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Crowds of people dressed in royal orange lined the streets as Willem-Alexander and his wife Máxima mingled in Maastricht. However, the celebration was marred by poor popularity ratings for the royal family in recent polls.
Numerous mistakes in the corona pandemic have therefore permanently damaged the reputation of the House of Orange. According to a survey published over the weekend, the Dutch have 54 percent of their trust in their king, up from 82 percent three years ago. In a survey published by NOS on Wednesday, respondents gave their king 6.7 out of 10 points, up from 7.7 two years ago.
The royals’ missteps during the pandemic were reflected in these popularity ratings, Dutch historian Han van der Horst told AFP. “Hard work lies ahead of the royal family to restore their popularity and show that they have a connection with the common people”.
In October 2020, the royal couple had to cancel a holiday in Greece after criticism was raised at home. At the time, there was a corona lockdown in the Netherlands. Last December, the Royal Palace had to admit that Crown Princess Amalia had celebrated her 18th birthday with 21 guests, while the Corona requirements nationwide stipulated a maximum of four guests over the age of 13 in private households. Although Amalia’s party took place outdoors, Willem-Alexander later admitted that in retrospect it was “not a good idea” to organize the celebration.
Source: Nachrichten
