Your Majesty,
I would like to express Queen Letizia’s and my deepest gratitude for your kind invitation, together with Queen Maxima, to visit the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Thank you, Your Majesties for your remarkable hospitality, and tonight for this splendid State dinner. We of course also want to thank the Dutch Government, authorities and citizens for the warm welcome and support, which we ─together with our delegation─ sincerely appreciate.
Allow me to add the joy we feel for the special presence of other members of the RF, in particular your daughter HRH Amalia, Princess of Orange and of your mother, HRH Princess Beatrix. Our families are indeed very close and share so many moments in recent history, both on a personal nature and on a more official one. The task of monarchs in our modern and democratic societies is something we also share, as we do with our goals and efforts in favour of stability, continuity, political neutrality and the common good of our people; now so closely bound by our great bilateral exchanges and our common membership of the EU and NATO.
We feel honoured to carry out our State visit to this beloved country, for which we feel a special affection, respect and admiration. We still cherish the very pleasant memory of our first official visit here, in October 2014, shortly after my Proclamation as King of Spain in front of our Parliament (Cortes Generales).
Just over a year before it was YM who ascended the throne (and was sworn in as King of the Netherlands in a special session of the States General). It was truly a privilege for us to be here for such a historic moment, still as crown prince and princess. So much has happened since and in such an accelerated way…
We hope that this visit will bear witness to the excellent state of our bilateral relations, based on solid historical, personal, cultural, economic and social ties. With these strengths in mind, we aim to seize this opportunity to take our partnership to a broader level.
There is no better foundation for our common objective —to further our relationship— than the strong human bonds forged over the years. Education, work, business opportunities or tourism explain the growing number of Dutch visiting or living in Spain, as well as Spaniards visiting or living in the Netherlands. Both communities play a pivotal role in revitalizing our relations and we trust they will thrive even more in the coming decades.
We can trace some of those bonds back to the 16th century, such as the Charles of Antwerp Foundation —the first of its kind created in Spain, devoted in its origin to the assistance of Flemish travellers—. Other initiatives are much more recent, such as the Platform Spaans, to promote Spanish language and culture in Dutch educational centres; or the Association of Spanish Scientists in the Netherlands, which brings together a large part of the Spanish scientific community, and the Spinoza Conference, one of the most prestigious forums for the Spanish-speaking community here.
Therefore, cultural relations have been historically strong, evidenced by a number of notable collaborations that reflect a deep friendship, interest and mutual trust.
We recall that the first illustrated edition of Don Quixote —the first and most widely published novel in the world— appeared in the Netherlands in 1657.
Also in the 17th century, Lodewijck Huygens, son of the great poet and Private Secretary to the Prince of Orange, offered a splendid description of Spain and the devotion to art among its people in his fascinating travel diaries "A Dutchman in the Court of Philip IV". As part of the first Embassy to Spain in 1660, he contributed, like his father, to the mutual knowledge of the two societies and the common history of the two Kingdoms.
Our countries also share a common influence that deeply marked in particular all European painting. In the 17th century, a particular aesthetic developed in both of them. The fascinating yet subtle links between paintings of Rembrandt, Velazquez and Vermeer are perhaps the most representative.
Today, the rich diversity of our exchanges in this field reflect well this common ground. Only this year, two major exhibitions of Spanish artists are ─or will be─ held in Dutch museums: an exceptional retrospective of Antonio López, master of Spanish realism, in Assen; and just in a few months’ time, a display of Joan Miro’s sculptures in The Hague.
Lastly, these human ties are instrumental to the knowledge of our languages. As in many other countries, one can increasingly hear Spanish among Dutch students and workers due to a genuine interest in our cultural and touristic richness and the large Spanish community residing here. Contacts between Spanish and Dutch universities are also numerous. The more than 6.000 Spaniards attending universities in the Netherlands constitute the 5th largest community of foreign students here.
The increased demand for Spanish as a foreign language stands out at all educational levels, especially in university and higher education. This is something we intend to encourage even further. The same goes for Dutch students in Spain —over 2700 only last year—, with Spain also being their favourite Erasmus destination by far.
Your Majesty,
As you rightly observed during your last visit to Spain in June of last year, our relationship is stronger than ever. We then had the opportunity to celebrate the 375th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, and the launch of new cooperation projects for the production of renewable and green energies. In this endeavour, Spain and the Netherlands have become pivotal countries in ensuring a stronger, more autonomous, efficient and greener Europe.
Our countries represent two of the most dynamic economies in the EU. Working together, we will help ensure the energy and digital transitions the Union is undergoing.
We also celebrate the desire for rapprochement in other areas, already evident in the presentation of two “non-papers” during the Spanish presidency of the EU Council. One on the strategic autonomy of the EU and the other on the EU’s Economic and Financial issues.
We base our determination on the conviction that the Netherlands is of great importance in the European and international arena. Dutch contributions to a more united Europe have always been led by a strong sense of historical responsibility, an unwavering dedication to the future of our continent, and a marked pragmatism when facing the challenges that run parallel to the development of the European project.
Today the European construction must rise to the main challenges we face as free, democratic societies that believe in the rule of law and in a rules based international order. The world needs a strong and united Europe to defend and promote these purposes. The future of the next generations depends on it. Our prosperity and peace rest on the firm foundation provided by our membership of the EU and the Atlantic Alliance (NATO). It requires us to stand united and firm, in our principles and values, together with our allies in the face of the most recent challenges, such as the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine or the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the wider Middle East region.
This visit paves the way for a new stage in the relationship between two countries that feel a renewed and deep mutual interest. We hope these days may contribute to reinforce even more the deep bonds between two societies that look together to a prosperous future.
So do too our Parliamentary monarchies, as we go together towards that future, hand in hand with two young women of their generation —Princess Amalia and Princess Leonor— deeply committed to their Nation and their people.
I place great trust in the strength of our relationship and in a solid and stable cooperation framework between us.
With this confidence in mind, I invite you to raise your glasses in a toast to your own good fortune and health, as to that of your dear family, and to the future and prosperity of all the Dutch people.
Thank you.
"...We feel honoured to carry out our State visit to this beloved country, for which we feel a special affection, respect and admiration. We still cherish the very pleasant memory of our first official visit here, in October 2014, shortly after my Proclamation as King of Spain in front of our Parliament..."