The Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. Getty Images
The Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. Getty Images
The Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. Getty Images
The Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn, Netherlands. Getty Images

Dutch royal family offer castle to Ukrainian refugees


Sophie Prideaux
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The Dutch royal family have announced they will open up one of their castles to eight Ukrainian families who have fled the war.

Up to 30 refugees will be housed in the 15th-century castle on the Het Loo Palace estate in Apeldoon, which is about an hour’s train ride east of Amsterdam.

The castle is mostly used by the Dutch royal family as a country and guest house. Part of the castle has been allocated to Ukrainian families, while the rest will remain open for private use.

The Het Loo Palace estate is a heritage site, with sprawling gardens that feature a maze. The area is often referred to as the Versailles of the Netherlands.

King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands attend Prinsjesdag, the annual opening of the parliamentary year on September 21, 2021 in The Hague, Netherlands. Getty Images
King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands attend Prinsjesdag, the annual opening of the parliamentary year on September 21, 2021 in The Hague, Netherlands. Getty Images

Since the start of the Russian invasion more than a month ago, more than 3.6 million Ukrainian refugees have fled the country, according to the UN, 12,000 of whom have ended up in the Netherlands.

The Dutch royals are not the only European royal family to offer help to the people of Ukraine. Earlier this month, Denmark's Queen Margrethe announced the royal family would be making a large donation to aid those affected by the conflict.

"There is war in Europe again," the monarch said in a statement posted on the Danish royal family's official website.

"It makes me immensely sad to witness what is now happening in Ukraine. The progress and the hope that flourished in Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall now crumbles before our eyes."

The post announced that Margrethe and Prince Henrik's Foundation would donate about $190,000 to those affected by the war in Ukraine.

The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy

Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)

Brief scoreline:

Al Wahda 2

Al Menhali 27', Tagliabue 79'

Al Nassr 3

Hamdallah 41', Giuliano 45 1', 62'

Notable cricketers and political careers
  • India: Kirti Azad, Navjot Sidhu and Gautam Gambhir (rumoured)
  • Pakistan: Imran Khan and Shahid Afridi (rumoured)
  • Sri Lanka: Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan (rumoured)
  • Bangladesh (Mashrafe Mortaza)
Brief scoreline:

Manchester United 0

Manchester City 2

Bernardo Silva 54', Sane 66'

Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8

Power: 640hp

Torque: 760nm

On sale: 2026

Price: Not announced yet

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go

Flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.

The stay

Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: March 25, 2022, 2:24 PM`