King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands gave American President Trump and fellow world leaders a royal welcome at the NATO summit, with an extra welcome provided for Donald Trump. In a major first for Donald Trump, the Dutch royal couple invited Trump to stay the night at the Dutch palace.
A White House official said: “President Trump has accepted King Willem-Alexander’s invitation to spend the night at Huis ten Bosch in The Hague. This is a historic event – marking the first time an American President will stay at the King’s residence.”
A spokesperson for the Dutch government told AP the president will be sleeping at the palace that is home to King Willem-Alexander, his wife and their three daughters.
Parts of Huis Ten Bosch palace date back to the 17th century. It has a Wassenaar Wing, where the Royal Family live, and a Hague Wing that is used by guests. The palace is also close to the new U.S. Embassy in the Netherlands.
On June 24, the Dutch royal couple beamed as they greeted world leaders from 32 countries. including Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Sir Keir Starmer at The Hague’s World Forum, marking the first time the Netherlands has played host to a NATO summit.
The royal pair are known for their casual approach to monarch life, opting out of a coronation ceremony and choosing to send their three daughters to public school, rather than an elite private institution.
The red carpet was rolled out for Trump and other world leaders arriving in the Netherlands on Tuesday. NATO leaders were seen toasting each other and clinking drinks at a dinner ahead of an intense day of meetings on Wednesday.
The summit comes just days after he made the decision to launch strikes on Iranian nuclear sites and hours after he announced a ceasefire in the Israel-Iran conflict. It will be the first time Trump will face European U.S. allies since returning to the White House in January.
On the eve of Trump’s departure, Iran carried out retaliatory strikes at a U.S. base in Qatar.
Then hours later, Trump posted on his social media platform that the two countries had agreed to a ceasefire that would end hostilities.