Currently celebrating her silver jubilee, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands was on fine form when she visited the city of Apeldoorn as part of the commemorative events.
The 67-year-old queen, who enjoys a 92 per cent approval rating among her subjects, attended a horse show and went for a spin in an open horse-drawn carriage. Dressed in a pale brocade suit topped off with a flattering hat, Beatrix was all smiles as she waved to well-wishers during the day's outing. In June, the queen welcomed her fifth grandchild when Princess Alexia was born to Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Maxima. The little girl is now third in line to the throne after her father and her 18-month older sister, Princess Amalia.
The growing family is a source of delight to the queen, herself the mother of three sons, after a difficult period: she lost her mother, father and husband within three years.
Beatrix was crowned on April 30, 1980, when her mother, Queen Juliana, surprised the nation by abdicating after more than 30 years on the throne.
The current queen said in a rare interview earlier this year that she is in no hurry to pass on the baton to Willem-Alexander, preferring to give her son time "to build up his family" before he becomes king.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
