Queen Beatrix thinks the commotion in the Netherlands about the headscarf she wore while visiting the Great Mosque in Abu Dhabi is ‘nonsense’, news agency ANP said on Thursday.

The queen made the comment on the third day of her state visit to Oman, where she also wore a scarf over her hat while visiting a mosque.
The decision by both the monarch and princess Maxima to wear traditional dress during mosque visits led to questions in parliament from the anti-Islam PVV, who say it is a symbol of the surpression of women.
Respect
Beatrix said she was happy to wear a scarf out of respect for the religion in her host country, ANP said, without directly quoting the queen.
According to the Telegraaf, the queen ‘sighed deeply’ and said she was not surprised about the row.
Princess Maxima ‘then added that in the UAE and Oman it is boys who have to watch out’, the paper said. Two thirds of university students and 70% of new business owners are female, the paper quoted the princess as saying, without direct quote marks.
Politically-sensitive
The queen made the comments in a short question and answer session with reporters at the end of the visit, Nos television reports. According to the NRC it is extremely unusual for the queen to react to politically-sensitive issues.
Prime minister Mark Rutte made short shrift of questions from the anti-Islam PVV about the queen’s headscarf later on Thursday. ‘A visit by HM the queen to a place of worship involves respecting rules on clothing,’ he said in a parliamentary answer totaling 20 words.
What the papers say
Photo: Novum

More on the visit
Times of Oman