Real royals

I love the Netherlands and go there as often as I can. The Dutch are a great people - happy, socially responsible, industrious and good fun.

Yesterday was Koninginnedag - Queen Beatrix's official birthday and the country's great annual bank holiday. The nearest they get to St Paddy's day.

The Dutch royal family (Unionists will be pleased to hear they're still called Oranje ;-) contrast so sharply with the UK royals. They're an easy-going lot, much loved and greatly revered, not because they have political power, because they don't, but because they're informal and approachable, embodying all that's good in the nation. There are a few diehard communists who want rid, but not many. Just look at some of the photos of Beatrix (as the people call her) and her son Willem-Allexander at yesterday's celebrations. I wish Lizzie and Chuck would take a leaf out of the Dutch book.