On Thursday, September 8, 2022, the world was informed that Queen Elizabeth II had passed away. This morning, the Dutch Royal Family and political leaders have joined the throngs of people all over the world in paying tribute to the late queen of the UK.
On Thursday, the British Royal Family announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.” She ruled for 70 years and 214 days, making her the longest-serving British monarch in history, and the second-longest-reigning monarch of all time (second only to Louis XIV of France).
Queen Elizabeth II will be succeeded by her son, who will be crowned King Charles III. In a statement, Charles said that the Royal Family is mourning “the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”
Charles’ words have proven to be true, as tributes pour in from millions of people across the world. On Thursday, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, alongside Queen Máxima and his mother, Princess Beatrix, joined other global leaders and politicians in offering their condolences to the British people and the Royal Family.
"It is with deep respect and affection that we remember Queen Elizabeth II. Steadfast and wise, she committed her long life to the service of the British people. We feel deeply connected to the United Kingdom and the Royal Family and share in their grief. Deeply grateful we are for the close friendship to which Queen Elizabeth has made such an unforgettable contribution," the king said in a joint statement with Queen Máxima and Princess Beatrix.
The British Royal Family and the Dutch Royal Family have maintained close ties throughout Queen Elizabeth’s long reign. Queen Elizabeth made a State Visit to the Netherlands in 1958 and has made several trips to the lowlands since. In 1962 she attended Queen Juliana’s silver wedding anniversary celebrations and returned to the Netherlands in 1988 and most recently in 2007.
Several politicians have issued statements offering their condolences over the death of the British queen. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte shared a statement on Twitter praising Queen Elizabeth for her “strong sense of duty and unflinching resolve” and remembered her as a “beacon of calm and stability”. He also offered his “deepest sympathy” on behalf of the Dutch government.
The Dutch newspapers primarily dedicated their front pages to the queen on Friday too. AD called the queen “the rock of Great Britain”, and similar sentiments were shared by Het Parool and Trouw. De Telegraaf and Het Nederlands Dagblad also shared words of remembrance, and praised her unwavering sense of duty.
The Dutch Speaker of the House of Representatives, Vera Bergkamp, announced that a memorial is being planned next week in honour of the late queen. Similarly, the British embassy in The Hague lowered its flag to half-mast on Friday in respect, and has opened a condolences register which people can write in from 10am on Friday.