This marks the first-ever visit by the Dutch royal couple to Cyprus.

The visit comes amid strengthening cooperation in defence and security, as well as growing trade and business relations.

The official welcoming ceremony will take place Tuesday morning at the presidential palace, followed by a private meeting between President Christodoulides and King Willem-Alexander.

Expanded discussions between delegations from both countries will then take place.

Topics on the agenda include economy and investments, defence, shipping, education and student exchanges – some 700-800 Cypriot students studying in the Netherlands annually – as well as agriculture, archaeology and tourism.

Discussions will also cover regional developments in Ukraine and the Middle East, migration, the Cyprus issue and EU-Turkey relations.

Accompanying the royal couple will be Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Eppo Bruins, instead of Foreign Minister Kaspar Veldkamp, who had to cancel due to an urgent matter.

The royal couple will then visit parliament, where they will be welcomed by House president Annita Demetriou, before traveling to Larnaca for a visit to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC), where they will be received by Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos.

In the afternoon, the king and queen will visit Xylofagou, where Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou will guide them through potato fields. They will then visit a potato production facility in Liopetri.

The state dinner in honour of the Dutch royals will take place Tuesday evening at the presidential palace, hosted by the president and the first lady.

On Wednesday, March 5, the president and first lady will accompany the royal couple to Nicosia’s town hall, where they will be welcomed by Mayor Charalambos Prountzos. They will then tour the old town along the buffer zone and visit Panayia Faneromeni Church.

Next, they will visit the Home for Cooperation, where they will meet Cypriot graduates of Dutch universities, before heading to Choirokoitia, where they will be welcomed by Deputy Culture Minister Vasiliki Kassianidou.

The visit coincides with ongoing excavations by Dutch archaeologists from Leiden University, where King Willem-Alexander himself studied.

In the afternoon, the royal couple will attend a concert at the THOK Theatre alongside President Christodoulides and other officials. The concert, featuring Dutch and Cypriot artists, is organised by the royal couple as a gesture of appreciation for the Cypriot hospitality.

The king and queen will depart from Cyprus late Wednesday night.

During the private meeting between the royal couple and the President there will be an exchange of gifts and honourary distinctions.

According to the Cyprus News Agency, the gifts will reflect Cyprus’ rich cultural heritage. The king will receive a mosaic crafted from natural Cypriot stones, depicting two doves.

Queen Maxima will be gifted a handcrafted lacework set from Lefkara.

While the official bilateral talks take place, the first lady will give Queen Maxima a tour of the presidential palace’s organic garden, which has been transformed into an eco-farm as part of a cross-border European cooperation project.

The harvest from the garden is donated to charities and organisations that provide free meals to those in need across Cyprus.