Queen Beatrix told reporters she wore the head scarf in the UAE and again on a visit to an Oman mosque to show religious respect.

The Queen was responding to questions from reporters about parliamentary questions filed by Geert Wilders, who said the monarch’s decision to cover her head on a visit to a mosque in Abu Dhabi on Sunday legitimises the oppression of women.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Thursday sprang to the queen’s defence.

“When Her Majesty visits a house of worship, the dress requirements are respected,” Rutte said in written answers to Wilders’ parliamentary questions.

The Dutch Queen landed Tuesday morning at the airport of the capital Muscat. She and her accompanying delegation will first visit the palace of Sultan Qaboos for a welcome ceremony.

The visit “comes within the context of the advanced bilateral relations and reflects the keenness of the leaders of Oman and The Netherlands to foster the interests of their peoples”, a Diwan of Royal Court statement said.

The Dutch queen’s delegation include Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Máxima; Maxim Jacos Marcel Verhagen, Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation; Dr Uriel Rosenthal, Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Marco Hiens, First Minister of Royal Court.

It is the second time within one year that the Queen is visiting the Gulf State.

The focus of this state visit is to boost trade and economic relations with the United Arab Emirates. For this purpose a number of agreements will be signed in the presence of the queen. Wednesday the Queen will visit the port city of Sohar.

Sultan Qaboos Bin Said bid farewell to the queen, Crown Prince William Alexander, Princess Maxima, his wife, and the accompanying delegation who will leave the Sultanate on Thursday.

The queen, Prince William and his wife expressed their sincere thanks and appreciation to His Majesty, the government and the Omani citizens for the generous reception during their visit to the Sultanate. His Majesty wished them a happy stay and a safe return to their country.

Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima also visited Oman and the United Arab Emirates in 2009. See video below.

The Dutch Queen and her accompanying delegation were welcomed by Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Monday at Zaabeel Palace.

During the meeting, they reviewed the relations of friendship and cooperation between the UAE and the Netherlands and discussed ways of strengthening them at various levels.

Shaikh Mohammad reaffirmed the importance of Queen Beatrix’s visit, which sets up opening wider avenues of cultural, political and economic cooperation between the two nations.

Queen Beatrix praised the UAE and the qualitative urban development its witnessing under the its wise leadership, and pointed out Dubai’s global reputation and success story, which she said have become a model for development on the national level.

HRH Willem-Alexander Prince of Orange and his spouse HRH Princess Maxima of the Netherlands also attended the meeting.

An official state visit to Oman was postponed because of unrest in the Arab country. Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima will accompany her, announced ​​the Government Information Service Wednesday.

The royal family will travel first to the United Arab Emirates from 8th to 10th January. Afterwards the queen, the prince and princess will go to Oman from 10 until 12th January. A trade delegation will also be present during both visits.

Beatrix, Willem-Alexander and Máxim visited Oman and traveled on to Qatar for a long-scheduled state visit in March this year.

In keeping with the climate of austerity, the Dutch Queen flew commercial during her trip to Aruba.

Queen Beatrix flew with Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima with a regular commercial flight to Aruba for an official visit. There she was welcomed for a visit to the Caribbean islands. No one on board knew of the royal visit, despite a hint of the captain, “We leave Schiphol Airport southward via Wassenaar.

The visit officially starts Friday. The royal family will travel to the other islands by government jet.

The Dutch Royal Family are celebrating Queen Beatrix’ official birthday in the southernmost province of Limburg. Accompanied by her sons, daughters in law and her sister Princess Margriet and her family, the Queen has arrived in the town of Thorn. Later in the day they will travel to the city of Weert.

During this national holiday events and celebrations are held throughout the country and Amsterdam transforms into the capital of festivals. You’ll find public street markets, music and bars on every street corner.

It’s on big party in the Netherlands on Queen’s day, the terraces are full and free market are everywhere where neighbors try to sell the old stuff to eachother.

That is only possible in the Netherlands, and everyone is celebrating togheter. Queensday is actually the Netherlands at its best, said Prime Minister Mark Rutte Saturday morning on television shortly before the start of Queensday 2011.

Photo By Radio Nederland Wereldomroep

On April 30 the Netherlands colors orange when it celebrates Queen’s Day. During this national holiday events and celebrations are held throughout the country and Amsterdam transforms into the capital of festivals. You’ll find public street markets, music and bars on every street corner.

CNN writes while much of the world’s attention will be fixed on a certain royal wedding in London, Prince William’s nuptials are not the only royal affair happening this weekend.

The orange craze, or “oranjegekte” in Dutch, returns to Netherlands on Saturday, when millions of revelers wearing head-to-toe orange will hit the streets across the nation to celebrate Queen’s Day.

The Dutch royal occasion has been celebrated for over 100 years and is the annual official celebration of the Queen’s birthday.

Orange is the official color of the Queen and the royal family, descendants from the House of Orange-Nassau that has played a political role in the Netherlands for roughly half a millennium.

Amsterdam imposes strict rules this year to make Queens day go smoothly. Events will end earlier and the sale of alcoholic beverages will be restricted.

There is a strict alcohol policy in place to prevent fights and disturbances of people under the influence as much as possible. Alcohol is not allowed onboard trains and at train stations throughout the Netherlands and supermarkets and shops can only sell one alcoholic beverage per customer.

Queen’s Day is the national holiday when Holland turns orange and celebrates – regardless of the strict rules. You should definitely visit the free market in the ‘Vondelpark’ and the concerts at ‘Museumplein’ in Amsterdam. On the eve before Queen’s Day you can celebrate ‘Queen’s Night’ in the streets of The Hague.

Photo By quantz

Calderon welcomed the queen at a ceremony in Mexico’s National Palace, where he will host a dinner in her honor.

The queen arrived just before midday for a trip that will include meetings with Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, according to a schedule released by the Dutch embassy here.

Queen Beatrix is also scheduled to visit Mexico City’s famous National Museum of Anthropology and participate in a meeting on energy.

The royal will spend the last two days of the trip visiting the Mexican states of Guanajuato and Hidalgo.

In her toast during the state banquet the Queen praised the president and his government to tackle the crisis, which the SMEs are supported. “A strong and prosperous middle class constitutes the backbone of a democratic society.” Beatrix also expressed words of appreciation for tackling crime.

The queen is accompanied by Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, and his wife Princess Maxima.

“The present time calls for hope and change,” said Beatrix.

The Queen began her speech to the General States about the global economic crisis instantly that the the Netherlands has been hit hard. “The speed of events was extreme” said Beatrix.

People are losing their jobs, the number of bankruptcies is increasing and the public finances show large deficits. The impact will be felt for a long time, the queen said, “but the government will not pass the bill on to future generations.”

In 2010, the deficit increased to six percent of gross domestic product.

One of the ways to cover the shortfall will be to increase taxes.

Photo by Pixel Addict