On 27 November 1840 William II and his wife Anna Paulowna arrived in Amsterdam via Willemspoort, the new gate to the city. Burgomaster Cramer welcomed the king and queen, thereby officially opening the new gate. Their coronation took place the following day in the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church). The king wore a gilded silver crown with coloured glass stones and pearls set in gold and with a red velvet lining, made by the firm Bonebakker & Zoon. William II visited the city many times after that. On 29 April 1843 he took his sons Alexander and Hendrik to Dam Square to see the foundations of J.D. Zocher Jr.’s new stock exchange being built. Two years [[er staat een jaar in het NL, maar gezien de jaartallen?]] later, accompanied by three of his sons and his brother Frederik, he returned to admire the building work again on 16 May 1845. Queen Anna Paulowna and other members of the family came to have a look at the almost completed building during the following days. The king insisted on being present at the opening, even though the city council wanted the occasion on 10 September 1845 to be a sober affair owing to the high building costs. A lavish lunch was served to the king and his royal party in the town hall. The burgomaster, aldermen and council members had to pay NLG 21.90 per person for the king and his guests’ wining and dining, a considerable amount of money in those days.