Queen Beatrix of Netherlands defends decision to wear headscarf on state visit
Geert Wilders, leader of anti-Muslim party, criticises monarch for covering her head on visit to mosque in United Arab Emirates
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands visits the Sheikh Zayed mosque in Abu Dhabi. Photograph: Robin Utrecht/EPA
Queen Beatrix took on the fiery leader of her country’s anti-Muslim party, Geert Wilders, on Thursday by dismissing as “nonsense” his criticism of her decision to wear a headscarf during a recent visit to a mosque.
The queen made her unusually forthright comment to Dutch reporters covering her state visit to the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Her comments were not recorded, but Beatrix told reporters she wore the head scarf in the UAE and again on a visit to an Oman mosque to show religious respect.
The popular monarch was responding to questions from reporters about parliamentary questions filed by anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders, who said the monarch’s decision to cover her head on a visit to a mosque in Abu Dhabi on Sunday legitimises the oppression of women.
It is rare for the queen to respond so directly – and dismissively – to criticism from a political party in the Netherlands, where the unelected head of state’s role is largely ceremonial.
Wilders is a staunch opponent of Islamic head scarves and head-to-toe burqa robes for women. He is not alone in his position: the government of the Netherlands has announced plans to ban burqas.
Muslims, mostly immigrants from Turkey and Morocco, represent about 1 million of the 16.7 million Dutch population.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Thursday sprang to the queen’s defence.
“When Her Majesty visits a house of worship, the dress requirements are respected,” Rutte said in written answers to Wilders’ parliamentary
3 thoughts on “Queen Beatrix of Netherlands defends decision to wear headscarf”
Im proud of our Queen Beatrix. Im Dutch,converted to Islam in 1994, living in The Netherlands. Many people reacted strongly in her defence, as it is also common for members of parlement and politics here to wear modest dress when visitng the Vatican or another Cathedral, awell as many wear a Jewish male headcovering (Yarmulke ? ) when visiting a Synagoge.
Our Crown-princess Maxima who accompanied Queen Beatrix also wore a headscarf there btw 🙂
Im proud of our Queen Beatrix. Im Dutch,converted to Islam in 1994, living in The Netherlands. Many people reacted strongly in her defence, as it is also common for members of parlement and politics here to wear modest dress when visitng the Vatican or another Cathedral, awell as many wear a Jewish male headcovering (Yarmulke ? ) when visiting a Synagoge.
Our Crown-princess Maxima who accompanied Queen Beatrix also wore a headscarf there btw 🙂
May Allah bless you and tank you. It’s an overwhelming feeling of reading this comments of Muslim brother from
Netherlands.
-whispers- Im a sister 🙂
wa eyyakum brother Abdallah !