Big party in Rotterdam, where King Willem-Alexander Thursday celebrates his birthday. The city has made a grand effort to make our monarch’s tenth anniversary an unforgettable success. In Op1 we discuss how the day went together with Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb, royal family expert Jan-Kees Emmer and with Rotterdammers Soufiane Touzani, Roel Pot, Linda Zoon and Mercedes Rogge. Frans Kusters gave Máxima the gift of this King’s Day: a Feyenoord scarf.
75 thousand people went to the city of mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb on Thursday to celebrate King’s Day. “When leaving, Willem-Alexander gave me a double handshake. It was very strong.” According to Aboutaleb, that says everything about how the king experienced the day. “There was all the symbolism in that. He was incredibly happy and satisfied with how it went.”
Not a PR story
The criticism received by the Royal Family feels twofold for the Rotterdam mayor. “I experience the majesty at other times.” For example, the king wanted to know more about the mayor’s involvement in the district. “I said: ‘Come with me.’ Then we walked through Rotterdam-West for three hours. Along places where illegal things happened. He went there to listen to the police officers and unexpectedly we went to a room where citizens expect me as mayor, but not the king.”
Inside, the king listened to the people for hours. “There were no cameras. So no PR story. Intrinsic motivation to listen to citizens. The great personal involvement never comes to light.”
Wijffie
Roel Pot gives courses in Rotterdam. “As we spoke in the 1980s and before. The ancient language. The beautiful language.” Which Rotterdam words would he like to teach the King? “Wiffie. In Rotterdam everyone is called Wijffie. You tell that to your mother. You tell that to the girl behind the cash register. Nobody panics.”
Feyenoord scarf
He wanted to fool around with the king. But his Feyenoord scarf ended around the queen’s neck. And so Frans Kusters became the hero of Rotterdam. “The king has indicated that he is actually for Ajax, so I thought I would hang a Feyenoord scarf around his neck.” While waiting for the crush barriers, the king walked to a different side than where Frans was standing. “Then Máxima approached me a bit. So I shouted: ‘Máxima, Máxima!’”
The queen approached Frans. “I said I had a scarf and I asked if I could give it to her husband.” But Máxima did not want that. “She loved him herself. Because I am a Feyenoord supporter, she said.” Which the now approaching king could laugh out loud. “The King took it sportingly. It was a great experience.”
Watch the entire conversation here.
2023-04-28 08:42:54
#Frans #Kuster #gave #Máxima #Feyenoord #scarf #Op1
