From Holland came King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, accompanied by Crown Princess Catharina Amalia. They will stay in Italy until Feb. 10 to watch the competitions; and on Saturday, Feb. 7, the royal couple and their eldest daughter will visit the Olympic Village to see the home of Team NL. “The king has been invited as an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee,” the Royal Palace wrote in a note.
The British royal family is represented at these Winter Olympic Games by Princess Anne and her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence. She was one of the first royals to land in Milan earlier this week. The princess has been a member of the IOC since 1988, and is also president of the British Olympic Association, participating in both the Winter and Summer Games in an official capacity and supporting Team Great Britain, known more informally as “Team GB.” “I am looking forward to visiting the Olympic venues,” the princess had told reporters.
Anne has a very close relationship with the Games for years, as she was the first of the British royal family to participate in the Olympics, first heading to Montreal in 1976. Her presence was also particularly significant during the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics, as she served as director of the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and helped ensure the success of the 2012 bid. She then traveled to Athens to officially receive the Olympic flame and bring it back to Britain, kicking off an 8,000-mile journey across the country.
Anna’s passion for horses was also passed on to her daughter Zara Phillips, who won an individual gold medal at the 2006 World Championships and a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics; on the latter occasion, it was her own mother who presented her with the medal.
On the eve of the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, Princess Anne attended an exclusive reception at Palazzo Clerici, organized by the British Consulate in Milan, entitled Winning Together: UK Innovation on the Road to Milan Cortina 2026. The event was attended by entrepreneurs, institutions, sports and cultural representatives, including Donatella Versace and chef Carlo Cracco. During the reception, at which she was escorted by the British Consul in Milan, Kassim Ramji, and Acting Ambassador David Burton, the princess spoke with the president of the Lombardy Region, Attilio Fontana, and the mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala. The meeting touched on sports and cultural issues, with references also to the London 2012 experience and connections with the British city, including integration and greenway projects.
