In the footsteps of the queen. we followed Maxima from the Netherlands to the European Parliament in Paris

On this cool November morning, a few passers-by interrupt their mad rush. A small group of journalists (of which we are a part) and photographers gathered behind the perimeter, intrigued by the commotion, peer through the gates of the European House of Photography (MEP); Queen of the Lands Maxima-Bass. just entered the doors of the institution. Between selfie sticks, huge cameras, and steps, we quickly realize we’re going to have to scramble to get images of the sovereign.

In the footsteps of His Majesty

Then begins a meticulous visit in Her Majesty’s footsteps, followed religiously by our small pool of reporters and photographers. The most experienced do not give an inch of ground. you have to be crafty to get “clear” images of the sovereign to understand that reveal neither the back of the skull nor part of the camera. However, we follow the movement of this heterogeneous group as the Queen and MEP teams lead them from room to room as part of the explored route.

In each piece, the ritual is the same. Sometimes we quietly wait for the sovereign, behind the assembled cardboard. Sometimes we politely nudge each other as soon as Maxima from the Netherlands crosses the threshold of the room. At this moment, the small group comes to life, lightnings scream. So much so that to immortalize the scene we have to resort to different strategies, incredible twists or extremely stretched arms on the heads of our partners (a position that causes uncontrollable tremors, ideal for getting a sharp image).

Hidden game

For her part, the queen, as expected, remains restless. Dressed in a long camel coat and brown stiletto heels, the sobriety contrasted with Iris van Herpen’s dazzling gala dress; a dress she wore the day before alongside Brigitte Macron during an official visit to the Museum of Decorative Arts, Maxima from the Netherlands plays. hide and seek with reporters, an art he has mastered to perfection. The sovereign begins his visit out of sight, in the company of Vivian Sassen himself, Simon Baker (the director of the museum, not the hero). The mentalist) and exhibition curator Clotilde Moret.

On the other side of the wall, he reveals the first photographs with surreal accents and dazzling colors, on which female bodies appear majestically. And when the queen, relaxed and smiling, makes her entrance in front of our amazingly disciplined pool (for once), we’re surprised to see that she’s not being followed by any bodyguards. But we barely have time to immortalize him, when he already disappears behind the door again.

XXL collage

We’ll figure it out, it’s time to put it behind a new chain in another place in the museum. A chance, in particular, to view Vivian Sassen’s XXL collage, a clever mix of iguanas, plastic bottles, nipples and women’s faces, displayed in one corner of the room. For our part, we are trying to open the corridor through which we can best immortalize the queen.

Fortunately, some photographers were invited to follow him elsewhere and we decided to stick to our guns. We are in the front row when the sovereign places himself in front of the XXL collage, next to its author, who presents the creations to him, introducing “And there it is” or even “There you have it…”. Maxima from Holland, all smiling, allows herself to joke. “And here are the photographers,” he says with amusement and a mischievous glance at us. But soon the queen disappears again. We find him in a dark room, where the artist’s works are shown on video. More than ever, contractions are needed. It is not important. we have the images you want.

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Whispers and shoes

In the hallway, the press secretary tells us that only three journalists will be able to attend the private exchange between the Queen and two Dutch artists, Carlin Jacobs and Sarah van Rij. Good news, we are one of the lucky ones. While the photographers are invited to wait in the courtyard, we are asked to sit in a corner of the room. Maxima, from the Netherlands, sat next to the two artists, as well as Vivian Sassen, Simon Baker, European Parliament President Françoise Gaillard and Arnaud Ngacha, Deputy Mayor for Europe, International Relations and the Francophone World. and Jan Versteeg, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The view from our famous corner is breathtaking. Ability to record every second of the meeting with our phone. An excess of enthusiasm that doesn’t escape the Queen’s wisecracking teams, who tell us to stop filming her after a few minutes. We comply immediately, we are not contradicting the Queen, are we? The latter seems to be captivated by the words of his interlocutors. When suddenly we realize that His Majesty, whose foot is probably hurting, has taken off his shoe. heaven, would the queen have the right to take her shoes off in public? More than ever, the main stakeholder seems accessible and spontaneous to us.

For the next few minutes, Maxima from the Netherlands discusses her interest in multidisciplinary photographers or the connections between the worlds of art and fashion, then bows out. We watch him through the glass door as he re-dedicates himself to the photo game on the steps of the museum. A moment later, the sovereign retraces his steps, careful not to be betrayed by his stiletto heels. And we tell ourselves that, royal family or not, some inconveniences are definitely universal.