Netherland's State Visit to the UK

23rd to 24th October 2018, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands will make a state visit to the UK

Monday 22nd

• Fly into the UK
• Greeted at Airport by Representative of the Queen 
• Spend the night at Netherland Ambassador's residence

Tuesday 23rd

• Greeted by Ambassador's residence by Prince Charles & Duchess Camila
• Official Welcome at Horse Guard Parade
• Greeted by the Queen 
• Inspect guard of honour
• 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards
• Carriage ride to Buckingham Palace
• Lunch at Buckingham Palace
• View items from the Royal Collection related to the Netherlands
• Visit Westminister Abbey
• Lay wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier
• Visit Parliament
• King Willem-Alexander give Speech
• Visit Clarence House for Tea with Charles & Camilla
• Meet with Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the opposition
• State Banquet
• Queen Elizabeth give speech
• King Willem-Alexander give speech
• Spend the night at Buckingham Palace

Wednesday 24th

• Breakfast at Mansion House, hosted by Lord Mayor of London
• With Prince Edward & Countess Sophie
• Visit UK-Netherlands Innovation Showcase
• HMS Belfast & HNLMS ZEELAND and view collaborative navy demonstration 
• With Duke of Kent (President of Imperial War Museum), Prince Edward & Countess Sophie
• Visit Pop Brixton, a creative space for local, independent businesses and social enterprises
• With Prince Edward & Countess Sophie
• Meeting with the Prime Minister at No. 10 Downing Street
• Farewell at Buckingham Palace

UK Diplomatic Reception

Each year, in early December, the Monarch hosts a Diplomatic Reception for all the Ambassadors and High Commissioners to the UK (Court of St. James's) at Buckingham Palace.

With over 1,000 guests, this is one of the largest events held inside Buckingham Palace each year. This is about 7x larger than than a State Banquet. As a result there is no seated dinner, instead Guests are split into two sitting and assigned a specific room for dinner. 

Schedule

• 7 PM 
• Guests start to arrive
• 1st  Sitting for Buffet Dinner in State Dining Room, Blue Drawing Room, Music Room and White Drawing Room
• 8:30 PM 
• Royal arrive at Reception
• 9 PM
• 2nd Sitting for Buffet Dinner in Picture Gallery, Green Drawing Room and Ball Supper Room
• 9:30 PM 
• Dancing begins
• 9:50 PM
• Royal Family departs
• 11 PM 
• Reception Ends

(Schedule based on note to attendees from 2017 Reception.)

Dress Code

White Tie or National Dress

Full Ceremonial Evening Dress for Serving Officers

with Tiaras & Honors!

Royal Attendance

We tend to get very few (or no) photos from the event. In the past, we often just got Paparazzi photos of the Royals arriving. But the Palace has been more generous in recent years. 

King Charles III's Reign

Year	Charles	Camilla	William	Kate	Other	Total
2020's
2029	-	-	-	-	-	-
2028	-	-	-	-	-	-
2027	-	-	-	-	-	-
2026	-	-	-	-	-	-
2025	-	-	-	-	-	-
2024	x	x	x	-	-	3
2023				x		4
2022						4

Note: 

2023 - Group photo of Royals was taken before reception.

2024 - Princess Kate did not attend as she is still on medical leave. 

Queen Elizabeth II's Reign

Year	Queen Elizabeth	Philip	Charles & Camilla	William & Kate	Others	Total
2020's
2022	Schedule for March at Windsor Castle  Canceled due to Russia's Invasion of Ukraine
2021	Not held due to the Pandemic
2020	Not held due to the Pandemic
2010's
2019	x		x	x		5
2018						5
2017						5
2016		x				6
2015			Just Charles			5
2014			x	Overseas Visit		4
2013				x		6
2012						4
2011			On Tour		D&D of G and P&P M of Kent	6
2010			x		Prince Edward & Duchess Sophie Duke of G	7

--

Royal	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Queen Elizabeth	X
Philip	X
Charles & Camilla	X		X
Andrew
Edward & Sophie	X			X	Just Edward
Anne & Tim					X
Duke & Duchess  of Gloucester		X		X
Duke of Kent		X
Princess Alexandra		X
Total	6	6	4	6	5

Note: 

2016 - Group photo of Royals was taken before reception

2015- Camilla canceled due to Muscular Pain in neck and shoulder

Royal	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004
Queen Elizabeth	X
Philip	X
Charles		X			X
Andrew		X			X
Edward & Sophie		X
Anne & Tim			X	Just Anne
Duke & Duchess of Gloucester	X
Duke of Kent				X
Total	4	6	6	4	4

Notes: 

2001 & 2000 - Held at Windsor Castle

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October Q&A (2018)

As always, post your Royal Questions & I will get to them as soon as possible.

Question 1: I wrote to Princess Eugenie for her engagement in July. I know you're always saying that you shouldn't be worried even after six months, but I kind of am. I know people wrote late for the Sussex/Cambridge family events, but was wondering if that was the case for the Yorks or if it is unlikely I will get a reply. Do you think I should mention it in my wedding letter to her?

Answer: First let me say, I usually tell people you shouldn't worry if it's only been 1-2 months. 1-2 months is a completely normal response time. 4 Months is usually the longest you will ever wait. Unless they are swamped with mail because it is a very big and important event. (When I know a Royal doesn't usually/always reply, e.g. the Wessexs, I assume by about 3.5 months of waiting I'm not going to get anything.)

If you wrote to Princess Eugenie in July, it's been 3 months or less. So it's a little long, but not unexpected. The Royals & their staff take most of August off. So things pile up over the summer, and it takes them a while to answer mail from well-wishers. Unlike Clarence house, Prince Andrew does not have staff whoes only job is to answer mail. They have other duties they need to do, and reply to well-wishers when they have the time. I haven't seen any replies yet for Princess Beatrice's birthday in August. So, they are just a little busy right now. 

You did write 6 months after the engagement, so they very well may not have any of the engagement replies left. So, it could be they are waiting to send you the wedding reply. 

But I wouldn't mention anything in your wedding letter. I think it would be a little rude. I hope you are not just writing because you want some pretty reply but because you honestly wanted to wish the couple congratulations. 

Question 2: I wrote to The Cambridge’s for the birth of Prince Louis in April and I also wrote for Prince William’s birthday in early June but I have not received a reply for any of them. Do you think I will get a reply?

Answer: You will get a reply. Clarence House has just been very, very busy with all of the mail for the different events. I haven't gotten my reply for Prince Louis's birth either. 

Question 3: Have you get an answer for the Royal Wedding from the Duke and the Duchess of Sussex or the Baptism of Baby Louis of Cambridge? And what means the little paper in the Royal letters? It is to say sorry because they can't answer fast.

Answer: I haven't gotten my reply yet for The Sussex wedding, Louis's Christening or Prince Louis' birth. But I have seen other people's reply and some have included a little note, saying sorry for the delay. 

Question 4: I have already sent my congratulations card to the Princess of York. I sent it to the Buckingham Palace Office. But I addressed the card to the princess. Will I still get an answer? 

Answer: You will get an answer.

Question 5: A few Q&A's ago I asked you if you thought Eugenie's wedding would be mentioned in the CC and you said you didn't think so. If you don't mind me asking why didn't you think so and why do you think they put it in in the end? 

Answer: Way back then when you asked, I didn't think Eugenie's wedding was going to be the official public event it turned out to be. I did not expect it to be televised or to get so much much info from the Palace. I thought it was going to be a more private family event like Zara Tindall or Mike Philips's weddings, which were not mentioned in the CC.

Question 6: Would it be appropriate to write to the Duchess of York about Eugenie's wedding? I have already written to Eugenie, but I really love Sarah and I was thinking about writing to her too.

Answer: Yes, it would be appropriate. 

Question 7: Do the royals mind if I write my letter in one of the country's official languages and perhaps make some minor mistakes because it is not my mother tongue (native language)? 

Answer: The Royals aren't going to care about minor writing mistakes. What is most important is that they can understand what you are saying. 

It is perfectly fine to write to a royal in one of the countries official languages, English, or the Royal's mother tongue/native language. I think all of those choices are perfectly fine and equal, so I would write in whatever you are most comfortable in and will be clear and understandable. 

Don't feel like you need to write in the official language instead of English. For me, as an American, my English is great. There is no reason for me to write something messed up in another language when I can write in English. Although sometimes, I will include the phrase "Happy Birthday" or "Congratulations" in the official language.

Question 8: Can the address on the envelope be written in all capital letters? 

Answer: Yes, that is perfectly fine. And some places recommend it. At a minimum, you want to have the country name in all capital letters.