Federal President Joachim Gauck and Daniela Schadt visited the Kingdom of the Netherlands on 6 and 7 February 2017.

The Federal President and Ms Schadt stayed in The Hague as the guests of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. They dined with the Royal couple and representatives from the worlds of politics, business and culture in the Paleis Noordeinde on the evening of 6 February.

On the second day of their trip, the Federal President and Ms Schadt visited the Mauritshuis in The Hague and thereafter travelled to Maastricht, where the Federal President met students of Maastricht University. He joined Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands at the Dies Natalis ceremony in Theater aan het Vrithof. During the ceremony, the Federal President received an honorary doctorate by Maastricht University. He marked this occasion by giving a speech on European policy issues.

Brief programme overview:

Monday, 6 February 2017

• Flight to Rotterdam The Hague Airport
• The Hague, Paleis Noordeinde
  Dinner, hosted by Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands

Tuesday, 7 February 2017

• The Hague
  Visit the Mauritshuis Museum
  Thereafter
  Flight to Maastricht
• Maastricht, Lumière Cinema
  Welcome by Theodorus Bovens, the King's Commissioner for the Province of Limburg, and Annemarie Penn-te Strake, Mayor of Maastricht
  Thereafter
  Talks with students of Maastricht University
• Theater aan het Vrijthof
  Attend the Dies Natalis ceremony together with Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands and speech on the awarding of an honorary doctorate of Maastricht University to the Federal President
• Return flight to Berlin