Netherlands welcomes King Willem-Alexander

[Chibi Halo]

Celebration and pageantry as Queen Beatrix signs abdication document and makes way for first Dutch king in more than a century

Associated Press in Amsterdam




Quote:

King Willem-Alexander has become the first male Dutch monarch in more than a century after his mother Beatrix abdicated, ending a 33-year reign.

The change in the House of Orange-Nassau gave the Netherlands a moment of celebration and pageantry as the country of nearly 17 million struggles through a lengthy recession brought on by the European economic crisis.

Visibly emotional, the much-loved Beatrix ended her reign in a nationally televised ceremony as thousands of orange-clad people cheered outside. Millions more were expected to watch on television.

Willem-Alexander gripped his mother's hand and looked briefly into her eyes after they both signed the abdication document in the Royal Palace on downtown Amsterdam's Dam Square.

Beatrix looked close to tears when she appeared on a balcony overlooking some 20,000 of her subjects.

"I am happy and grateful to introduce to you your new king, Willem-Alexander," she told the cheering crowd.

Moments later, in a striking symbol of the generational shift, she left the balcony and Willem-Alexander, his wife and three daughters – the children in matching yellow dresses and headbands – waved to the crowd.

The former queen becomes Princess Beatrix and her son becomes the first Dutch king since Willem III died in 1890.

The 46-year-old father of three's popular Argentinian-born wife is now Queen Maxima and their eldest daughter, Catharina-Amalia, who attended the ceremony wearing a yellow dress, becomes Princess of Orange and first in line to the throne.



(Source with video coverage)


Also, Dutch prince becomes king as as his mother Queen Beatrix abdicates.



Today was Koninginnedag, or Queen's Day, the anniversary of the birth of the former Queen's mother in the Netherlands. Traditionally Queen's Day was held on the birthday of the queen but Beatrix kept it on her mother's birthday because her own birthday was in a month too cold for a proper outdoor celebration. The new celebration of the monarchy will now be called Koningsdag, or King's Day, and will be held on April 27th, the birthday of the new King starting next year (though it will be a day earlier on the 26th since his birthday is on a Sunday next year). On Queen's/King's day the monarch gets out and visits the public in two selected cities while the people show their national pride and wear a lot of orange while holding a national flea market, parades, and concerts.

[God Emperor Baldur]

I am glad we don't have a monarchy.

[Chibi Halo]

Lord Akhenaton

I am glad we don't have a monarchy.

Actually, from what I read the monarchy in the Netherlands is pretty hands off and lets the parliament do most of the policy making in the country. At least that's how his mother had been during her thirty-three year reign. The ceremony today was not overly religious and while held in the church next to the palace it was one that was done in the presence of parliamentary members from The Hague, who either declared their loyalty to the throne or to profess their monarchical agnosticism. The latter included one person who isn't very popular with much of the people in the Netherlands and for a Euro people could throw eggs at a likeness of him because he's seen as the rightwing populist who has been the anti-Islam, anti-immigration, anti-EU scourge of Dutch politics for the past few years.

[Nyadriel]

Long live the King!!


@ topic: some countries refuse to give up their "crown jewels" as it were. Japan still has an Emperor and Empress. They are also hands off, but are respected highly from what I hear.

[King Shining Heaven]

It's interesting he is the first male monarch in over a century, but the Netherlands will have another queen after he dies or abdicates

Why does Queen Beatrix have to go back to her pre-reign title of Princess? Could she just be called the former queen or queen emeritus or something?