GRAND RAPIDS (WKZO) — West Michigan will be the destination for a royal visit this week as part of a three day itinerary for King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, but Holland isn’t on the list this time around.
The royal couple have been to the U.S. before, but this is their first visit as King and Queen.
They will spend Monday in Washington D.C. in formal gatherings and meetings with economic and White House officials and meet with President Obama. They also plan to squeeze in a Washington Nationals game.
They will fly into Grand Rapids Tuesday morning for a visit to DeVos Children’s Hospital, and a performance of a Dutch play performed by Children from Holland at the Frederik Meijer Gardens. There will also be a ceremonial tree planting at the Meijer Gardens.
The royal couple will then board a plane and be in Chicago in time for dinner.
Previous visits to the U.S. by Dutch Royalty have included stops in Holland and Zeeland. West Michigan has the largest concentration of Dutch immigrants on this side of the Atlantic.
