Cultural Diplomacy in a Meeting of Two Kings

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands (left) greets Yogyakarta Sultan Hamengku Buwono X on Wednesday (11/3/2020) at the Regol Danapratapa royal gate of Yogyakarta Palace. The Dutch king, accompanied by his wife, Queen Maxima, met the Yogyakarta sultan and royal family as part of his four-day state visit to Indonesia.

YOGYAKARTA, KOMPAS – Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima met with Yogyakarta’s Sultan Hamengku Buwono X (HB X) at the Yogyakarta Palace complex on Wednesday (11/3/2020). A tone of cultural diplomacy was strongly felt during the two kings’ meeting.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima arrived at the Yogyakarta Palace gate, called Regol Pancaniti, at 10:55 a.m. The sultan’s daughters Gusti Kanjeng Ratu (GKR) Mangkubumi, GKR Condrokirono and GKR Maduretno, warmly greeted the royal couple. Afterwards, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima walked through the Bangsal Srimanganti hall and were welcomed by the sultan and his wife GKR Hemas.

Also read : Dutch King Expresses Regret for Excessive Violence

King Willem-Alexander and his entourage were then walked to Gedhong Jene, a meeting hall at the Yogyakarta Palace usually used to receive state guests. After a brief chat, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima joined a photo session with Sultan HB X and members of the royal family, which was followed by an exchanging of gifts.

Afterwards, King Willem-Alexander and his entourage were walked to Bangsal Kencana hall, where they watched a performance of the Lawung Ageng dance, a creation of Yogyakarta’s first king, Sultan Hamengku Buwono I. After the performance, Sultan HB X alongside King Willem-Alexander and his royal entourage dined together at the Bangsal Manis hall.

If it is possible, [they have to return] not only [Prince Diponegoro’s kris] but also perhaps manuscripts and other items.

After the meeting, Sultan HB X said there was no specific discussion with King Willem-Alexander. “We just chatted,” said the Sultan, who also serves as Yogyakarta Governor.

He continued that, during the meeting, he did not discuss with Willem-Alexander any plan for the Netherlands to return the Yogyakarta Sultanate’s royal belongings that were taken to the Netherlands in the past. Nevertheless, the Sultan said he hoped that items belonging to Indonesia, including ancient manuscripts that were taken by the Dutch, could be returned. This is especially because the Netherlands has just returned Prince Diponegoro’s royal kris (dagger) to Indonesia.

“If it is possible, [they have to return] not only [Prince Diponegoro’s kris] but also perhaps manuscripts and other items. They are important for the history of the nation,” the Sultan said.

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

Dutch King Willem-Alexander (second from left) accompanied by Queen Maxima took a photo together with Yogyakarta’s Sultan Hamengku Buwono X (second from right), who was accompanied by his wife, Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Hemas, Wednesday (11/3/2020), in front of Gedhong Jene Keraton Yogyakarta.

Indonesian Ambassador to the Netherlands I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja said that King Willem-Alexander’s visit to the Yogyakarta Palace was a courtesy visit. “The visit was to ensure a good relationship between the two royal families. This is why the royal families were included in the meeting,” Puja said.

King Willem-Alexander visited the Yogyakarta Palace 25 years ago. During the visit on 25 Aug. 1995, Willem-Alexander had not yet been crowned as king. He was accompanying his mother, then-Queen Beatrix, who then ruled the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Gadjah Mada University (UGM) politics and government department lecturer Bayu Dardias said King Willem-Alexander’s royal visit reaffirmed the Yogyakarta Palace’s important meaning as a traditional royal institution in Indonesia. King Willem-Alexander was the latest in a long list of state guests visiting the Yogyakarta Palace.

Other state guests who visited the Yogyakarta Palace include Danish Queen Margrethe II on 24 Oct. 2015 and Malaysian King Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong XVI Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah (28 Aug. 2019). There were also Danish Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth (4 Dec. 2019) and Singapore President Halimah Yacob (5 Feb. 2020).

Other than visiting the Yogyakarta Palace, King Willem-Alexander also visited UGM and “Kampoeng Cyber” in Patehan subdistrict, Keraton district, Yogyakarta.