Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest concentration and extermination camp of Nazi Germany, was liberated by the Soviet Army on January 27, 1945. Following a resolution by the UN, this date was designated as International Holocaust Remembrance Day in 2005. It is estimated that approximately 1.1 million people perished in Auschwitz during its five years of operation.
King Charles, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, King Felipe and Queen Letizia, and King Frederik and Queen Mary attended the 80th anniversary commemorations of the liberation of the Nazi German concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau in Oswiecim, Poland.
Other royals attending the commemoration included Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg, Crown Princess Amalia of the Netherlands, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.
Princess Amalia is quite stunning.
ReplyDeleteZu diesem Anlass mag ich keine Meinung zu Fashion haben oder äußern. Nutze aber gerne erneut meine bereits schon lange her gestellte Frage, nach welchem Protokoll gehen die Paare nebeneinander. Egal ob hier oder bei anderen Anlässen, auch bei Brautpaaren ist die Dame, Prinzessin, Herzogin, Königin etc. unterschiedlich mal an der rechten, mal an der linken Seite des Mannes. -Dorothe-
ReplyDeleteAside from highly official events like a state banquet, sometimes also royal weddings, the rules of to which side of a lady the gentleman walks have been softened a lot in recent years. Couples can do as they please. Traditionally, a man takes his place at the left side of a woman. A father walks his daughter down the aisle on her left side, then the bridegroom takes over at the altar on her right side. But when the newlyweds leave the church/the ceremony, he should have switched to her left side as well. Some just don't, as it really is not that important any longer. Many couples walk together simply how they feel the most comfy with.
DeleteMary from Denmark looks very elegant and decent.
ReplyDeletePlease also add photos of Madame Macron and Mrs. Duda (wife of the Polish president) - their style is great, chic and more civil. In my humble opinion - much more suitable for these events than the somewhat pompous look of the Belgian and Dutch queens.
Visiting the Nazi death camps (GERMAN camps in Poland) is very important. I participate in organizing student excursions and cooperate with the Auschwitz Birkenau museum. I was last there a month ago - in December.
Stephanie
Je suis tout à fait d'accord ; j'ai réussi à voir des photos montrant mesdames Macron et Duda dans leur style incontournable même pour cette occasion !
DeleteDecent in clothes maybe.
DeleteQueen Mathilde is not in anyway pompous ! She’s dressed very sober. So I don’t agree with that remark. She’s also a very devout christian and to me it looks as she’s in deep prayer. But this day is not about them, it’s about the loss and suffering of millions of people. I just finished the book of LiLy Evert. She survived Auschwitz with 2 of her sisters but lost her mother, a younger brother and sister. Reading about her suffering, her pain, the hunger , her strong feeling of responsability towards her sisters, the loss of family and friends, her daily fear for her life and that of her sisters and friends … made a deep impression on me, anger and shame on how humans treat each other. But her courage, her hope, her strenght and her joie de vivre was/is so inspiring and makes me humble. Her book is highly recommended. She died only afgewezen months ago. Rest in peace, Lily. I will remember you !
Delete@ Stephanie
DeleteWe know you can never say something nice about Queen Mathilde and Queen Maxima. But calling Queen Mathilde's look pompous, I don't know where you get it. She is dressed like she should be dressed in dark colors like the other ladies. Queen Mary also wearing a hat that looks like a head band in front view, is she pompous too then ? I agree with the fascinator of Princess Amalia. It is a bit too much for the occasion, but she is a young lady. Maybe she will wear something more simple once she developed her own style.
I don't agree that Mathilde and Maxima look pompous. If Camilla had been there, she probably would have been in the biggest hat of all. This is a time to be respectful and reflect on the past. All in attendance are doing just that. We also know that the royals in each country dress slightly different. No one is right or wrong. Maxima, in particular, would have been accused of not showing enough respect if she had dressed in a more casual way, with her hair down. Occasions like this are never time to judge sartorial choices, in my opinion.
DeleteNothing about fashion this time. anna e.
ReplyDeleteA very solemn event. The Royal ladies all look appropriately dressed.
ReplyDeleteAlways so saddening
ReplyDeleteNo pomp here, doesn’t appear that any one country or monarch had priority over another. Interesting that the King of the Netherlands wore a cap. Looked like it was a very moving tribute.
ReplyDeleteI too also wondered why he was the only one who chose to wear a kippah when I saw him on IG.
Delete- Anon 9:13
Simply dishonest this symbolism (I call it customer/press carnival)...think of ANNE FRANK...and you will find this Kippah only symbolism....................
DeleteCP Haakon and CP Victoria were also there as well as Prince Guillaume and Princess Stephanie. They weren't' sitting with the other royals though
ReplyDeleteI believe that heirs were seated in the row behind the crowned heads. There are 2 photos, one showing Haakon and the other showing Victoria, behind the first row where the crowned heads were seated. I think Stephanie might be in another photo too. --Janet
DeleteYes see photo 8, they are in the row behind the Spanish and Dutch Kings the kings and queens were in the front row and the crown princes and princesses in the second row.
DeleteThey were seated in the row behind the current reigning monarchs because they are heirs to their thrones and not yet reigning monarchs.
Delete- Anon 9:13
As it's said here they were seated in row 2 as they are not ruling leaders yet. I saw Haakon was seated right behind Maxima. The swedish and Norwegian prime ministers were in row one.
DeleteA somber Haakon and Victoria in Auschwitz.
Deletehttps://www.kongehuset.no/aim/kongehuset2/files/3/c/3/c5792f6d0978917f1fcab4e945b026797eb926677a/3c3c5792f6d0978917f1fcab4e945b026797eb926677a.jpg/Scale?geometry=375x%3E&Set:quality=100
https://www.kungahuset.se/images/18.33c66ac91943c4972b0c0108/1738010824781/webb_250127_KRPR_Auschwitz_02_foto_Henric_Wauge_SPA.jpg
It was heartening to see so many heads of state in attendance.
ReplyDeleteAll perfectly dressed for such a somber occasion.
I wonder looking at beautiful Amalia has she not yet started any service in the Dutch Armed Services? I ask,because when I look at her counterparts in other countries of similar age,they are in deed actively taking part or have taken part in one form or another.
Maybe one of our Dutch friends might know,is it not a requirement in Holland for the heir to the throne to partake in any tours of service?
Lowri.
You don't need to be Dutch to know there were three long serving Queens before the current King. No women in the military service back then, so no tradition.
DeleteI had the same thought about the Dutch crown princess too. I know each country is different; Leonore of Spain is well into her training; princess Elizabeth of Belgium; princess Ingrid-Alexandra of Norway. It would be interesting to know; maybe she is finishing up her studies first?
DeleteThank you for the information.
DeleteHaving seen Queen Maxima in military uniform taking part in manoeuvres,it seemed traditional.
Lowri.
In Spain and Belgium, the king/queen is also the head of the military forces, so a specific training is necessary. This is not the case in the Netherlands. Amalia has already had a short introduction to the Dutch marine, airforce and groundforces in the past, but I think it was more like a training of 1 day each or something.
DeleteDamsel Dragonfly
All of the royal ladies as well as Mme Macron and other ladies look perfectly attired for such a somber occasion. So many of the royals present represent nations whose Jewish citizens were murdered in Auschwitz. It is heartening to see such a turn out of leaders for this remembrance as it says loud and clear: Never Forget.
ReplyDeleteJanet
One part of mourning those who are gone is that life continues (and we will remember them). The little bow on Amalia's hairband is fine, she is surrounded by her parents and publicly paying respect. The cap on Willem Alexander is usually called a yarmulke here in the States. It is a sign of respect when non-jewish men wear one at a Jewish ceremony. Chris L
ReplyDeleteYarmulke is Jiddish, Kippa is Hebrew. Both describing the same traditional head covering for men in Judaism. Distinguished guests might wear it too, should they choose to.
Delete@ Chris L & DSC
DeleteIn Dutch it is called "keppeltje". King WA wore it on other occasions in the past. Until know I think he is the only King who wears it sometimes.
They all look appropriately dressed for this somber event.
ReplyDeleteCinci
Thank you for the additional photos. ALL the royal ladies look appropriately dressed, including CP Amalia. Very strange to think any of them are pompous. I don't know what that even means with reference to appearance. Do you mean formal?
ReplyDeleteToutes les dames sont vêtues avec bon goût et dans le respect de l’événement.
ReplyDeleteSauf Stéphanie du Luxembourg qui semble se rendre à une soirée de gala. La poitrine non couverte n’est pas du tout appropriée.
@ Lowri
ReplyDeleteIt has been explained many times on this blog. It is very simple. In the Netherlands the king (or queen) is not the head of the defence forces like in other countries. Therefore the eldest child (male or female) has no duty to do military service. We have seen King Willem Alexander in a military uniform when he was prince and he probably had a sort of military training, but once he became king he didn't wear a uniform any more. I am not Dutch.
Prince Daniel made a great speach about the Holocaust at Dramaten!
ReplyDeleteHad to smirk a little watching the ceremony. I saw Victoria and Mary were battling heavy eyelid syndrom. Don't blame them at all. Cp Haakon was also there wouldn't have hurt sharing a photo of him. We saw royals, presidents and prime ministers, but where was the leader of the 'free' world...in Florida playing golf.
ReplyDeleteSeriously? You smirked at an event like this?
DeleteHeavy eyelid syndrom :-D I have to remember that one, so funny!
DeleteDamsel Dragonfly
Frederik seems more genuine than his wife.
DeleteIs it the same syndrom someone has writing stupid comments?
DeleteCath is overreacting the smirk came obviously from the ladies being tired, and 19:20 why don't you answer it 😉
DeleteThe world remembered, at least the European side. There is no expiration date on pain. Hope we never forget, so History won't ever repeat itself again. This is up to US and our children and grandchildren to not repeat it again. To forget it is disrespect to all who gave their life's May they all RIP
ReplyDeletecss.
css. Beautiful words, so true, thank you for your brilliant and moving comment.
DeleteWhat can one say?
ReplyDeleteNever forget.
I remember visiting the Shoah section in a Museum in Munich/ Munchen and Dachau.
Can't describe what I felt.
Horror, evil at its worst, shame.
I just want to quote here the words of a Survivor from a Nazi camp:
ReplyDelete' I hoped they (The Nazis) would treat me like their dogs.
But it didn't happen'.
My most vivid memory from my visits at that Museum in Munchen and at Dachau was silence.
ReplyDeleteA sort of killing silence, like time and space had gone forever.
The suspension of time.
There was nothing around but the horror I saw.
I confess I felt very uneasy and strange,I had bad vibes.
That was just my experience.
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