AMSTERDAM šC Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako watched the live broadcast of Japan¡¯s World Cup draw with the Netherlands alongside Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima on Sunday, during the imperial couple¡¯s visit to the country.
The Instagram accounts of the Dutch royal family and the Imperial Household Agency posted pictures of the two couples posing at Het Oude Loo, a castle in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands used as a royal villa, with towels of their respective national men¡¯s soccer teams wrapped around their necks.
¡°The sports bring people together,¡± the agency¡¯s post said in Dutch and Japanese.
The emperor and empress arrived at Schiphol Airport near Amsterdam on Saturday, kicking off an official visit to the Netherlands and Belgium.
According to the agency, the Dutch side suggested the two couples watch the group match, held in Arlington, Texas, together on television.
The Dutch king and queen visited the castle, where the emperor and empress would be staying until Tuesday, and the four watched the game after having dinner together.
The last time the imperial couple watched a World Cup match with royals from abroad was in 2002, when the couple ¡ª then the crown prince and princess ¡ª visited Saitama Stadium and saw a game between Japan and Belgium along with then-Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium, now the king and queen.
The two couples will meet again when the imperial couple head to Belgium on Saturday. They will return to Japan on June 26.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.