[Nicky91]

On Saturday morning in Maartensdijk, Princess Beatrix gave a helping hand in the garden of the Thomashuis, a small-scale housing facility for people with disabilities. She did so as part of the national volunteer action NL doet. Beatrix is a loyal participant of this. "I'm glad to be back at work this morning," she said at the greeting.

The princess enthusiastically threw herself into potting plants, while the residents initially only interested in the photographers. "Cheese," one of them kept shouting. It wasn't until the media had left that Beatrix really got help with potting.

"When you see how handy they are, it takes some getting used to," the princess had to turn the switch. She is of order and cleanliness, the helping inhabitants have less regard for this. "It looks reasonable," Beatrix nevertheless judged.

She also expressed satisfaction with the chosen colour combinations of the plants. She told between the companies that in her own garden at Drakensteyn Castle in Lage Vuursche, which is less than a 9-minute drive from the Thomas house, she has no borders with flowers, but she does have many shrubs. She herself regularly works in the garden, she also said.

Friendly and accessible

Princess Beatrix was supposed to come to Maartensdijk last year, said Dennis van Middelkoop, who set up the residential community 12.5 years ago and who also lives in the house with his family. However, NL doet was cancelled at the last minute due to the outbreak of corona pandemic.

"I like that she has decided to come now. It's also nice and close."

He described the princess as "kind and accessible." The nervousness before her arrival would not have been necessary, although Van Middelkoop had already done a lot of work in the garden the previous two days because it had to look a bit tidy for Princess Beatrix. It didn't matter that she came to work on that.

Her arrival was not announced until shortly before arrival. One responded with hypothermia. "I'm a princess too," she declared.