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On October 4, Queen Maxima hosted the “Appeltjes van Oranje 2023” (Apples of the Orange) awards ceremony at Noordeinde Palace in The Hague. King Willem-Alexander and Princess Beatrix were in attendance at the event.
![Queen Maxima wore a beige, cream sequin midi dress by Natan. King Willem-Alexander and Princess Beatrix](http://royaldailyimages.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dutch-royals-2.jpg)
![Queen Maxima wore a beige, cream sequin midi dress by Natan. King Willem-Alexander and Princess Beatrix](http://royaldailyimages.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dutch-royals-3.jpg)
Annually, the Apples of the Orange are presented to three Dutch social initiatives that demonstrate distinctiveness, creativity, and significance, and have been in operation for a minimum of one year.
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In the 21st edition of the Appeltjes van Oranje, the focus was on recognizing successful neighborhood initiatives that effectively fostered connections and bridged differences among local residents. The award includes a bronze statuette crafted by Princess Beatrix and a monetary prize of €25,000. Typically, Queen Maxima presents the awards at Noordeinde Palace annually, while every five years, King Willem-Alexander takes on this role.
![Queen Maxima wore a beige, cream sequin midi dress by Natan. King Willem-Alexander and Princess Beatrix](http://royaldailyimages.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dutch-royals-5.jpg)
![Queen Maxima wore a beige, cream sequin midi dress by Natan. King Willem-Alexander and Princess Beatrix](http://royaldailyimages.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dutch-royals-6.jpg)
![Queen Maxima wore a beige, cream sequin midi dress by Natan. King Willem-Alexander and Princess Beatrix](http://royaldailyimages.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dutch-royals-7.jpg)
![Queen Maxima wore a beige, cream sequin midi dress by Natan. King Willem-Alexander and Princess Beatrix](http://royaldailyimages.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dutch-royals-8.jpg)
![Queen Maxima wore a beige, cream sequin midi dress by Natan. King Willem-Alexander and Princess Beatrix](http://royaldailyimages.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dutch-royals-9.jpg)
![Queen Maxima wore a beige, cream sequin midi dress by Natan. King Willem-Alexander and Princess Beatrix](http://royaldailyimages.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dutch-royals-10.jpg)
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