The Royal Palace in Amsterdam has launched an initiative to support Ukrainians during this difficult time.
All profits made from entrance tickets on Sunday, 6 March will be donated to Giro555, a Dutch organisation that collects relief funds and volunteers for crisis situations.
The initiative is part of a nationwide campaign within the cultural sector called “H-art for Ukraine”, which includes a long list, available here, of cultural institutions and initiatives that will donate part of their profits towards relief funds for Ukraine.
Giro555 has already operated in other nations and international disasters, including the COVID-19 relief efforts and the Beirut port explosion.
The organisation is sponsored by many internationally recognised entities, which include the Dutch branch of the Red Cross and Save the Children.
The Royal Palace in Amsterdam is King Willem-Alexander’s official workplace. It hosts New Year and diplomatic receptions, as well as being the key background during state visits.
But because it is not the royals’ official residence, the public is able to visit it regularly, and it is only closed to the public during official state functions.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima were among the first royals to react to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, 24 February. They did so by posting a statement on their social media platforms, expressing their solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
Since then, it has emerged that many Western monarchies have done their part to support the Ukrainian population, which is fleeing en masse to neighbouring countries as the brutality of attacks on civilians by the Russian Armed Forces increases.
The Royal Household has not disclosed any specific activity related to the situation, and that is probably due to the fact that, contrary to most countries, in the Netherlands, the head of state (meaning King Willem-Alexander) does not have the role of Chief of the Armed Forces, which is instead fulfilled by the government.
It is safe to assume, however, that the government has kept King Willem-Alexander up to date with all the latest information coming from Ukraine and NATO, of which the Dutch kingdom is a part.
