The Benelux Royals Message Board: Re: Summer opening Noordeinde Palace

In size Noordeinde is actually larger than the four palaces of Amalienborg individually. I realise the size, location and lay out are not to be compared to royal palaces in Brussels, Madrid, Stockholm or London let alone the grand vacated palaces in France, Russia, Italy and Germany.

However i like the smaller size of it. The main hall still sits 150 guests for a dinner. I also like the long history it has as Louise de Coligny, widow of William the Silent was the first member of the family to live there.

Do i think it could be improved upon? absolutely!
I never understood the new staircase, beautiful as it is. I think that would have looked better behind the Marot diningroom in the corner with the guest-wing. That would have left a large downstairs vestibule and above it the option of a double height space of about 225 square meters (just a bit smaller than the central hall of Fredensborg in Denmark).
On the groundfloor at the front they could have created rooms under the white hall and green antichambre (that should be upholstered in red as the original furniture in gold and red still exists) and maybe adding another space behind it to link the new block with the houses to the right of the palace better. That would also create on the first floor a potential winter garden so connecting the service rooms with the gallery and the antichambre.

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The Noordeinde Palace is such a disappointment for most visitors who have been to other royal palaces in Europe. Frankly I would not bother. The few rooms you can see are small, unimpressive and look tired and in many cases are ill and sparingly furnished. Even the Indies Hall ( it is actually quite small and only visible from the doorway) or the Marot dining Hall don t make up for it and yes there are some interesting furnishings here and there but on a whole it really is disappointing. My favourite room is the Green Antichambre because it is the only room that actually makes sense and has some royal chic. Quite a few photo portraits were taken there in recent years. Probably for that reason. For many people the Royal Stables / Mews with the impressive carriages are a much better experience. Thats quite telling... I never understood the necessity of having these historical rooms in Noordeinde. It makes sense in Het Loo because it is a museum but Noordeinde is frankly a mess of 16-17-18-19th century styled rooms. But that seems to be how they like it: rather eclectic and messy. The White Ball room in Noordeinde is recently stocked full of (modern) furniture that does not match. Not surrprising the newly decorated rooms in Huis ten Bosch are also ghastly. Maxima andf her interior decorator best friend probably had a hand in it. It's all too much and never chic. The private apartments at Huis ten Bosch are equally ghastly (nouveau riche) decorated and furnished but that's their business. The official part of the Palaces is not. It's our national business. They sold the whole lot (including furniture) to the State. They should not have had such a say in the redecorations but I am afraid the responsible civil servants could not cope with the royal pressure and succumbed to the wave of Orange distaste.

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A new YouTube video about the opening of Noordeinde Palace.
The original is in Dutch but I think you can change the language or have other subtitles. Most of it are beautiful images so not much talking being done.