Pope Francis — the first Latin American pontiff and the leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics — died at the age of 88 on April 21, Easter Monday. On April 26, 2025, a funeral ceremony for Pope Francis was held at St. Peter's Square in Vatican City. Around 200,000 people gathered there to commemorate the death of Pope Francis.
King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, Queen Mary of Denmark, and the Prince of Wales attended the funeral mass for the late Pope Francis, at St. Peter's Square in Vatican City.
sad moment. Where is Queen Maxima?
ReplyDeleteIts kingsday in the Netherlands. It is a national day. King Willem Alexander held a speech at the beginning to commemorate Pope Francis
DeleteToday is Kingsday in The Netherlands; the national holiday. Queen Maximá is celebrating with the rest of her family.
DeleteI don't know if the Dutch royals were there in person or if they sent a representative but I saw on another list that Queen Mary of Denmark was present.
DeleteAt home - The dutch royals did not participate.
DeleteIn Netherland. Today they celebrate the Netherlands koningsdag/the kings day.
DeleteKing and Queen celebrated King's Day so they decided not to attend Pope's funeral.
DeletePS. I don't think it was right decision on their part.
Ava
@Ava: I don't know if it is good to be judgemental about such decisions without considering the background. Wikipedia says: "In the 21st century, a large majority of the Dutch population believes in the separation of church and state, that is, that religion should not play a decisive role in politics or public education. ... According to the CBS in 2018, 53% of the Dutch were religiously unaffiliated, 37% were Christians (out of whom 22% registered Catholics, 15% Protestants ..." So they made a personal decision that is very much accordance with the huge majority of the population (22% Catholics out of of 37% Christians).
DeleteAva, I see it the other way around! It’s THE King’s Day. It’s a huge nationwide celebration, organised months ahead, for all Dutch to enjoy… and they really do. It’s not just about the King but a celebration of the country. How disappointed would the population be if their main man decided to attend someone else’s last minute country/event, for a person he’d only met a few times ? I think he made the right decision.
DeleteI read somewhere that the dutch royals do not always attend popes funerals. I don’t think it was totally because of kings day. The king did honour the pope and delayed his day out of reverence.
DeleteI agree with many of your comments. Maxima who has remained catholic and is Argentinian by birth should have been in Rome on this special and sad day. I think, the Dutch people would have understood.
DeleteI also think that giving priority to the celebration of King's Day in the Netherlands is a bad decision. They could have always moved the celebrations to the next day - Sunday.
Delete1. 30% of the Dutch population are Catholics, which is the largest religion in the Netherlands (20% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 39% no church and others). Postponing the celebrations would be a sign of respect for them.
2. Maxima herself is a catholic (king is a protestant).
3. She is from Argentina, as was Pope Francis. Although Pope Francis was apparently not popular in her social circles. Maxima´s father was a minister in the government of dictator Vidal and the Pope, then still under the name Bergoglio, helped the victims of this dictatorship, during whose rule many people disappeared.
Stephanie
It’s the best decision they could make Ava!!! And besides that it’s none of our business what hey decide.
DeleteDoes anybody know why some of the royal ladies wear a head scarf and some are not?
ReplyDeleteThere is a strict dress code for the funeral of a pope (Men must wear a dark suit at the funeral of Pope Francis, along with a long black tie and a black button on the left lapel of the jacket. Women are required to wear a long black dress, black gloves, and a headscarf. Only one piece of jewelry is allowed: a pearl necklace around the neck). But Pope Francis has relaxed some protocol rules. I think that is why Maria Teresa and other women aren't wearing headscarf. And there are also men who aren't following the protocol.
DeleteA headscarf is part of the traditional dress when visiting a pope but also when attending mass. But it is not mandatory. So I imagine some of the women, especially the non-Catholic ones, decided against wearing one.
DeleteBecause it's not longer binding for women to wear head scarfs.
DeleteNow in more modern times its become a personal choice
DeleteIch würde mal behaupten, wenn Frau keinen Schleier ererbt hat wird das eine kostspielige Sache. Diese Schleier in Spanien und Italien sind aus feinsten Tüll oder Seidenstoffen bestickt und noch teurer aus edlen Spitzen. Oder hauchfeine Seidentücher wo auch das Gesicht mit bedeckt wird. Also echte Kostbarkeiten und eben meistens aus der Familie. Der obligatorische Trauerschleier, den viele der Damen gewählt haben. Der schwarze Schleier ist traditionell eine sichtbare Äußerung der Trauer und des Verlusts. Er signalisiert nach außen hin die Trauer der Trägerin um den Verstorbenen und den Respekt vor der Zeremonie. -Dorothe-
DeleteMaria Teresa is wearing her scarf in her hand so obviously she was planning to wear it when the ceremony started.
DeleteThe Royal ladies may all be trying to do the right thing - but I can hardly see black lace on any other woman pictured. Could be a royal protocol thing more than a pope- funeral thing perhaps.
DeleteDorothe, expense is not the reason, it is personal choice even if the protocol has been relaxed, it is done out of reverence to the deceased.
DeleteIn a sea of black (mourning color) William and trump wear blue, couldn’t expect anything else from those two anyway.
ReplyDeleteDid you read the protocol? *Dark* suit, not black.
Deleteprotocol says dark suit, not black suit.
DeleteI am very disappointed in Prince William for not wearing a black suit, even if he felt his blue suit was dark enough and protocol says dark suit. Mr.T, well he likes to stand out so to be expected. Perhaps both were for security reasons.
ReplyDeleteStilvoll, angemessen elegant, hier Königin Letizia von Spanien ihre Brosche ist sehr klassisch gewählt. Ich mag Melania Trump bis auf ihre Pumps als Trauergast, etwas sexy? Tapfere Königin Silvia, gerade kam sie von einem Begräbnis und nun hier, gute Besserung. Auch Prinzessin Mette Marit sehr klassisch und schick, das kann sie. Nur Luxemburg, die Großherzogin das steht ihr überhaupt nicht, das wirkt so nach schwarz gegriffen aber mehr auch nicht. Leider nicht gesehen was Madame Macron trägt, vielleicht sieht man sie noch besser. Und perfekt von Kopf bis Fuß die Fürstin Charlene aus Monaco, es wäre schön gewesen wenn der Fürst sie geleitet hätte und nicht einen Schritt vorne weg bei diesen Stufen, diese sind nicht so leicht zu gehen. -Dorothe-
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