Dutch King and Queen visit Albany

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Their Majesties, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands visited Albany on Wednesday. The Dutch royals touched on the shared history with New York state and made a major announcement.

They want to facilitate a global partnership and pave the way for more innovation in the semiconductor industry by signing a memorandum of understanding with the state.

“Today we will be examining how New York state and the Netherlands will bring its historic relationship into the 21st century. Yes, one that started back in the 1600s, and how further collaboration between our world-class semiconductor industries will drive innovation and tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. 

She held a reception on Monday morning at the Governor’s Mansion to welcome the royal couple. King Willem-Alexander briefly addressed the media.

“This visit 400 years after the New Netherlands reached these shores gives us an opportunity to examine our shared history in all openness and honesty,” said Willem-Alexander. 

He started his remarks with an acknowledgement of New York’s Indigenous people. 

“We realize that the perspective of the area’s original inhabitants was very different. Their entire way of life was turned upside down, and their freedoms were violated. Today their descendants are rightly asking that attention be paid to their story,” said Willem-Alexander.

According to the Netherlands Embassy, the royals are here because New York is a key trade and investment partner. They had one goal with the trip.  

“To strengthen our cooperation in those areas that mean so much to the State of New York and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, peace, social justice, sustainability, climate action, and development opportunities for all,” said Willem-Alexander.

The Dutch King and Queen visited NY Creates, a key center for semiconductor research and development, Monday afternoon. They signed a memorandum of understanding that they said will help advance semiconductor research in both the U.S. and the Netherlands and promote sustainability in the industry. 

“We’re also partners for the search for solutions to the great challenges of our time, from climate change to the energy transition to affordable health care for all. And for all these reasons our ties of corporations are key importance and therefore I wish you all ever success and may this memorandum of understanding bear fruit for the future,” said the King at NY Creates.

They visited the Schuyler Mansion, the home of the affluent Dutch couple Philip Schuyler and Catharine Van Rensselaer, where they talked to young people about climate change. 

“We are greatly looking forward to the next two days in marvelous New York State, a place where we feel so much at home,” said Willem-Alexander.

The Dutch royals attended an evening reception. They head to New York City next and plan to round out their visit to the U.S. with trips to Texas and California.