Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Spain have confirmed that they will attend the Dutch inauguration ceremony at the end of the month.
Felipe, 45, and his wife Letizia, 40, will journey to the Dutch capital of Amsterdam to see Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Maxima become King and Queen of the Netherlands on 30 April.
Spain's royal heirs will witness Queen Beatrix's abdication ceremony in Amsterdam's Royal Palace along with dignitaries, members of parliament and members of her family. Following a short address by Queen Beatrix, 75, the Director of the Queen's Office will read aloud the instruction of abdication, which the Queen will assent to with her signature. At 10.30, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Maxima will then appear with Beatrix, now Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix, on the balcony of the palace to greet their people. The former sovereign and Willem-Alexander will then both give an address, followed by the national anthem.
Willem-Alexander and Maxima joined the Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia in Rome last month for Pope Francis I's inaugural mass. In keeping with Vatican protocol, Maxima and Letizia looked striking in demure outfits and distinctive lace veils as they chatted to each other at the open air mass.Felipe and Letizia, who will one day ascend to the Spanish throne, are close to their European counterparts and recently joining them in the Dutch town of Apeldoorn.
Willem-Alexander and Maxima invited their fellow royal heirs to Het Oude Loo, a former hunting lodge, to spend time together. Dressed-down in their more casual attire Princess Mary of Denmark, Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Prince Guillaume and Stephanie Luxembourg, Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden and Prince Haakon of Norway posed for a rare photograph together.