Dutch Celebrate First Koningsdag in 124 Years
The Dutch Royal Family yesterday celebrated the first Koningsdag in 124 years, in the towns of De Rijp and Amstelveen. These were the towns originally scheduled for the event in 2013, but were postponed due to the abdication ceremonies.
All adult members of the Royal Family, except for Princess Mabel, were present for the festivities, in which they participated in walk-abouts, sporting games, activities, theatre performances and songs. In De Rijp, those game were treated to a specially brewed beer, Woeste Willem.
Princesses Catharina-Amalia, Alexia and Ariane made a surprise appearance in Amstelveen, where events took place outside the Stadshart. The girls joined in on a rapturous rendition of the national anthem, Wilhelmus.
Koningsdag (or Koninginnedag when there is a reigning Queen) is the official birthday of the Dutch monarch. It is traditionally celebrated on the monarch’s birthday, however when the former Queen Beatrix took the throne in 1980, she elected to have the holiday on her mother’s birthday, April 30, because her own birthday at the end of January usually sees bad weather.
After the accession of King Willem-Alexander in 2013, Koningsdag will be celebrated on April 27 each year.
Filed under The NetherlandsTagged King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands, Koningsdag, Prince Bernhard of Orange-Nassau, Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau, Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau, Prince Pieter-Christiaan of Orange-Nassau, Princess Aimée of Orange-Nassau, Princess Alexia of the Netherlands, Princess Anita of Orange-Nassau, Princess Annette of Orange-Nassau, Princess Ariane of the Netherlands, Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands, Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, Princess Marilène of Orange-Nassau, Prof. Pieter van Vollenhoven, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, The Princess of Orange.
Leave a Reply