Meeting Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands

During my time working at Auckland International Airport, I was lucky enough to have a job with the Department of Internal Affairs. My role, as part of the Visits and Ceremonial Office (VCO), was to help facilitate the arrivals of VIPs visiting New Zealand — anyone from Ministers and Prime Ministers to Presidents and members of Royal Families from around the world.

It was a fascinating job. I got to meet, greet, and escort some of the most interesting people you could imagine — handling introductions, documents, and making sure everything ran smoothly as they passed through our special government lounge, safely away from the waiting press and cameras.

But one day stands out above all others:
The day I met Her Royal Highness Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

I was beside myself with excitement! I knew I’d only have a brief moment with her, but I had a question I’d been holding onto for years — and this might be my one chance to ask it. So I made sure I was ready. When the time came, I stepped forward, took a breath, and greeted her in my native Dutch.
Her face lit up instantly. “Oh! Are you Dutch-born?” she asked, smiling warmly.
“Yes,” I said, “and if I may, I have a question to ask you.”
“Please,” she replied, “go ahead.”

I asked if she remembered the name Andrée Wiltens.
She tilted her head thoughtfully. “Yes, I do know that name, but…” she trailed off.
That’s when I told her that my uncle, Albert Andrée Wiltens, had been made godfather to her youngest sister, Princess Marijke, when she was born — an honour given by Queen Juliana in recognition of the work my uncle had done during World War II. He had secretly sent information to the Dutch Royal Family while they were in exile in London.
For many years afterward, my uncle and aunt were invited to Princess Marijke’s birthday parties at Soestdijk Palace.

The Queen’s eyes widened. “Really?” she said, clearly astonished. “How extraordinary!”
She was completely fascinated and wanted to know more. It was a little awkward, though — she was supposed to be meeting other dignitaries and catching another flight, and there I was chatting away with the Queen of the Netherlands!

Eventually, we began walking toward her waiting Crown car. Before she got in, she turned to me with a warm smile and said: “Oh, how I wish we had more time. It was so wonderful to meet you — and such a surprise to learn you belong to the Andrée Wiltens family.”