Dutch Royal House welcomes Ukrainian refugees at castle in Apeldoorn

Last week, the King Philippe of Belgium announced that he’ll make royal real estate ready for Ukrainian families. Now, the Dutch Royal House is following suit.

According to the Dutch Government Information Service (RVD), King Willem-Alexander is preparing to receive Ukrainian refugees in the castle Het Oude Loo in Apeldoorn.

Het Oude Loo should be ready for a different kind of family gathering. From about mid-April, the lodge will shelter six to eight Ukrainian families. 🙌

Het Oude Loo is a 15th-century hunting lodge located near the now museum, Paleis Het Loo. While the Dutch state technically owns the hunting lodge, the royal family regularly rent it for family gatherings, reports the NOS.

Dutch safety regions prepare for more refugees

It is King Willem-Alexander who has extended the invitation to welcome Ukrainian families at Het Oude Loo.

However, getting the hunting lodge ready for mid-April is a coordination task involving not just the Royal House but also the Central Government Real Estate Agency, the COA, the safety region, and the municipality of Apeldoorn — phew!

Six to eight Ukrainian families equal about 20-30 new temporary residents at Het Oude Loo. On a larger scale, the Netherlands is currently hosting 12,000 Ukrainian refugees across the country.

All 25 Dutch safety regions have been instructed to welcome 1,000 Ukrainian refugees in the near future. With that number expected to rise quickly, they’re expected to host 1,000 more.

The Dutch safety regions (veiligheidsregio’s) are public bodies facilitating cooperation between municipal executives to deal with crises, disasters, and public order.

READ MORE | Here’s how you can help Ukraine from the Netherlands

By instructing all 25 regions to welcome refugees, the hope is to accommodate 50,000 Ukrainians in the Netherlands. However, President Bruls of the Security Council has cautioned that it is “a major task.”

What do you think of King Willem-Alexander inviting Ukrainians to Het Oude Loo? Tell us in the comments below!

Feature Image:Depositphotos
Christine Stein Hededam 🇩🇰
Christine Stein Hededam 🇩🇰
A Dane with a special place in her heart for Minnesota, Christine is now falling in love with everything Dutch. Between finishing her bachelor’s degree, learning Dutch, and doing yoga teacher training, you will find her wandering about the Hague. Always up for visiting new places, she loves to explore the Netherlands with friends and takes pride in scoping out cute cafés (wherein to discuss books, big plans, and food).

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