet in Oslo in 2021.Patrick van Katwijk – Getty Images
King Willem-Alexander had already put out a statement in the immediate aftermath of Harald’s death last week, which offered a more personal glimpse into the nature of their bond. “We will always carry the memory of our special friendship with him in our hearts,” the Dutch sovereign wrote. “King Harald served his country with love, pride and dedication. The times we spent together exploring Oslo and further north were truly unforgettable. We are thankful, too, for how he embraced the Netherlands and the Dutch people.” He closed the statement with a single Norwegian phrase: “Takk for alt,” meaning thank you for everything.
The Dutch and Norwegian royal families have maintained a warm relationship across many years. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima conducted a state visit to Oslo in 2021 and returned the following year for Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s 18th birthday celebrations. Their connection is more distant genealogically than that of some other European royal houses, however. Unlike most of Europe’s monarchies, the Dutch royal family does not descend directly from Queen Victoria. Instead, their shared ancestry with the Norwegian royal house traces back to William I of the Netherlands, with Harald descending through William’s son Prince Frederick and Willem-Alexander through William II, making the two kings fifth cousins.
European royals at Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s birthday party; King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima are in the front row to the left of her parents, Haakon and Mette-Marit.HAKON MOSVOLD LARSEN – Getty Images
That said, both royal families also share the experience of having spent World War II in exile in Britain, with members of the Norwegian royal family based in London while Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands also fled to London after the Nazi occupation of her country, a shared chapter that deepened the bonds between all three royal houses.
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