Photo: The Royal House of the Netherlands
Queen Máxima visits the fishing town of Urk
Queen Máxima visited Urk in Flevoland, meeting residents at the care home, the robotics company building equipment for the fishing fleet, and young people at the café and the church centre.
Queen Máxima visited Urk in the province of Flevoland on Wednesday afternoon. The theme of the visit was everyday life in the municipality, known as one of the most closely knit communities in the Netherlands.
The Queen posed for photographs with two women wearing the traditional dress of Urk. Photo: The Royal House of the Netherlands
She met residents, business owners, volunteers and young people, and the programme was built around enterprise, growing up, older people and the sense of community in the town.
The Queen was accompanied through the streets by the mayor. Photo: The Royal House of the Netherlands
• From care home to robotics
The visit began at the Baron van Ghent care home, run by Zorggroep ZONL, which takes in people who can no longer live at home, among them people with dementia.
She then went on to VCU Robotics, a company developing new technical solutions for the fishing industry.
VCU Robotics develops technology for the fishing industry. Photo: The Royal House of the Netherlands
• Youth café and church centre
At the youth café ’t Kuppien it is the young people themselves who are at the centre. They meet there to relax, and can take part in workshops to develop what they are good at.
The visit ended at the De Poort church centre, where the Queen spoke with young people and a youth pastor about faith, upbringing, resilience and what the community means.
Many children had turned out to greet the Queen. Photo: The Royal House of the Netherlands
• Crowds along the streets
People turned out in large numbers along the route, with Dutch flags and phone cameras.
The Queen took time for those standing along the barriers. Photo: The Royal House of the Netherlands
She greeted the young people who had lined up. Photo: The Royal House of the Netherlands
One of the youngest encounters of the visit. Photo: The Royal House of the Netherlands
The Queen took both flowers and gifts home with her. Photo: The Royal House of the Netherlands