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


The wedding dress was made by Valentino Couture. Crown Prince
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

Were inter alia: 

Belgium The King and Queen of the Belgians
Belgium The Duke and Duchess of Brabant (then Crown Prince Philippe and
Mathilde)
Belgium Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz of Belgium
Belgium Prince Laurent of Belgium and Miss Claire Coombs

Denmark The Queen of Denmark
Denmark The Crown Prince of Denmark

Japan The Crown Prince of Japan (representing the Emperor of Japan)

Jordan Queen Noor of Jordan (representing the King of Jordan)
Jordan Prince Hassan bin Talal and Princess Sarvath al-Hassan of Jordan
Jordan Princess Sumaya bint Hassan of Jordan and Mr Nasser Judeh
Jordan Princess Badiya bint Hassan of Jordan
Jordan Prince Rashid bin Hassan of Jordan

Liechtenstein The Hereditary Prince and Hereditary Princess of Liechtenstein
(representing the Prince of Liechtenstein)

Luxembourg The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Luxembourg The Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Luxembourg Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Joséphine Charlotte
of Luxembourg
Luxembourg Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg

Monaco The Hereditary Prince of Monaco (representing the
Prince of Monaco)
Princess Caroline of Monaco and Prince Ernst August of Hanover

Morocco Prince Moulay Rachid of Morocco (representing the
King of Morocco)

Norway The King and Queen of Norway
Norway Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Mr Ari Behn
Norway The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Norway

Spain The Queen of Spain (representing the King of Spain)
Spain The Duchess and Duke of Palma de Mallorca
Spain The Prince of Asturias

Sweden The King and Queen of Sweden
Sweden The Crown Princess of Sweden
Sweden The Duke of Värmland
Sweden, Princess Madeleine, the Duchess of Hälsingland and Gästrikland

United Kingdom The Prince of Wales (representing the Queen of the
United Kingdom and Commonwealth Realms)
United Kingdom The Earl and Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward 
and Countess Sophie

The Aga Khan and Begum Aga Khan

The Prince and Princess of Turnovo

King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Marie of the Hellenes
Crown Prince and Crown Princess Pavlos of Greece
Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark

Prince Philipp of Hesse
The Duke of Parma, ex-husband of the groom's maternal aunt

The Prince and Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
The Hereditary Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Princess Alexandra, Countess of Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth and
Count Jefferson von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth

Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
The Prince and Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn

The Prince and Princess of Waldeck and Pyrmont




Celebrations?!


This royal couple celebrates in 2022 their 20th. Wedding anniversary.
I hope they will share new pictures! Happy anniversary! 



Source pictures: book covers + koninklijk huis

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