The Dutch royals King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima visit Stockholm on a state visit to Sweden
Heir trip! King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands POOLS his and wife Queen Maxima’s flight to Sweden for their three-day state visit
- King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands took the short flight to Stockholm this morning for an official three-day state visit
- The Dutch king copiloted the government plane to Arlanda airport and was seen sitting in the cockpit
- At the airport, the couple was warmly welcomed by Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden
- The Dutch royals then enjoyed a horse-drawn procession to the Royal Palace in Stockholm, where they were greeted by Sweden’s Queen Silvia and King Carl XVI Gustaf
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The Dutch monarchy showed they are possibly the most self-sufficient of the European royals – with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands flying himself and wife Queen Maxima to Stockholm this morning ahead of a three-day state visit to the Scandinavian country.
Landing at Arlanda Airport just outside the capital in glorious sunshine, King Willem-Alexander quickly moved from pilot to monarch, donning a smart suit jacket and taking the flight steps with Maxima, who looked elegant in an ankle-length camel coat and a stylish nude dress with matching hat and suede heels.
The couple were met by their Swedish counterparts on the tarmac, where Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden shared a warm hug before their journey to Stockholm’s Royal Palace.
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Welcome! King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands took the short flight to Stockholm this morning ahead of an official three-day state visit to the Scandinavian country
The Dutch king steered the government plane to Stockholm’s Arlanda airport for the short flight north to the Scandinavian country
The Dutch King donned a suit jacket and reverted to monarch mode, looking happy to see the Swedish royals waiting for them, as Queen Maxima also offered a smile to her European royals
Good neighbours: At the airport, the couple were warmly welcomed by Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, and the European royals offered hugs
Later, the Dutch royals enjoyed a horse-drawn procession to the Royal Palace in Stockholm, where they were greeted by Sweden’s Queen Silvia and King Carl XVI Gustaf (Pictured left to right: Swedish Prince Daniel, Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria, Queen Silvia of Sweden, Dutch King Willem-Alexander , Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands)
On landing, the Dutch king was seen at the plane’s controls, along with a co-pilot, as the government jet touched down in the Swedish capital on Tuesday morning.
King Willem-Alexander has form when it comes to piloting planes; the monarch surprised passengers on a KLM flight in 2018 and today he was clearly keen to show off his skills once again.
The Dutch royals then enjoyed a horse-drawn procession to the Royal Palace, where they were greeted by Sweden’s Queen Silvia and King Carl XVI Gustaf.
An official welcoming ceremony followed at the palace, where Willem-Alexander and Maxima inspected a guard of honour.
King Carl XVI Gustaf said in a statement: “We are honored to receive the King and Queen. “Our countries are very similar.
For example, in our positions on the rule of law, international relations and human rights. We will strengthen ties in defense and security.’
Smooth landing: The Dutch monarch is pictured in the cockpit of the plane as it arrives in Sweden, with the country’s orange and blue royal flag attached to the window
Queen Maxima, looking elegant in an ankle-length camel coat, a beautiful nude dress with matching hat and suede heels, offers a kiss to Prince Daniel of Sweden at Arlanda Airport
The warmth was matched by Dutch monarch Willem-Alexander, who reflected on a strong relationship between the two countries, saying: ‘We recognize that Sweden is going through a special time, like its membership in NATO, which we fully support. Queen Máxima and I are very much looking forward to the visit in the coming days.’
This afternoon, the Dutch couple will socialize with Swedish politicians, and also visit the Vasa Museum in the city, which displays the country’s naval history.
It is thought that the royals will return the ship’s bell on a Swedish ship, the Princess Sophia Albertina, which was lost off the Dutch coast in the 18th century.
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