His Majesty's ship Eiswold sailed into Amsterdam Harbor amid salvos from Dutch cruisers firing a royal salute: King Haakon VII of Norway had come.
He was met on the dock by Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry, her consort. Then commenced the magnificent spectacle of two monarchs riding side by side in a gilded coach drawn by six horses through the flag-bedecked town to the Royal Palace. Everywhere the populace acclaimed the Royal party with vociferous cheers. Festivities have been arranged for King Haakon at Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague.
During the past four months Queen Wilhelmina received King Gustavus V of Sweden and the King and Queen of Spain. The presence of so many monarchs at the Court of the Netherlands is said to have great political significance. Nothing definite has been published regarding the precise object of the visits, but well-informed circles have it that Holland, Spain, Norway, Sweden will unite in keeping clear of entanglements in international politics resultant upon the various peace treaties.
King Haakon VII was born on August 3, 1872. On July 22, 1896, he married Princess Maud, third daughter of the then Prince Edward of Wales. They have a son and heir in the popular Prince Olav, who will attain his twentieth birthday on July 2.
King Haakon was known before he ascended the Norwegian throne as Prince Carl of Denmark. When in 1905 Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved, the throne was first offered to a prince of the reigning house of Sweden, but was refused. It was then offered to Prince Carl, who, after a plebiscite, accepted and was formally elected King of Norway as Haakon VII. He was crowned at Trondhjem in June, 1906.