Dutch King and Queen postpone Vietnam visit at Hanoi’s request

The Dutch King and Queen will postpone a visit to Vietnam planned for March 19-22 at the request of Vietnamese authorities, the Dutch Royal House said on Thursday.

"The Vietnamese authorities have requested that the state visit of His Majesty the King and Her Majesty Queen Máxima to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam be postponed due to domestic circumstances," the Royal House said in a statement.

A spokesperson for the King did not elaborate. Vietnam's Foreign Ministry was not immediately available for comment.

The King and Queen had been scheduled to meet on March 19 with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong, who sent them the invitation, according to a previous Royal House statement.

Thuong was last seen in public on Wednesday along with other Vietnamese leaders, including Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, at a meeting on personnel issues. — Reuters