Today it’s the Queen her birthday. She’s now 75 years old. This makes her officially the oldest reigning head of state that the Netherlands ever had!!
The Queen holds the record of the oldest Dutch monarch since last November. King William III was the former record holder, he died in 1890 as reigning monarch when he was 73 years and 277 days old. On April 30th the Queen is 32 years in power. Her mother, Queen Juliana, was just a little less time on the throne in 1980 when she handed over the office to her then 42-year-old daughter.
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands announced Monday that she would abdicate in favor of her son Crown Prince Willem Alexander at the end of April after 33 years in power.
“It is with the greatest of confidence, that I will hand over the throne on April 30 to my son, Willem Alexander, Prince of Orange,” Beatrix told national television, using the official title of the heir apparent.
“I’m standing down because public service is too heavy for me, because of the belief that responsibility for our country should be in the hands of a new generation,” she said.
In 2014, the holiday will become known as Koningsdag or King’s Day following the investiture of Willem-Alexander as king of the Netherlands on 30 April 2013. Koningsdag will be celebrated on 27 April, Willem-Alexander’s birthday. However, the first Koningsdag will be held on 26 April 2014 because 27 April is a Sunday.
Leave your Royal message to congratulate the Queen!!
