Overview
- The imperial couple have been staying at the Dutch royal retreat Het Oude Loo in Apeldoorn and spent informal time there after arriving late on June 13, with the Dutch king and queen joining them on June 14 for a World Cup viewing.
- The Emperor visited Het Loo Palace Museum on Monday, June 15, where museum staff and Imperial Household Agency representatives explained rooms used by William III, court paintings and eastern porcelain collected by the Dutch royal family.
- During his museum tour the Emperor walked through chambers once used by William III and viewed the palace gardens from the rooftop, according to official and local reports.
- The Emperor and Empress left the retreat and moved to Amsterdam on June 16 and will take part in formal state events beginning June 17, including a wreath‑laying at a war memorial and a state banquet hosted by King Willem‑Alexander and Queen Máxima.
- The visit recalls a private 2006 stay in Apeldoorn when the then‑Crown Prince family rested there with a young Princess Aiko, a memory the Emperor cited before departure and one that underlines warm personal ties between the royal households.