Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands paid a state visit to the United States in 1982, the year that marked the bicentennial of Dutch-American diplomatic ties. After a state dinner with President Ronald Reagan at the White House, she was invited the next day to answer questions at the National Press Club in Washington.
Relations between the Netherlands and the U.S. have always been very good, but as this unedited tape of the Washington press conference shows, Queen Beatrix was subjected to a number of sensitive political questions about such matters as the Dutch peace movement and Dutch resistance to the stationing of cruise missiles, questions that were also partly answered by Dutch ministers accompanying the monarch. Queen Beatrix also answered questions about her family life and the monarchy, and her husband prince Claus also added a few touching words.
Recorded at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on April 20, 1982