Even between mangroves there is time for the royal couple to talk about emancipation: ‘It is possible’ | show

They have just posed themselves, King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and Princess Amalia, when a beautiful bird does it for them. The Oranjes, visiting the Antilles to introduce Amalia there, have just started a hike through Arikok National Park in Aruba, when an owl takes all the time to be photographed by Máxima.

Or an owl; the animal is actually called a shoco, one of the national symbols of Aruba. Amalia points to the shoco, her mother takes pictures with her mobile phone and her father questions a ranger, who explains the animals in Arikok National Park – 34 square kilometers in size. He explains that this shoco is the female; she can rest while the male takes care of the little ones a little further on.

Máxima bursts into laughter, looks at her husband and says: “It is possible.” The king mutters something about emancipation, Máxima lays her head guiltily on his shoulder. Around the royal couple, it is always clear that Willem-Alexander is above all a committed father.

The incident illustrates well the relaxed atmosphere of the second day in Aruba. It starts with a tropical downpour, but by the time the Oranjes are dropped off in the national park with a tourist van, things have dried up again. They walk around in casual clothes: Amalia in a lemon yellow blouse with white trousers, her mother chose an army green trouser suit and the king is all in khaki.

Before they got into the van – actually before their breakfast – they already called the Netherlands to congratulate Princess Beatrix on her 85th birthday. “That’s the first thing we did this morning,” the royal couple shouted in unison. The eldest son of Princess Beatrix reports: ,,She was very happy with the call and is very happy with this visit. When we get back, we will definitely celebrate.”

Between cacti, the group walks on sturdy steppers to the mangroves in the national park, for which all kinds of protection programs exist. The royal couple keeps asking a female ranger who explains, behind the Oranges, members of the court become slightly nervous; the program soon gets ‘completely out of control’, one of them reports. ,,There is always too little time,” the king apologises.

A little further on, Willem-Alexander, Máxima and Amalia spot the beautiful shoco. A little later, the royal party gets an explanation of what the rangers can do to prevent snakes like the boa constrictor from crawling into the shoco’s hole to attack the little ones. The king hopes to see something of the shoco’s underground tunnel system and quickly lifts a bucket. ,,Are you watching out for the boa, king?,” says a listening journalist. Willem-Alexander responds: “A boa on two legs, or a snake?”

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