Typical Dutch scene on World Bicycle Day: Queen Maxima rides her bike to a royal engagement

Queen Maxima  was a ray of sunshine as she made her way to a royal engagement on Tuesday. Rather than arriving by car,  King Willem-Alexander ’s wife opted for a different mode of transportation—a bike—for her visit to Kunstmuseum Den Haag in The Hague. 

Cycling is a popular form of daily transport in The Netherlands. Maxima, 49, swapped her heels for flats as she rode the bike to the art museum. The mom of three was pictured smiling as she leisurely cycled down the street.

Maxima met with staff and curators of the museum, which recently reopened after being closed for 11-weeks due to the corornavirus pandemic. Cultural institutions were given permission to reopen on June 1 with certain conditions. The Queen spoke with staff who are involved in the implementation of the new coronavirus measures—i.e. maximizing the number of visitors, advance reservations and setting up fixed walking routes. After their discussions, the royal toured exhibitions at the museum, while seemingly partaking in social distancing.

The Netherlands began easing lockdown measures last month. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said (via Reuters), “The first outbreak phase is behind us... This is the phase of transitioning to a life of social distancing.” The prime minister also noted that face masks are “compulsory on public transport” starting June 1. Since Maxima traveled solo on her bike, she did not wear protective gear for the outing on Tuesday.

Maxima and Willem-Alexander have been staying busy throughout the pandemic, carrying out royal duties remotely and in-person. The monarchs were supposed to be in Germany this week for a state visit (June 2 through June 4), however it was postponed due to measures taken by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Source: Hola!