Abdication of Queen Beatrix & Balcony Appearance: April 30, 2013


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Aaahh what a bittersweet moment! Princess Beatrix (how odd) looked so overwhelmed on the balcony. I guess it will take a period of adjustment as with anyone who "retires" must be strange to not have all the responsibilities and duties that you were busy with just a few weeks ago.
 
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I wonder if the other royals were watching the ceremony take place on TV?
 
very special, historical and emotional moments

Oh I agree! For years and years, I've seen photos and videos of the abdications/inaugurations of Wilhelmina, Juliana and Beatrix all done in the same way and now today I witness it all live - it's living history!
Perfect, perfect, perfect!
 
An HQ pic from BT from the ceremony, focusing on King Willem Alexander: http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/375/6/6375235-dutch-monarchy.jpg

ADDED: And a gallery-review of now Princess Beatrix, also from BT: http://www.bt.dk/royale/en-monark-traeder-ned-se-dronning-beatrix-liv-i-billeder#slide-7

A couple of large pics from Politiken of the abdication ceremony and the balcony scene: http://multimedia.pol.dk/archive/00745/Coronation_in_the_N_745345a.jpg
http://multimedia.pol.dk/archive/00745/Coronation_in_the_N_745367a.jpg

And from BT: http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/375/6/6375390-netherlands-royal.jpg also an HQ pic from the balcony.
 
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I am seeing that in Argentina he inauguration has also been celebrated with a concert in the presence of the Dutch ambassador. The magazines also have maxima on the covers this week. A maxima celebration. :)

Yes but must feel weird. Especially as many of the Crown Prince/sses are close friends/friends and suddenly the have to bow & curtsies.

The new King & Queen with Princess B

Pic 1 ** Pic 2

I agree! That was the idea behind my comment. It will be a rare occasion to see the first of the new generation growing into a higher role :)
I can't wait for pictures of this evening
 
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I held it together until they sang the Dutch National Anthem and Princess Beatrix (That's going to take some getting used to!) sang along looking as if she'd cry any moment. And then I had a good old grin through tears. I'm not Dutch and yet today, I couldn't be prouder. I wish the new King a very long and very happy reign.
 
I didn't follow Maxima every time, but I thought that she is a very friendly, cheerful lady and I was now a little bit surprised (and disappointed) that she smiled and looked so triumphalistic that you can think she wanted in her whole life only this title... She could be a little bit low-key with her pleasure.
 
I didn't follow Maxima every time, but I thought that she is a very friendly, cheerful lady and I was now a little bit surprised (and disappointed) that she smiled and looked so triumphalistic that you can think she wanted in her whole life only this title... She could be a little bit low-key with her pleasure.

I think it's more than she's very proud of her husband. :flowers:
 
Princess Beatrix also smiled and looked happy. Why should Maxima be subdued it was a happy day this is what Beatrix wanted it is a celebration .
 
Really? I thought she even took a step back for the occasion. And besides it's a bit difficult to be low-key when thousands of people are cheering you and your family.
 
I didn't follow Maxima every time, but I thought that she is a very friendly, cheerful lady and I was now a little bit surprised (and disappointed) that she smiled and looked so triumphalistic that you can think she wanted in her whole life only this title... She could be a little bit low-key with her pleasure.

no no no,she didnt look like that at all!!She was overwhelmed with emotion and had trouble holding herself,but triumphant?No,absolutely not..Far from it!!She is not like that at all!.:ermm:

The van Vollenhoven Princes & spouses arrive at the Palace now.

Gosh, I was in tears!
What a beautifully conducted ceremony! All the states-ministers looked wonderfully smart and formal and the royal family looked so regal! It was wonderful to see Margriet, Irene and Christina there too. And of-course, the Princess of Orange with her sisters were so lovely and very well behaved!!
Long Live King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima!!
Long Live Princess Beatrix!!
Hurrah, Hurrah, Hurrah!!!

I wholeheartedly second your emotions!!!:flowers:
 
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no no no,she didnt look like that at all!!She was overwhelmed with emotion and had trouble holding herself,but triumphant?No,absolutely not..Far from it!!She is not like that at all!.:ermm:
Yes I totally agree. Maxima is not full of herself, she's very friendly and actually humble. We must not judge other people just by their appearence.
Maxima always dressed like that, its her style (almost always over-the-top), but she's a very down-to-earth person.
And it clearly looked that she was so proud of her husband and kept smiling to her children. She really has a good connection to her mother-in-law and thats so precious to see.
 
I didn't follow Maxima every time, but I thought that she is a very friendly, cheerful lady and I was now a little bit surprised (and disappointed) that she smiled and looked so triumphalistic that you can think she wanted in her whole life only this title... She could be a little bit low-key with her pleasure.
Looks like you interpreted that moment completely wrong. She was having a moment with her husband. Reassuring eachother.
And Beatrix looked quite emotional. She held it together and was still cool but she had tears in her eyes more than once.

Beatrix has shown again that she's a fantastic woman.
 
Beatrix almost being moved to tears broke me down. Such a historical moment.
 
The little girls look lovely in the yellow outfit but pity they are in the same outfit.

Exactly my thought. And to be honest, it's always my thought when I see official pics of them. They're dressed similar to often for my personal liking. Maybe it's because of personal experience. My mum used to like to dress me and my little sister in the same clothes for special events to and I always hated it. My sister, too. I hated it so much that I would never ever do this to my children (only if they want it).

In case of AAA I'm sure it would have been a nice change to the usual triplet-look, if they would have worn different dresses. Just different colours would have been enough. It would have shown better that they're three different individuals and not an unbreakable threesome. Or maybe only Amalia in a different dress or colour, because just like her grandmothers and her parents her personal role in the DRF has changed in her bigger way today than that of her two little sisters.

Just my way of thinking. Others may see it different.
 
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The girls probably have a say in what they wear and they may have chosen to dress the same. Her personal role may have changed but I don't think it matters to her sisters.

What time does the next event take place?
 
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I never said it matters to anyone of them. I just stated a fact. And the fact is that Amalia isn't an ordinary princess anymore but a crownprincess. No matter how much she and her sisters think about it.

And I'm not sure if they really have a say in what they wear or if they would object if the don't like always being dressed the same. I may be completely wrong, but compared with my own expierence I know for sure that it's hard to object if everyone around you always ays how lovely and cute you look when you're being dressed the same than your sister (in AAA's case sisters). You are afraid to say something, because you don't want the adults to be dissapointed in you.

But like I said, that's personal experience. I could be completely wrong here and I really hope so. If AAA like to be dressed the same, everything is more than okay.
 
Beautiful and emotional pictures. I loved the girls in their yellow outfits. They looked like real little princesses today.
 
A one minute clip of the balcony scene from BT: Her bliver den nye konge hyldet | www.bt.dk
Of Princess Beatrix presenting her son, King Willem-Alexander, who in turn says a few words of thanks.
And finally the A-team coming out.

Of particular interest to me are uniforms, protocol and ceremony. Here is a vid-cap of the predominant guards unit today: http://www.bt.dk/sites/default/files-dk/node-images/375/6/6375959-netherlands-royal.jpg
They are Royal Marechausse. I.e. para-military police. Responsible for not only guarding at least one royal palace, but they also provide bodyguards for the Dutch royals, NLRF. As well as bodyguards for the visiting royal guests and dignitaries. - Apart from their normal border security and security police duties.
That of course makes their uniform interesting.
They are armed with infantry sabres.
Their white cords around the left shoulder is a guards cord.
Judging from their headdress and name I guess they were originally chasseurs, i.e. light cavalry for special purposes. Not to be confused with hussars.

A one minute clip from Jyllands Posten of signing the document at the abdication ceremony: Denne underskrift gør prins til konge - Europa - International
 
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The build up to the moment when she signed...the media make this really exciting.

Did everybody got to keep the pens? Looks like they were Mont Blancs. Maybe a special edition for the occasion?

On the balcony Maxima was really nice to her mother-in-law, she was constantly holding her hand. They seem to have a good bond.
Beatrix seemed touched by what her son said and the cheers of the crowds.

The 3 A's allready seem pro's at waving. They were very cute.
 
Yes Beatrix gets to keep all the orders and decorations she received during her lifetime. The only difference is that she will no longer be Grand Master of the Dutch orders.
 
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