Diplomat Club Wassenaar celebrates seven years of partnership with Kasteel De Wittenburg Seven years indeed that Diplomat Club Wassenaar, with the guidance of the Castle’s director, Mr Ralf Meppelder, have made this beautiful castle “a home away from home” for our honorary members the Ambassadors. Mr Meppelder has dedicated the past ten years to managing the castle with charm and brio, which includes organising together with us a myriad of events and National Days.
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This stunning building saw light of day in 1899 and was completed in its current form in 1901, before opening to the public in 1963. This elegant, monumental, historical building has barely changed over the years, combining the charm of the past with the latest technology and comfort. As Mr Meppelder reminds us, “Major deals have been concluded here between world leaders and the business community”. It is a joy for us to be able to welcome our guests and members at Kasteel de Wittenburg which also has ten exclusive bedrooms where guests from all over the world can stay and a renowned restaurant. Restaurant Sophie is named after Sophie Adrienne Baroness Sloet van Oldruitenborgh who was married to Jonkheer Speelman. He in turn was the descendant of Cornelis Speelman, governor-general of the former Dutch East Indies, and had the castle built in the spring of 1899. 84 DIPLOMAT AFFAIRS
BY JULIE KENNEDY/PHOTOS PASCALE VAN REIJN
Mr. Ralf Meppelder expressed his appreciation for this cooperation with the Club, saying: “We have had the honour, through the partnership with Diplomat Club Wassenaar, to
organise many National Days and other events, in close collaboration with the Embassies. We offer not only a spectacular venue in terms of the beautiful atmospheric reception rooms and stunning gardens, but we also offer the capacity to greet a larger group, for example in our ballroom and very importantly can offer a secure environment.” Situated in Wassenaar, a 10-minute drive from the Binnenhof, the castle has had the privilege of receiving many guests from the political arena, the government, the Queen’s Commissioner, etc and has also held state visits with the necessary protocol. After a challenging period with strict corona regulations and lockdowns, we, at Diplomat Club Wassenaar have just held, together with Kasteel de Wittenburg, our first National Day, that of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and we are eagerly preparing more events and looking forward to a full agenda in 2022. We hope to see you there soon.
