APELDOORN, the Netherlands–The spirit of international goodwill prevailed over rivalry on the pitch while Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako watched Japan’s soccer World Cup opener with Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima.
The four viewed the tightly contested match, which ended in a 2-2 draw, on TV on June 14 at the Het Oude Loo castle in Apeldoorn, east of Amsterdam, where the imperial couple were staying on an official visit to the country.
A photograph released by the Dutch royal family showed Naruhito and Masako smiling with towels for Japan’s national team, nicknamed “Samurai Blue,” draped around their necks, alongside Willem-Alexander and Maxima wearing towels for the Dutch national squad, known as the Orange Lions.
The image was posted on the Dutch Royal House’s official Instagram page with the Dutch caption, “Sport verbroedert!” which roughly translates into “Sport brings people together!”
The two couples watched the game in an intimate atmosphere, with no aides present, according to the Imperial Household Agency.
A senior agency official said both the guests and hosts were highly engaged and described the hard-fought contest as a “very good match.”
Samurai Blue, despite trailing the Orange Lions, scored a second goal late in the game to equalize before the final whistle.
The imperial couple appeared delighted by the dramatic turn of events, the agency official said.
The Dutch couple visited Naruhito and Masako at the castle, a private royal retreat set amid natural surroundings, and shared dinner before watching the match in a salon-like room.
The joint viewing was proposed by the Dutch side, according to the Imperial Household Agency.
Naruhito on June 15 toured the Paleis Het Loo museum near the castle for more than an hour.
Viewing paintings, ceramics of Asian origin and preserved interiors such as former dining rooms and bedchambers, the emperor asked many questions, including about the number of court painters the palace once employed.
Naruhito and Masako spent a private retreat at Het Oude Loo in 2006 at the invitation of then-Queen Beatrix, with their daughter, Princess Aiko, who was 4 at the time.
The imperial couple on June 14 strolled around the castle grounds for about an hour and stopped by places they had visited during their stay two decades ago.
Among them was a chalet known as the Playhouse of Princess (later Queen) Wilhelmina, where Aiko had played at the time.
Masako was quoted as saying that the visit brought back “very nostalgic memories.”
The emperor and empress will travel to Amsterdam, the capital, on June 16 and attend official events the following day.
The imperial couple are on an official visit to the Netherlands and Belgium from June 13 to 26, arranged in response to long-standing invitations from the monarchs of both countries.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.asahi.com ’
