Dutch royals see German parliament, Merkel on state visit

The king and queen of the Netherlands visited the German parliament and had an appointment with Chancellor Angela Merkel on the second day of a three-day state visit to Germany.

Parliament speaker Wolfgang Schaeuble welcomed King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima to the lower house of the federal legislature in the landmark Reichstag building. The queen wore an elaborate hat.

The royal couple were expected to meet Merkel, who is in her final months in office after nearly 16 years as Germany’s leader, and to visit the upper house of parliament on Tuesday afternoon.

Willem-Alexander and Maxima arrived in Berlin on Monday on a visit that was delayed from last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. They were received on Monday by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and visited Germany’s national disease control center along with other locations.