FPC Tulip, together with Tulip product manager Coen Verspeek and Arjan Smit, president of Tulpen Promotie Nederland, went on a three-day market visit to Budapest, Bratislava, and Vienna. During International Women's Day (8 March), they wanted to get an idea of the market and its impact on flower sales. In Bratislava, the delegation of Dutch tulip growers had an impromptu meeting with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima.
The royal couple is on a state visit to Slovakia. On the spot, they got the idea to make an attempt to offer tulips to the queen. Someone from the FPC tried to contact security, and another bought tulips at an opposite shop.
With a large bunch of tulips in hand, the party was given permission to present them to Queen Máxima.
Source: Royal FloraHolland