Posted by joris
on 8/11/2009, 17:24:16, in reply to "Re: Makes no sense to me"
91.181.24.33
Let me start saying that I don't grasp the corriente/chingada incident either. Enoigh said about that. BTW Máxima was never ever caught on any bawdy humour (in fact she never makes jokes, it's her husband who does after every 2nd sentence).
Máxima: international girl. Indeed she has always been known as a cosmopolitan girl. Right from the start. But so are some Oranges. But they never really stress their international circle of friends but believe me Willem-Alexander "of the Netherlands" has an international network which you just cannot imagine. And look at some guestlists at weddings, funerals, baptisms, hunting parties, etc. Royals have always been international and not just local (apart from Queen Elizabeth II I suppose).
All this global travelling doesn't mean that they (Maxima especially) are not active in The Netherlands. Máxima's pays countless visits to projects (one cannot keep pace even) at home, some in front of the camera, but like the Orange Fund director said, also often OFF the camera. No staff, no hat, no camera, no microphone, no glamour, visiting people who need help.
A house in Argentina: it makes sense to me. Not if Máxima hadn't been Argentinean.
The house in Mozambique: I never understood why they started joining it (I'd prefer they had invested in a project in f.i. the overseas part of the Kingdom which can be helped as well). You assume it was Máxima's idea? I guess it's a combination of.
Máxima & Dutch Identity. Apparently you do not know the exact words, which caused the uproar. She said that she never encountered THE Dutch identity. She met all kinds of people with different identities. A country inhabited with people who do not have ONE "Dutch" identity (Máxima once said that she even finds the Ducth more "Latin" than they think!). It was meant to stress the open-mindedness of many Ducth people. But, alas, more narrow-minded Dutch people objected. They still have this idea in their minds: Typical Dutch v. "foreign". What is typical Dutch? Eat Gouda cheese, love the Hema, say yummie when they are served hutspot, like drop, walk on wooden shoes, serve one cookie at teatime only instead of a whole plate filled with cookies? It would reduce THE Dutch identity to some shallow observations. I found her remark quite philosophical. She was said to be very emotional by all the criticism for she thought she had presented this as something positive! (It could also mean that Máxima has a more positive opinion of the Dutch than they actually are...)
Perhaps the couple's PR should be better. There should be more balance between announcng all their activities abroad on an almost weekly basis. Or perhaps reduce all the physical travelling and use other technical means of communication... (video conferences, meetings by telephone, etc. Princess Laurentien's Snail in her Dr. Finney book would like it.)
One remark: everybody could be an ambassador to the UN. I don't agree. The "ambassadors" we know all had/have their qualities and specialties, Máxima has hers. Why would we oppose Máximá's international work and praise Princess Margriet's Red Cross work in Geneva?
OK. You summarized your observations with respect. I reacted. I hope that this year will be the start of a better presentation of the couple, more balanced. I do hope they read all the criticism. It has not always been nice ("niet leuk" according to HM) but I suppose things can be improved very well and easily.
You say: The Netherlands is too small for Máxima. In a way you are right: NL is a tiny, tiny spot on this earth... It's this limited space which always made the Dutch travel and sea-faring and go abroad.
And many many royals lead international, cosmopolitan lives more than we are aware of and also those whom we think are just residing calmly at their Belgian or Danish castles: not.
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