This morning, Holland’s Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and Crown Princess Maxima kicked off their week long visit to New York for the city’s 400th anniversary celebrations of Henry Hudson’s voyage to the river now named after him.
Getty Images/Spencer Platt
On board the USS Interpid, Mayor Mike Bloomberg, along with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, welcomed the Dutch royals. Willem-Alexander commented that New York was built on Dutch values, such as a dedication to liberty.
The couple were then given a tour of the Intrepid, which was used during World War II but is now a museum. A Dutch naval ship HNLMS Tromp gave a 21-gun salute.
Following this officialy welcoming, Willem-Alexander and Maxima headed north to West Point Academy for a tour of its museum. They will also meet with Governor David Patterson.
After that, the royals will come back to New York and head to the Empire State Building. They will then light the landmark in orange hues – signifying New York’s Dutch roots.
