Arnoud started at Noordeinde Palace, at the time the work palace of Queen Beatrix. From the silver room to the wine cellar – he got to know the palace inside and outside. Until at the beginning of 2003 he was asked to come and work in Noordeinde 66, the house of then Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima. “Suddenly you are in private spheres where you work directly for the royal family and you will be introduced to them by the caretaker: this is Mr. Ruiter, he will work tonight.”
Know when to disappear
Working in the house of the Prince and Princess brought extra responsibility. “In the house you prepare your discreet, professional and service. You are present, but never emphatically,” Arnoud explains. “You know when to appear and especially when you have to disappear again.”
Even after years of service, the interaction remained formal. “You work in their house. As you don’t want everyone to move freely through your living room, you know where you should and should not be.”
Yet there were also times when the contact felt a little more personal. When Arnoud’s son was born, he and his wife received a maternity visit to the staff. “At one point the prince suddenly came to sit. He had recently become a father. We then talked about paternity for an hour.”
New chapter in Hoorn
After five years at the court, Arnoud started a new chapter in Hoorn, where he opened the Orange Beach Pavilion outside. “They are two completely different worlds, but in the core it is all about the same thing: serving guests to perfection.”
Yet the bond with the Royal House will continue to exist. A few times a year he still attracts his Livrei. “That variety makes it always special.”