Enthronement Ceremony of Dutch Monarchs

[pdas1201]

Here is a thread to post pics of the Investiture Ceremony of Dutch Kings and Queens. Since, Queen Beatrix is the current monarch, post pics of her coronation or investiture ceremony. Followed by pics of Queen Juliana, then Queen Wilhelmina and so on...



On April 30, 1980, Beatrix became Queen of the Kingdom of The Netherlands after her mother, Queen Juliana made a surprising announcement that, after 31 years on the throne, she is abdicating in favor of her eldest daughter. "After one gets older one realises sooner or later that one's powers decrease and that one cannot fulfill one's duties as before." she told the nation in a televised address.

 

[pdas1201]

The Investiture Ceremony

In The Netherlands, the monarchs are not crowned but invested as heads of state.

The present ceremony dates from 1815, when William I was invested as King of The Netherlands in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, the site of every subsequent ceremony. Although, it takes place in a church, the ceremony is purely secular, conducted in accordance with constitutional law.

On the same day that her mother, Queen Juliana, signed the abdication, Beatrix had her investiture ceremony at a special plenary session of both Houses of the States General in the New Church of Amsterdam.

 

[pdas1201]

During an investiture the regalia is displayed on a credence table. Consisting of the crown, the sceptre, the orb, the sword of the state, the national standard, and vellum-bound copy of the constitution, the regalia or insignia of the Kingdom symbolize royal power and dignity.

 

[pdas1201]

The crown symbolizes the sovereignty of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the dignity of its head of state. As the ascession ceremony is not a coronation but an investiture, the crown is never placed on the monarch's head. The orb represents the territory over which the monarch rules, namely the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. The sceptre and the sword stand for sovereign's authority and power respectively. The regalia was made in 1840 by craftmen commissioned by William II.

 

[pdas1201]

April 30 is now celebrated as the Queen's Day, a national holiday commemorating Queen Beatrix's investiture and Queen Juliana's birthday

 

[pdas1201]

Queen Beatrix was invested amidst some of the worst street violence ever witnessed in Amsterdam, as squatters clashed with the police in the streets, angry over the sums spent on the Investiture when the capital was suffering from a desperate housing shortage.

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

It's time to make this thread.Queen Beatrix will celebrate her Silver Jubilee this year on April 30th.

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

Here are some photos:

 

[Alexandria]

This thread has now been cleaned up.

Any more pictures or historical facts or information about Dutch coronation ceremonies?

What will Willem-Alexander's coronation ceremony be like?

 

[Marengo]

Some pictures of Juliana's enthronement. The pictures come from het geheugen van nederland and are free of copyrights.

 

[Marengo]

Some more:

 

[Marengo]

and more:

 

[Marengo]

more:

 

[Marengo]

Some of the guests:

 

[Marengo]

on the balcony:

 

[Marengo]

Grouppictures:

 

[Marengo]

royal guests at a concert before the enthronement:

 

[Marengo]

A picture and a painting of the enthronement and carriageride after the enthronement of Queen Wilhelmina. The images are free of copyrights.

 

[Royal Fan]

WOW if the Prince of Orange has a Crowning thatll be a site seems grander than I Thought

 

[sirmax]

Is there an age limite to when a monarch can reign in the Netherlands.

 

[lilytornado]

Is there an age limite to when a monarch can reign in the Netherlands.

I think it is 18. Am I right?

 

[Henri M.]

No age

I think it is 18. Am I right?

Queen Wilhelmina (grandmother of Queen Beatrix) became Queen at the age of 10. But until ahw became 18, the royal prerogatives were executed, in her name, by Queen Emma as Regentess. You can see that in the formulating of the Acts during the regency:

"In name of Her Majesty WILHELMINA, by the grace of God Queen of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, Etc., Etc., Etc
We, EMMA, Queen-Dowager, Regentess of the Kingdom,
[.....]"



So Princess Catharina-Amalia can become Queen tomorrow when something would happen with the Queen and her parents. There is no provisional Act on the Regency, at the moment, as the Heir is no minor. So we do not know who would become Regent or Regentess. Most likely the States-General would appoint her uncle Prince Constantijn as Regent of the Kingdom and rule in her name for the coming 15 years.

In such a case we would see such an Act:

"In name of Her Majesty CATHARINA-AMALIA, by the grace of God Queen of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, Etc., Etc., Etc
We, CONSTANTIJN, Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Regent of the Kingdom,
[.....]"

 

[Marengo]

WOW if the Prince of Orange has a Crowning thatll be a site seems grander than I Thought

well, technically he isn't crowned as the crown stays on the table. We use the word 'inhauguratie'(inhauguration), but due to the double meaning it has in the english language 'enthronement' is a word more frequently used.

It is not sure that the futureWillem IV will copy his mothers enthronement, they will probably feel the need to modernise it a bit further. I have read (forgot where) that they had the idea to put the ermine mantle on the throne/chair instead on Willems shoulders for example.

 

[Henri M.]

Inhuldiging = the homage

The Dutch word 'inhuldiging' litterally means 'the homage'.

And in fact that is what the whole ceremony is about. Willem-Alexander already is King, with the full royal prerogatives, etc. when he enters the joint assembly. Article 32 of the Constitution states that, upon assuming the royal prerogative, the King shall be sworn in and inaugurated "as soon as possible" in the capital city, Amsterdam, during a public and joint session of the two Chambers of the States-General.

The King will speak out the following oath:
I swear to the Netherlands people that I will always observe and uphold the Constitution.
I swear that I will defend and preserve, with all my powers, the independence and territory of the State;
that I will protect the general and particular liberties and rights of each and all of my subjects;
and that I will employ for the maintenance and promotion of the general and particular welfare,
all the means which the laws do place at my disposal,
as a good King should do.
So help me God Almighty!

After the King has sworn allegiance to the Constitution and that he will faithfully discharge his duties, the States-General, by the Chairman, will bring homage to the King:
We receive You and bring homage to You as King in the name of the Netherlands people and by virtue of the Constitution;
We swear that we will uphold Your inviolability and the rights of Your crown;
We swear that we will do everything that a good and true States-General should do;
So help us, God Almighty!

 

[The Watcher]

So Princess Catharina-Amalia can become Queen tomorrow when something would happen with the Queen and her parents. There is no provisional Act on the Regency, at the moment, as the Heir is no minor. So we do not know who would become Regent or Regentess. Most likely the States-General would appoint her uncle Prince Constantijn as Regent of the Kingdom and rule in her name for the coming 15 years.

In such a case we would see such an Act:

"In name of Her Majesty CATHARINA-AMALIA, by the grace of God Queen of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, Etc., Etc., Etc
We, CONSTANTIJN, Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Regent of the Kingdom,
[.....]"

Isn't it more likely that C-A's mother will be Regentess (if she is still alive)? I believe Claus would be Regent in the case W-A would become King before his 18th birthday.

 

[Henri M.]

Isn't it more likely that C-A's mother will be Regentess? I believe Claus would be Regent in the case W-A would become King before his 18th birthday.

Yes, when Princess Máxima would be alive indeed. In my scenario something happened to both the Queen and CA's parents.

Indeed in 1981 an Act on the Regency was issued in which Prince Claus was named as Regent of the Kingdom in case of minority of the King. And if Prince Claus would have been unable to perform the royal prerogatives (due to serous (mental) illness, for an example), Princess Margriet would have become Regentess of the Kingdom.

Since April 27th 1985 (18th birthday of the Prince of Orange) the Act on the Regency automatically became repelled.

When the coming Princess of Orange (Catharina-Amalia) is minor, there will be a new Act on the Regency, most likely with Queen (Princess) Máxima to become Regentess of the Kingdom in case of a minor Queen Catharina-Amalia.

And if Queen (Princess) Máxima would have been unable to perform the royal prerogatives (due to serous (mental) illness, for an example), Prince Constantijn most likely will become Regent of the Kingdom.

 

[Henri M.]

Video of the abdication and the investiture

Here is a link to a video.


It was a black day for Amsterdam, which saw the worst riots ever with at one side the police and at the other side squabblers, anarchistic groups, action groups form all sorts and sizes grabbing the unique opportunity to world attention with both hands and causing a gigantic streetwar in Amsterdam.



The ceremony was totally overshadowed by the riots in the city.

Here the Investiture of 1948 (Juliana)

 

[Australian]

Sorry if this has already been discussed but I have a question. What does the gesture the Queens make with their fingers mean? Its sort of like the peace sign but not quite.

 

[lilytornado]

Sorry if this has already been discussed but I have a question. What does the gesture the Queens make with their fingers mean? Its sort of like the peace sign but not quite.

I think she swears.

 

[Henri M.]

Sorry if this has already been discussed but I have a question. What does the gesture the Queens make with their fingers mean? Its sort of like the peace sign but not quite.

This is regulated by the Act of July 17th 1911, the Act on the Form of the Oath.

I don't know the idea behind it, but in most European countries the two first fingers and thumb are crossed, as a sort of remnant of an oath on the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Ghost).

In the Netherlands this Oath counts for all official oaths.

A military officer

The Swiss Guard

The Grand Duke

The Prince of Orange

The Queen

A member of the States-General (parliament)

Etc.