Dutch king received by Belgian prime minister for three-day state visit

Prime minister Alexander De Croo received Dutch king Willem-Alexander and queen Máxima on Tuesday afternoon to mark the start of their three-day state visit to Belgium. De Croo and his wife, Annick, welcomed the Dutch royal couple to the Lambermont, the prime minister's official residence in Brussels.

Along with the king, a small Dutch delegation descended on the Lambermont, including Foreign minister Wopke Hoekstra and Pieter Jan Kleiweg de Zwaan, the Dutch ambassador to Belgium. Belgian Foreign minister Hadja Lahbib was also present at the meeting.

Willem-Alexander and Máxima are in Belgium for a three-day state visit. Some political meetings will take place on Tuesday afternoon. The couple have already visited the federal parliament, where they spoke with members of the Chamber of Representatives and Senate, and were given a tour of the parliament building.

The royals were accompanied later on Tuesday by their Belgian counterparts, Philippe and Mathilde, for a meet-and-greet with spectators at the Grand Place in Brussels. A few hundred people attended, with some dressed in orange, the national colour of the Netherlands.

Brussels mayor Philippe Close received both royal couples at Brussels city hall. The royals also made an appearance on the balcony of the stately building at the Brussels Grand Place.

Two more meetings with the public are planned during the remainder of the state visit: Wednesday at 15.30 in Charleroi, and Thursday at 11.30 in Antwerp.

(BRV)

^{Prime minister Alexander De Croo and Dutch king Willem-Alexander © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS / © BELGA VIDEO MAARTEN WEYNANTS}