King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima to pay working visit to Pennsylvania, Washington, DC and Florida – Programme

Transatlantic relations between the US and the Kingdom of the Netherlands are important for our security and prosperity. The US is a key ally within NATO. Economic ties between our two countries are strong and wide-ranging. 

The aim of this visit is to draw attention to and enhance our relationship and close cooperation in numerous areas, at both federal and state level. The visit is an opportunity to mark the deep historical and cultural ties between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the US, in the year when the US is celebrating the 250th anniversary of its independence. 

This visit to Florida and Pennsylvania is the latest in a series of working visits to the US, following trips to Texas and California (2022) and New York and Georgia (2024). Key themes for the current working visit including maritime manufacturing, innovation and culture, healthcare, technology and water. The visit to Florida will also highlight the strong ties with the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. The United States is the most important trading partner of Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten, with Florida (and Miami in particular) acting as the main transit and trade hub for the US and Latin America.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima will be accompanied on their visit to Pennsylvania by Minister of Foreign Affairs Tom Berendsen. Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Sjoerd Sjoerdsma and the Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Curaçao Sithree van Heydoorn will also be present in Philadelphia. During their visit to Washington, DC the King and Queen Máxima will be accompanied by Prime Minister Rob Jetten. In Florida the King and Queen Máxima will be joined by Minister Sjoerdsma, with Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Vincent Karremans also attending. 

In Miami, Aruba’s Minister of Kingdom Relations, Education, Youth, Innovation and Sport Gerlien Croes and Minister of Tourism, Transport and Labour Wendrick Cicilia will be taking part. Curaçao’s Minister of Economic Development Roderick Middelhof and Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Sithree van Heydoorn will also be present , as will St Maarten’s Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs and Transport Grisha Heyliger-Marten.

Monday 13 April – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Morning

Welcome by the governor of Pennsylvania, statement to the press and tour of Independence Hall

On Monday morning the King and Queen Máxima will be welcomed by the governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, and First Lady Lori Shapiro. Directly afterwards the King and the governor will each give a brief statement to the press. The King and Queen Máxima will then be given a tour of Independence Hall, which will highlight the 250th anniversary of America’s independence and the Netherlands’ role in the American Revolution. The tour will include a visit to the Liberty Bell, a symbol of America’s independence.

CEO round table and networking reception

At a round table for CEOs, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima will speak with representatives of the business community about trade opportunities and the Netherlands’ wide-ranging economic relationship with the state of Pennsylvania, especially in the areas of agriculture and horticulture, biomedical and health sciences, and high tech. Directly afterwards they and Governor Shapiro will attend a networking reception with representatives of businesses, the sport and culture sectors, and the government, from both the US and the Netherlands. The King will deliver a brief speech.

Afternoon

Visit to Fishtown, the Philadelphia Eagles and innovation in the sport sector

In the afternoon the King and Queen Máxima will visit Fishtown, a neighbourhood undergoing rapid changes where examples of American and Dutch art and architecture can be seen. The visit will begin at the Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School, where they will be joined by Mayor Cherelle Parker. Elsewhere in the neighbourhood they will learn about Dutch architecture and murals and talk with local residents.

The visit to Pennsylvania will end at the home of the Philadelphia Eagles, the local American football team, where King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima will be given a tour of the training facility. They will talk with staff and athletes and hear about examples of sport-related innovation. Directly afterwards there will be an economic session where businesspeople will present innovative products in the sport sector and where attention will be paid to Curaçao’s participation in the 2026 World Cup at Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles’ home stadium.

Evening – Washington, DC

Networking reception and the White House

In Washington a networking reception will be held with representatives of Dutch and American businesses, cultural institutions and the US government. King Willem-Alexander will give a speech. At the invitation of President Donald Trump, the King and Queen Máxima will then attend a dinner at the White House, where they will also spend the night. Prime Minister Jetten will be at the dinner as well. 

Tuesday 14 April – Florida, Miami

Afternoon

Henry Mack School

The visit to Florida will begin at Miami’s Henry Mack School, a primary school that plays a special role in the neighbourhood. Pupils will show the murals they painted together with artists from the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. 

Meeting with Secretary of State Byrd and statement to the press

At the Pérez Art Museum the King and Queen Máxima will be welcomed by Florida’s Secretary of State, Cord Byrd. After their meeting, the King and Mr Byrd will give a brief statement to the press. 

CEO round table, tour and discussion with Caribbean students

At a CEO round table the King and Queen Máxima, together with Secretary of State Byrd, will discuss trade relations between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Florida, touching on issues like the investment climate and the exploration of opportunities for cooperation in areas such as logistics, employment and talent development. 

After a brief tour of the Pérez Art Museum, which is known for its collection of Caribbean and Latin American art, the King and Queen Máxima will take part in a discussion with students from the Caribbean part of the Kingdom who are studying at various universities in Florida.

Domino park and flood resilience

In the Little Havana neighbourhood the King and Queen Máxima will meet local residents who play dominoes together. Most of them are members of the Latino community. The local residents will talk to them about the importance of the ‘domino park’ as a meeting place. Then they will visit the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science of the University of Miami. This visit will centre on the subject of flood resilience and what Florida and the Netherlands can learn from each other in this area. The King and Queen Máxima will then visit the SUSTAIN wave tank, a simulator capable of generating hurricane-force winds, and the coral laboratory, where they will learn about a programme for crossing coral species in order to breed stronger and more resilient varieties of coral. This will also be a chance to explore opportunities for cooperation with the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.

Wednesday 15 April – Florida, Miami

Morning

Maritime manufacturing and the Shake-a-Leg marina

The King and Queen Máxima will attend several pitch sessions where Dutch companies in the maritime manufacturing sector will introduce themselves to potential American clients. Then they will join a maritime executive round table on cooperation, shared challenges and solutions in the maritime manufacturing industry. Finally, they will be given a tour of the Shake-a-Leg marina in which they will learn about the activities of this organisation, which is dedicated to making water sports accessible to disabled people. 

Innovation in cardiovascular surgery

At Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute the King and Queen Máxima will be given a tour where they will talk with doctors and see various innovative technologies and processes. The institute works with Dutch companies on an interdisciplinary approach to cardiovascular surgery, with a focus on innovative solutions. Both Florida and the Netherlands are dealing with demographic ageing and the attendant pressures on healthcare and elder care.

Afternoon 

Freedom Tower, networking reception

At the Freedom Tower museum, the King and Queen Máxima will be given a short tour of the ‘Libertad’ exhibition on migration and Miami’s role as a place of refuge. Immediately following that, they will take part in a networking reception and speak about maritime tourism to Caribbean and Dutch destinations and about mental health in the sport industry. They will also speak with American investors about trade opportunities in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and with SMEs from the Kingdom who operate in Florida. The King will deliver a brief speech.

Government Information Service, no. 101