The king and queen of the Netherlands began a four-day US tour on Monday in Atlanta, where they honoured the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., according to AP News.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima were also due to visit a music studio in the city, which serves as a hub for hip-hop artists. The visit, focusing on Black cultural sites, came less than a year after the king apologised for his country’s role in slavery. He also apologised in a historic and emotional speech in Amsterdam.
At the King Centre, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter, Bernice King, greeted the royal couple. They walked to the marble crypt housing the remains of her father and mother, Coretta Scott King. Civil rights leader and former Atlanta mayor Andrew Young also attended the event.
Willem-Alexander called the visit “deeply moving.”
In the Netherlands, too, the fight against discrimination and racism continues to command our full attention. Martin Luther King inspires us never to give up. His voice continues to resonate even across the Atlantic.
Later, the royal guests met with Black students at Ebenezer Baptist Church. They learned about the church’s role in the Civil Rights Movement and the struggle for racial justice. On Tuesday, they plan to visit Savannah State University, Georgia’s oldest historically Black public college or university.
The trip also addresses economic issues. The king and queen met earlier on Monday with Georgia Governor Brian Kemp at the state Capitol. According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, total trade between Georgia and the Netherlands stood at $2.9 billion in 2023.
The trip concludes with a visit to New York on Wednesday and Thursday.
