Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands have opened the doors of Huis ten Bosch Palace giving royal fans a look inside of their new family home. The couple and their three daughters—Princesses Catharina-Amalia, 15, Ariane, 12, and Alexia, 14—moved to the residence in The Hague on January 13, 2019. Huis ten Bosch Palace is one of three official residences of the Dutch royal family.
Maxima and her family previously resided at Villa Eikenhorst in Wassenaar. Prior to the move, King Willem-Alexander confessed, “It is emotional to leave [Wassenaar].” While Maxima noted, “We leave this house with nostalgia,” adding, “It means a lot to us.”
Princess Beatrix, Willem-Alexander’s mother, previously lived at Huis ten Bosch Palace until 2014. The palace itself is a national monument from the seventeenth century. It is used as a residential palace and for representative purposes such as official receipts from dignitaries. Take a look inside Queen Maxima's new home...
The chandelier in the entrance was designed by Studio Drift, which creates installations and interactive sculptures that explore the relationship between nature, technology and mankind. The royals' “Fragile Future” sculpture is made from the fruit of dandelions, while the fluffy bulbs were picked by hand and glued seed by seed to LED lighting.
As one would assume, the palace features a stunning ballroom. Huis ten Bosch Palace was refurbished in recent years by the Central Government Real Estate Agency. During the renovation, the palace’s roof and the landing steps were replaced. The historic stucco ceilings and the facade were also renovated, while asbestos and wood rot were removed.
The Blue Salon of the palace tells stories about the royal family and their country. The walls of the room are designed with objects that are of importance to the royals, including skates and the silver Hansje in de Kelder. Rattles that belonged to Princess Beatrix, as well as orange vases, cribs and children's chairs can be seen in the room.
Among the elaborate rooms at the palace is the Chinese Hall. Like many of the other rooms, this one features an opulent fireplace and chandelier. The walls of the hall are designed with Chinese designs, while the ceiling has beautiful detailing.
Aside from a Chinese Hall, the Dutch royal family's newly renovated home also features a Japanese Hall that has multiple spots to sit. A chandelier hangs in the center of the room.
The dome of the Oranjezaal, which can be seen on top of the palace, is designed with historic canvases, panels and arched paintings from the Golden Age.
The DNA Salon, pictured above, was previously known as the Groene Salone. The room was renamed according to NOS because the rhythm of the tens of thousands of bricks hanging on the walls reflect the DNA of King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Maxima. On display in the room are framed photos of various monarchs, including Queen Elizabeth, Sweden’s Queen Silvia and King Carl XVI Gustaf, and Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia.
No home is complete without a dining room! The Witte Eetzaal room is an extravagant dining room perfect for hosting a large number of guests for dinner. Maxima's guests can take their seats at the long dining table in the center.
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