Posted by Henri M
on 28/9/2009, 20:07:22, in reply to "Re: Book on marriage crisis by Cees Fasseur"
88.159.95.227
Hofmans' 'message from beyond' stated that the Queen should summon all her ministers (usually only the premier was a regular guest and this in a far lower frequence than these days) and Hofmans 'ordered' that the Queen should not speak with the Cabinet without having had a consultation with her on beforehand.
I do not call that innocent or unharmful. Do you?
This whole advice was supported (and C. Fasseur does not exclude the possibility that it was set up by the secretary, the Baron Van Heeckeren van Molencaten). Van Heeckeren adviced the Queen to summon her ministers to the palace. To his opinion the Queen would escape the blame that she -living and working at Soestdijk Palace- had no idea what was going on in The Hague. That blame could cause the question popping up if the Queen was actually doing enough in her role as head of state.
Professor Fasseur gives his opinion on this on page 290:
Constitutionally the Queen has the right to get informed by ministers about their intentions and the execution of these. But that was something else than summon the whole cabinet to rapport to the Queen. Such a systematic control on the realisation of promises made in election time is a responsibility of the Second Chamber which can discuss it in all public and not the head of state in the seclusion of her palace.