As special as it was that it was ‘finally possible again’, Prinsjesdag was never really pleasant for a moment. Especially the traditional cheerful approach of the NOS did not combine very well with the grim atmosphere outside, where the booing of demonstrators took the upper hand. Daphne Bunskoek spoke in RTL Boulevard from ‘a bit of a crazy day’, and Show newsexpert Sandra Schuurhof had ‘never experienced this in decades’. Prinsjesdag itself was not in top shape, but what about the interpreters? Prinsjesdag TV based on the protagonists:
8. Splinter Chabot & Charlotte Nijs (Khalid & Sophie) Political reporter Nijs started Prinsjesdag at 06.00 am with Johan Vlemmix at the palace, and after that he thought it ‘only got less’. Chabot again won the awards for ‘most interested-looking talk show look’ and ‘most spoken words per second’.
7. Robert ten Brink (This is how you educate!) Had little to do with Prinsjesdag, but it would have been nice for the cabinet if it had also put together an emergency package for Robert ten Brink. Because what does that poor man have dr. love RTL for heaven’s sake that he has to present such an excruciatingly frumpy, old-fashioned parenting program?
6. René van der Gijp (Today Inside) ‘You can see from Máxima’s face that we are in for a shitty time.’ About Willem-Alexander: ‘If such a man (speech from the throne, red.) if you can’t, then go and do something else.’ Opinion man about opinion people: ‘All those people, let’s just stop with that, dude.’
5. Usain Bolt (Jinek) Eva Jinek had Sigrid Kaag and Joost Vullings, but especially showed off a completely random interview with Usain Bolt, in which Jinek asked questions such as ‘Were you a fast baby?’ and ‘Do you still have the same abs?’ Did Jinek still have the best Prinsjesdag interview in the house.
4. Malou Petter (NOS News) By far the most dedicated Prinsjesdag reporter. Won against Nynke de Zoeten, who had to raise her voice considerably to get over the fanfare.
3. The Amalia watchers (everywhere) Herman Pleij already spoke of a ‘experienced wave’, Nikkie Plessen praised the cheap dress (107 euros!) and Maik de Boer saw a ‘nice, recalcitrant lady’, who went down in history. A successful debut.
2. Mark Rutte (Prince’s Day celebration) The traditional Prinsjesdag celebration this year had to be ‘tolerating, conciliatory and binding’. The Prime Minister agreed. He emphasized that “the future will bring good again” and that “the hereafter is a common hope”. That sounded more ominous than binding, but it certainly was conciliatory.
1. Jeroen Snel (RTL Boulevard) Undisputed Prince’s Day king. Was glad the weather was grander than in years past but found the boos and the waving disrespectful’owkword‘. Criticism by Aran Bade of the royal pay increase was routinely brushed aside, because the king was simply a trend follower in the civil servants’ collective agreement. It was also crystal clear this Budget Day: with Jeroen Snel at the helm, we would never have ended up in such a deep crisis.