Dutch royals visit Philadelphia, meet Gov. Shapiro to discuss trade and historic ties
Philadelphia welcomed European royalty on Monday as the Netherlands' King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima met with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to discuss economic ties and longstanding connections between the state and the Dutch kingdom.
In a streamed press conference that included the royal couple, Shapiro said the two sides had just concluded a "very enjoyable and productive" bilateral meeting at Independence Hall alongside the National Park Service. In a statement on X earlier in the day, the governor noted that Pennsylvania and the Netherlands have stood together for centuries, dating back to William Penn’s founding of the Commonwealth.
Shapiro emphasized what he described as the "incredibly deep historical and cultural ties" between Pennsylvania and the Netherlands and said conversations would continue throughout the day on how to increase trade. He pointed to a "robust" commercial relationship that he said amounts to billions of dollars in activity, citing exports such as Hershey chocolates sent to the Netherlands.
“We may be separated by an ocean, but we are bound by our shared history and promise of our future,” he said. The king and queen thanked Pennsylvania for its hospitality and acknowledged the significance of visiting as preparations continue for America’s 250th anniversary.
King Willem-Alexander said it is important to cherish the centuries-old bond between the nations, calling it part of the origin of democracy and the rule of law they share. The purpose of the visit, he said, was to reaffirm and strengthen ties. The king also noted plans to visit Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood and the Eagles’ stadium ahead of the FIFA World Cup this summer, in which the Netherlands will be represented.
Shapiro said discussions on expanding cooperation would continue later in the day.