Gateway of India lit up with special Dutch theme to welcome king and queen of Netherlands

Netherlands King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima on Wednesday evening visited the Gateway of India, the iconic city landmark that was illuminated with a special Dutch theme to welcome the royal couple and mark the long-standing friendship between the two countries.

The couple who arrived in New Delhi on Monday are visiting India at the invitation of President Ram Nath Kovind.

Mumbai is the second leg of their five-day visit to India, and it is their first state visit to the country.

"Symbolising and celebrating the long-standing friendship between India and the Netherlands in the past, present and future, the monument was lit up in the Dutch national colour 'orange' and showcased a projection of tulips, the Dutch national flower," the Dutch consulate in Mumbai said in a statement.

The king wearing a dark suit and the queen in a floral printed dress looked striking against the dazzling backdrop as the illuminated artwork on a Mumbai monument symbolised the shared heritage of the two countries.

On top of the landmark that faces the mighty Arabian Sea, a laser projected -- 'Celebrating Friendship Between India & the Netherlands #NLINDIA'.

"At the monument, the royal couple received a special walkthrough by a local historian, Dr Simin Patel, who gave them a brief explanation about the structure's history," the statement said.

Incidentally, the Gateway of India has a royal connection and was erected to commemorate the visit of British monarchs King-Emperor George V and Queen-Empress Mary to mark their arrival at Apollo Bunder, Mumbai (then Bombay) in December 1911 to attend their Coronation Durbar in Delhi.

Inscription on the gateway, endowed with ornate motifs read, "Erected to commemorate the landing in India of their Imperial Majesties King George V and Queen Mary on the Second of December MCMXI".

Celebrating 400 years of shared cultural heritage of the two countries, the king queen earlier in the day inaugurated a special exhibition at an iconic museum here that showcases some of the original work of iconic Dutch painter Rembrandt, officials said.

The exhibition titled 'Indo-Dutch Connections in the Age of Rembrandt' is the first ever cooperation in India between the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) and Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.