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Reminder: accreditation for the Royal Wedding on 2 february 2002 closes on 8 january 2002


Accreditation for the press facilities for the marriage of His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange and Miss Máxima Zorreguieta on 2 February 2002 and the events of 31 January and 1 February 2002 closes at 17.00 on Tuesday 8 January 2002. Applications submitted after that date will not be considered.

The application form can be found on www.koninklijkhuis.nl/uk/wedding under the heading press accreditation. Accreditation forms can also be obtained from the Netherlands Government Information Service (RVD) Press and Publicity Division, tel. +31 (0)70 356 4142, fax +31 (0)70 363 9094. Only forms completed in full and accompanied by two recent passport photographs will be considered.

Press facilities
Since space is limited, and a large media presence is expected, pool arrangements will apply to all the events of Thursday 31 January, Friday 1 February and Saturday 2 February. You will not be able to register for the pools, since the RVD will be responsible for the allocations. They will be published in January on www.koninklijkhuis.nl/uk/wedding, and later in the press centre. On 2 February itself, pools will be provided for the press both inside and outside the Beurs van Berlage and the Nieuwe Kerk, and near the Royal Palace. Both the civil and church ceremonies will be broadcast direct by NOS-Actueel (the host broadcaster). You will be able to follow the broadcast in the press centre. There will be stands for the press along the route followed by the Golden Coach. Access is for accredited journalists only. Press centre
The RVD will be opening a press centre in Amsterdam City Hall. Opening hours:
Thursday 31 January 9.00-21.00
Friday 1 February 9.00-21.00
Saturday 2 February 7.00-18.00

Accredited journalists can pick up their passes from the RVD counter in the press centre on Thursday or Friday only. They must do so in person. Where applicable they can also pick up their pool stickers for Thursday evening, Friday and/or Saturday. The RVD pass gives journalists access to the working areas in the press centre and the stands to which no pool allocations apply. Members of the press who have been allocated places in the pools will be asked to go to the Boekmanzaal in the City Hall, where representatives of the Amsterdam Amstelland police force will hand out ID cards giving access to press areas in secured zones. The ID cards will only be issued on presentation of a valid passport.

Programme
The programme is roughly as follows:

Thursday 31 January 2002
18.30: Dinner and evening party for guests at the Royal Palace, Amsterdam.

Friday 1 February 2002
12.00-15.00: concert
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra will give a special concert for Prince Willem-Alexander and Miss Zorreguieta and their guests in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

19.45-22.00
Prince Willem-Alexander and Miss Zorreguieta will attend an Evening of National Celebration in the Amsterdam ArenA, organised by the National Orange Committee and the Municipality of Amsterdam.

Saturday 2 February 2002
10.15-10.45: civil ceremony
The Mayor of Amsterdam, M.J. Cohen, will perform the civil ceremony in the Beurs van Berlage. The ceremony will be attended by the families and friends of the bride and groom, and by dignitaries and guests from the countries of the Kingdom, the provinces and the municipality of Amsterdam.

11.30-13.00: church ceremony
The marriage will be solemnised in the Nieuwe Kerk. Rev. C.A. ter Linden, Minister Emeritus of the Kloosterkerk in The Hague, will officiate. In addition to family and friends, the ceremony will be attended by royal guests and other dignitaries.

13.00-13.30: tour
After the church ceremony, the newly-weds will make a short tour through Amsterdam in the Golden Coach, proceeding via Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, Spui, Singel, Muntplein and Rokin to the Royal Palace on the Dam.

13.30: balcony appearance
Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima will make their appearance on the balcony of the Royal Palace.

Website:
All the latest information on the wedding can be found on www.koninklijkhuis.nl/uk/wedding. You will also receive regular press releases.

17 December 2002