Queen Máxima presents Appeltjes van Oranje awards at Noordeinde Palace

Queen Máxima presented the Appeltjes van Oranje awards at Noordeinde Palace on Thursday, 8 October. The Grote Appel went to Stek - Buurt & Lukas, a Hague organisation that helps people affected by poverty. King Willem-Alexander and Princess Beatrix attended the ceremony, Nieuws.nl reported. [1]

In her speech, Máxima called the Oranje Fonds “a common thread in our lives for almost a quarter of a century” (translated from Dutch). She said she and Willem-Alexander had wanted a gift for society as they prepared to marry, so that more people could feel at home and take part. They received the fund shortly before their wedding in 2002, according to Nieuws.nl. [1]

Máxima said people at Stek - Buurt & Lukas could share their stories and receive practical support. Awards also went to Stichting Doors Wide Open in Hof van Twente, which supports people facing financial difficulties, and the Mega D Youth Foundation on Sint Eustatius, which helps children and young people avoid a life in poverty. [1]