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| The queen was said to have heaved a deep sigh over the row |
Queen
Beatrix of the Netherlands has dismissed as "real nonsense" a
domestic political row over her wearing of a headscarf while on a trip to the
Gulf.
She was
reacting to questions in parliament tabled by Geert Wilders's Freedom Party
(PVV) which claimed she "legitimises the oppression of women".
Queen
Beatrix wore a gown and headscarf first on Sunday on a visit to Abu Dhabi and
again on Thursday in Oman.
Her
officials said she had acted out of respect for Islamic tradition.
During
Thursday's visit to the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in the Omani capital,
Muscat, the queen wore a red shawl over her hat while Princess Maxima who was
accompanying her also had her head covered.
Dutch TV
said that by also wearing gloves, the queen had covered herself even more than
in Abu Dhabi.
The PVV, an
anti-Islam party that props up the Dutch minority government without being part
of the coalition, described her wearing of a headscarf on Sunday as a "sad
spectacle".
Reporters
with the royal party in Muscat on Thursday described the queen as heaving a
deep sigh, while saying she was not surprised by the row.
Princess
Maxima also spoke out, according to Dutch media, pointing out that two-thirds
of students in Abu Dhabi were women.
Although
the queen regularly speaks to the Dutch press at the end of a royal tour, her
frank remarks about a domestic political party are being seen as unprecedented.
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Queen Beatrix, who is in Abu Dabi, wore a headscarf when
she visited the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. (Photo: ANP) |
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