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Feature: Dutch people celebrate King's Day

Xinhua, April 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Netherlands celebrated the 48th birthday of King Willem-Alexander with the first King's Day on Monday in Dordrecht, a city in the province of South Holland.

King's Day, or Koningsdag in Dutch, is a national holiday in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, celebrated on April 27, the King's birthday. From 1890 to 2013, the day was known as Queen's Day or Koninginnedag. Since Queen Beatrix abdicated on April 30, 2013 and her son, Willem-Alexander, ascended the throne, the holiday became Koningsdag.

The whole country celebrated the day in a traditional fashion, with a nationwide free market and people taking the opportunity to party and dress up in orange, the national color. However, the traditional visit of the royal family to places in the country was different.

Members of the royal family visited Dordrecht this time. Contrary to the tradition under his mother, now Princess Beatrix, King Willem-Alexander decided that there should be less room for folklore and games. King's Day turned out to be more like a royal tour of important places for the city. For security reasons, the royal family had less contact and was less close to the audience.

The day started with a so-called Grande Parade, a naval review which saw dozens of historic and modern ships gather at a junction of three rivers. The royal delegation took a two-hour tour of the historical sites of Dordrecht and they also visited a church for a concert. Unlike previous years when the family only toured by foot, the delegation also used a boat and electric transport.

The royal delegation consisted of King Willem-Alexander, his wife Queen Maxima, the three princesses Amalia, Alexia, and Ariane, the king's brother, Prince Constantijn and his wife Princess Laurentien, and three of the King's cousins and their wives. Princess Beatrix was not present.

The king said he was pleased that the tradition and the enthusiasm of the former Queen's Day was also present in the King's new style. "I tried to add new elements to an existing day," he said. "Now there are also more opportunities for the media to follow and for the people at home to watch on TV." Endit