Royal Watch News

Queen Beatrix attends family wedding

Jun 19, 2012, 12:01 GMT

Queen Beatrix

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands attended a family wedding over the weekend - one of her first public appearances since son Prince Johan Friso's tragic ski accident.

The sovereign watched proudly as her niece, Caroline of Bourbon-Parma, married fashion heir Albert Brenninkmeijer in Florence, Italy, as the whole family put aside their personal tragedy.

Friso has been in a coma ever since he was trapped under the snow for 15 minutes while skiing off piste in Austria in February and Beatrix and Friso's wife Princess Mabel have since expressed their gratitude for the messages they have received.

In a statement, they said: 'Following Prince Friso's accident, we have received messages of sympathy and concern from all over the Netherlands and from beyond our borders.

'We and our family are deeply touched that so many people hold Friso in their hearts and share in our anxieties. All the encouraging words, expressions of hope, moving messages, prayers and flowers are a great support to us and give us courage in a very difficult period, full of uncertainty. Your sympathy means a great deal to us.

'Our family joins us in thanking most sincerely all who have, in any way, expressed their solidarity with us.'

The father-of-two - who was brain damaged and left in a coma from which doctors have warned he may never wake up - was transferred to Wellington hospital in London as Holland does not have an appropriate hospital to treat him.