Queen Máxima of the Netherlands opened an exhibition on a colourful predecessor of hers this morning at the Loo Palace in Apeldoorn. The exhibition about Anna Pavlovna of Russia, wife of King William II of the Netherlands will open its doors to the public tomorrow but was officially opened this morning by Her Majesty, who arrived promptly at 11am with all due fanfare and plenty of fans waiting to see her. She was presented with a bouquet by nine-year-old Lisa.
After a quick greeting and a wave to the fans, the Queen disappeared into the ballroom for the official opening. Her Majesty listened to speeches by Professor Dr. Hans van Koningsbrugge who teaches history and Russian politics at the University of Groningen and Dr. Paul Rem, who is the curator and architect of the exhibition. There was a musical intermezzo by the choir of the Russian Orthodox Church in The Hague. Her Majesty then officially opened the exhibition by pushing a red button. She was also presented with the book that accompanies the exhibition, written by Dr. Paul Rem.
© Moniek Bloks
She then visited the exhibition itself and was shown around several of Anna Pavlovna’s possessions. She even posed with a larger than life state portrait of Anna, where she showed her unique sense of humour as she initially passed it without stopping and was then asked to return for the photo opportunity the press had been waiting for. She joked, “Did I miss the photo op?”.
After an informal gathering, she returned home but not before turning her attention to the people still waiting behind the barriers. She gathered several bouquets and briefly spoke with some of them before returning to her waiting car.
The exhibition is called “Anna Pavlovna, Colourful Queen”, and it features many of possessions that were never before seen in public. It will run until 5 February 2017.
