Dutch King and Queen to visit NZ in November

Prime Minister John Key today welcomed the announcement that His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands will visit New Zealand from November 7 to 9.

“I am delighted to welcome King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima back to New Zealand on their first official state visit as King and Queen,” Mr Key says. 

“Our close relationship with the Netherlands dates back to Abel Tasman’s sighting of New Zealand in 1642, and we are lucky to have many Dutch migrants living here who greatly enhance our society and economy.”

The King and Queen will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Bert Koenders and, parallel to the state visit, a trade mission led by Minister for Economic Affairs Henk Kamp will take place.

While this will be their first official state visit as King and Queen, it will be their second visit to New Zealand. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima last visited in November 2006, before the investiture of King Willem Alexander in 2013.

Further programme details for the visit will be released once they are confirmed.