King Abdullah and Queen Rania to make state visit to the Netherlands

King Abdullah of Jordan and his wife Queen Rania

Yesterday, it was officially announced that King Abdullah of Jordan and his wife Queen Rania would travel on a state visit to the Netherlands in November of this year. King Willem-Alexander has invited the pair.

The precise date of the state visit has not been made public yet. The last official visit from Jordan to the Netherlands dates back to 2006 when Their Majesties were invited by then Queen Beatrix.

The official statement from the Royal House of the Netherlands read: “The state visit underlines the excellent bilateral relations between the Netherland and Jordan. The two countries are working to bolster Jordan’s stability and that of the wider region, with a particular focus on the reception of Syrian refugees in Jordan. The Netherlands and Jordan closely cooperate in areas like employment, education and the reception of refugees in Jordan. Jordan and the Netherlands are also partners in the anti-ISIS coalition. The state visit is, moreover, a good opportunity to broaden and deepen the two countries’ economic ties.”

The programme of the visit has not been announced at this time either. More information will be released in due course.

Princess Beatrix was a close friend of King Abdullah’s parents, King Hussein and Princess Muna of Jordan. It is not confirmed, but there is a possibility that we will see the former Queen of the Netherlands make an appearance during the state visit. A visit will also include a state banquet which other members of the Dutch Royal Family are very likely to attend. An average state visit lasts three to four days. Last year in May, the Jordanian King and Queen made a state visit to Belgium, the neighbouring country of the Netherlands. Queen Rania and King Abdullah often travel to Europe for official visits and royal events, and they have a good relationship with the European royals.