2-02-2002: Royal Wedding Willem-Alexander & Máxima
On 2 February 2002 a real royal wedding took place at the Nieuwe Kerk in
Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
How did they meet each other?
Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, eldest son and heir of Queen Beatrix and
Prince Claus, met Argentine-born Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti at the Seville Fair
in April 1999.
Two weeks later, they met again in New York, where Máxima was working as a
banker for Kleinwort Benson. She did not meet his parents, Queen Beatrix and
Prince Claus, for some time.
The proposal
As speed skating is one of the most popular sports, Willem-Alexander
proposed to Máxima on the ice on skates.
A week earlier, Willem-Alexander already told his mother and
Prime Minister Kok that he would propose to Máxima soon.
Keeping it secret?
The intention was that the intended marriage remained a secret, so as not to
get in the way of Willem-Alexander's brother Constantijn and Laurentien Brinkhorst,
who would marry in May. Ultimately, it was too difficult to keep secret,
so on 30 March 2001, Queen Beatrix announced her eldest son's engagement.
A troubled past?
During the National Reorganization Process, Argentina's most recent
dictatorship, Jorge Zorreguieta, Máxima's father, served as Secretary of
Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries. During this regime, an estimated
10,000–30,000 people were kidnapped and murdered during this and
subsequent military regimes before democracy was restored to
Argentina in 1983. Zorreguieta claimed he was unaware of the Dirty War
while he was a cabinet minister.
Jorge Zorreguieta's presence at the wedding was debated for months. It was
eventually concluded he would not attend. In solidarity, her mother chose
not to attend.
Let the party begin!
On 31 January, Queen Beatrix's 64th birthday, there was a black-tie
dinner and ball at the Royal Palace of Amsterdam for 500 guests to
celebrate the impending wedding and the Queen's birthday.
The day before the wedding, there was a lunch and concert at the Royal
Concertgebouw attended by 1,600 guests. That evening, the couple attended
an event organized by the National Orange Committee and the municipality
of Amsterdam in the Amsterdam ArenA. About 50,000 people from every
Dutch municipality were invited.
Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam - own picture taken in 2006
The wedding
Prior to the service, pieces by Böhm, Bach and Scheidemann were played on
the organ. The bride and groom entered the church together to Entrata Festiva,
which was composed by Dutch composer Jurriaan Andriessen for the wedding
of Prince Willem-Alexander's parents in 1966. Throughout the service, a
number of Dutch hymns were sung. Kyrie from Mozart's Mass in
C major, K. 337 "Solemnis" and Schubert's Ave Maria were also performed.
The recessional was "Hallelujah" from Handel's Messiah.
In honour of the bride's parents, who were absent, Adiós Nonino, an
Argentine tango by Astor Piazzolla was played.
Listen and see this wonderful movie on youtube of Adiós Nonino during the
wedding of then Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Máxima. on this link.
For me this was the most touching moment of this royal wedding
The dress
Willem-Alexander wore his uniform of the Royal Navy in the rank of
Captain at Sea.
Guests of the direct family
Were inter alia:
The Queen and The Prince Consort, the groom's parents
Prince Friso, the groom's brother
Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien, the groom's brother and sister-in-law
Prince Bernhard, the groom's maternal grandfather
Princess Irene, the groom's maternal aunt
The Prince of Piacenza, the groom's first cousin
The Count of Bardi, the groom's first cousin
The Marchioness of Sala, the groom's first cousin
Princess Margriet and Mr Pieter van Vollenhoven, the
groom's maternal uncle and aunt
Prince Maurits and Princess Marilène of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven,
the groom's first cousin and his wife
Prince Bernhard and Princess Annette of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven,
the groom's first cousin and his wife
Prince Pieter-Christiaan of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven, the groom's
first cousin
Prince Floris of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven, the groom's first cousin
Princess Christina, the groom's maternal aunt
Mr Bernardo Guillermo, the groom's first cousin
Mr Nicolás Guillermo, the groom's first cousin
Miss Juliana Guillermo, the groom's first cousin (bridesmaid)
Jonkvrouw Sigrid Jencquel, the groom's paternal aunt
Mr and Mrs Joachim Jencquel, the groom's first cousin and his wife
Baroness Theda and Baron Karl von Friesen, the groom's paternal aunt and uncle
Baron Alexander von Friesen, the groom's first cousin
Baroness Renate von Friesen, the groom's first cousin
Baroness Isabell von Friesen, the groom's first cousin
Baroness Christina and Baron Hans von der Recke, the groom's paternal
aunt and uncle
Baroness Katinka von der Recke, the groom's first cousin
Baroness Sophie von der Recke, the groom's first cousin
Baroness Theresa von der Recke, the groom's first cousin (bridesmaid)
Mr and Mrs Martín Zorreguieta Cerruti, the bride's brother and sister-in-law
Mr Juan Zorreguieta Cerruti, the bride's brother
Miss Inés Zorreguieta Cerruti, the bride's sister (bridesmaid)
Mrs María and Mr Adrián Vojnov, the bride's half-sister and brother-in-law
Miss Ángeles Zorreguieta López Gil, the bride's half-sister
Mrs Dolores and Mr Harmond Grad Lewis, the bride's half-sister
and brother-in-law
Mrs Marcela Cerruti Carricart, the bride's maternal aunt
Royal guests at the wedding
Mathilde)
(representing the Prince of Liechtenstein)
of Luxembourg
Prince of Monaco)
King of Morocco)
United Kingdom and Commonwealth Realms)
and Countess Sophie
Count Jefferson von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth
Celebrations?!
I hope they will share new pictures! Happy anniversary!
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