GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Grand Rapids had a royal visit Tuesday.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands are on a three-day U.S. tour and were in Grand Rapids today. They will be visiting the Van Andel Institute, Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, and Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.
At Meijer Gardens, the King and Queen helped plant a sugar maple tree. The Queen requested a jar of maple syrup from the tree someday when it produces.
They traveled with Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and his wife Sue and were met at the Van Andel Research Institute by David and Carol Van Andel and several scientists and researchers. They will tour three labs at VARI in the Center for Neurodegenerative Science.
At DeVos Children's Hospital, they toured the 10th and 11th floor, which includes the pediatric oncology outpatient clinic, the infusion clinic and child life playrooms.
At the end of the day, they traveled to Chicago for the final day of their U.S. tour. Monday, they were in Washington, D.C. The trip is part of a commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the U.S. liberating the Netherlands from occupation in World War II.
