May 17: Happy Birthday to Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands.

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Birthday, Catharina-Amalia, Catharina-Amalia of Orange, Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont, Jorge Zorreguieta, Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti, Princess of Orange, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Queen of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander of the netherlands

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands (born Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti; May 17, 1971) is the spouse of King Willem-Alexander. On April 30, 2013, she became the first queen consort of the Netherlands since Princess Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont (queen consort from 1879 to 1890) and the first Argentine-born queen consort in the history of the Netherlands.

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands

Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is the daughter of Jorge Zorreguieta (1928–2017), who served as Secretary of Agriculture under General Jorge Rafael Videla during Argentina’s last civil-military dictatorship (1976–1983), and his second wife, María del Carmen Cerruti Carricart (born 1944). She has two brothers, a sister (deceased), and three half-sisters by her father’s first wife, Marta López Gil. She is named after her paternal great-grandmother Máxima Bonorino González (1874–1965).

Her father was a scion of the Zorreguieta family who had been landed gentry, professionals, regional politicians, and statesmen for generations. Her maternal great-grandfather was also from the landed gentry; Domingo Carricart Etchart (1885-1953) was a landowner, politician, Director of the Banco Provincial de Buenos Aires, first mayor of González Chaves, and mayor of Tres Arroyos.

Máxima and Willem-Alexander

Máxima met Willem-Alexander in April 1999 in Seville, Spain, during the Seville Spring Fair. In an interview, they stated that he introduced himself only as “Alexander”, so that she did not know he was a prince. She thought he was joking when he later told her that he was not only a prince, but the Prince of Orange and heir apparent to the Dutch throne. They agreed to meet again two weeks later in New York, where Máxima was working for Dresdner Kleinwort Benson. Their relationship apparently began in New York, but she did not meet his parents, Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus, for some time.

Willem-Alexander and Máxima.

The news of the couple’s relationship and eventual marriage plans caused controversy in the Netherlands, due to the involvement of Máxima’s father Jorge Zorreguieta as a cabinet minister during the National Reorganization Process, the most recent Argentinian dictatorship. Her father’s tenure as a minister took place during the beginning stages of the Dirty War, a period of repression that saw 10,000–30,000 people killed or disappeared during the seven-year military regime. At the request of the States General, Michiel Baud, a Dutch professor in Latin American studies, carried out an inquiry into the involvement of Zorreguieta in the Dirty War (roughly, 1974–83).

Zorreguieta claimed that, as a civilian, he was unaware of the Dirty War while he was a cabinet minister. Baud determined that Máxima’s father had not been directly involved in any of the numerous atrocities that took place during that period. However, Baud also concluded that Zorreguieta was almost certainly aware of them; in Baud’s view, it was highly unlikely that a cabinet minister would not have known about them.

Marriage

The couple announced their engagement on March 30, 2001; Máxima addressed the nation in Dutch (which at the time she only spoke to basic conversational extent) during the live televised broadcast. Máxima was granted Dutch citizenship by a royal decree on May 17, 2001 and now has dual citizenship: Argentine and Dutch. The engagement was formally approved by the States General later that year—a necessary step for Willem-Alexander to remain in line to the throne.

Máxima and Willem-Alexander were married on February 2, 2002 in a civil ceremony in the Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam, which was then followed by a religious ceremony at Amsterdam’s Nieuwe Kerk (“New Church”). She remained a Roman Catholic after her marriage.

Máxima’s parents were not present at the wedding; her father was told he could not attend due to his role as a cabinet minister during the National Reorganization Process, and her mother chose not to attend without her husband.

The King and Queen have three daughters:

* Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, born December 7, 2003 at HMC Bronovo in The Hague.
* Princess Alexia, born June 26, 2005 at HMC Bronovo in The Hague.
* Princess Ariane, born April 10, 2007 at HMC Bronovo in The Hague.

Máxima is also godmother of:

* Countess Sophie Philippa Máxima Walburga Marie of Waldburg-Zeil, born June 29, 2000.
* Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway, born December 3, 2005.
* Countess Leonore Marie Irene Enrica of Orange-Nassau, born June 3, 2006.

April 27, 1967: Birth of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

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Abdication, Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, House of Orange-Nassau, King Willem IIII of the Nethlands, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands., Kingdom of the Netherlands, Prince Constantijn, Prince Johann Friso, Prince of Orange, Princess of Orange, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands

Today is King’s Day in the Netherlands: The celebration of the 53rd birthday of King Willem-Alexander.

Generally, this is a day with huge celebrations, everybody goes out to party. This time, because of Covid-19 it’s totally different sadly.

Willem-Alexander (Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand; born April 27, 1967) is the reigning King of the Netherlands, having acceded to the throne following his mother’s abdication in 2013.

Willem-Alexander was born in Utrecht as the oldest child of Princess Beatrix and diplomat Claus van Amsberg. His mother, Beatrix, became Queen of the Netherlands on April 30, 1980 after his grandmother Queen Juliana abdicated. He then received the title of Prince of Orange as heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. From birth, Willem-Alexander has held the titles Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, and Jonkheer of Amsberg. He was baptised as a member of the Dutch Reformed Church on September 2, 1967.

Willem-Alexander is interested in sports and international water management issues. Until his accession to the throne, he was a member of the International Olympic Committee (1998–2013),chairman of the Advisory Committee on Water to the Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment (2004–2013),and chairman of the Secretary-General of the United Nations’ Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (2006–2013)

He had two younger brothers: Prince Johann Friso (1968–2013) and Prince Constantijn (born in 1969). He lived with his family at the castle Drakensteyn in the hamlet Lage Vuursche near Baarn from his birth until 1981, when they moved to the larger palace Huis ten Bosch in The Hague.

On January 28, 2013, Beatrix announced her intention of abdicating. On the morning of April 30, Beatrix signed the instrument of abdication at the Moseszaal (Moses Hall) at the Royal Palace of Amsterdam. Later that afternoon, Willem-Alexander was inaugurated as king in front of the joint assembly of the States General in a ceremony held at the Nieuwe Kerk.

As king, Willem-Alexander has weekly meetings with the prime minister and speaks regularly with ministers and state secretaries. He also signs all new Acts of Parliament and royal decrees. He represents the kingdom at home and abroad.

At the State Opening of Parliament, he delivers the Speech from the Throne, which announces the plans of the government for the parliamentary year. The Constitution requires that the king appoint, dismiss and swear in all government ministers and state secretaries. As king, he is also the chairman of the Council of State, an advisory body that reviews proposed legislation. In modern practice, the monarch seldom chairs council meetings.

At his accession at age 46, he was Europe’s youngest monarch. On the inauguration of Spain’s Felipe VI on June 19, 2014 he became, and remains, Europe’s second-youngest monarch. He is also the first male monarch of the Netherlands since the death of his great-great-grandfather Willem III in 1890.

On February 2, 2002, he married Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. Máxima is an Argentine woman of Basque, Portuguese and Italian ancestry, who prior to their marriage worked as an investment banker in New York City. The marriage triggered significant controversy due to the role the bride’s father, Jorge Zorreguieta, had in the Argentinian military dictatorship.

The couple have three daughters:
* HRH The Princess of Orange (Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria; born December 7, 2003 at HMC Bronovo in The Hague)
* HRH Princess Alexia Juliana Marcela Laurentien of the Netherlands (born June 26, 2005 at HMC Bronovo in The Hague)
* HRH Princess Ariane Wilhelmina Máxima Inés of the Netherlands (born April 10, 2007 at HMC Bronovo in The Hague)

Here is the link to an earlier blog post which discusses why Willem-Alexander reigns under his double names and not as Willem IV of the Netherlands.

https://europeanroyalhistory.wordpress.com/2019/10/08/the-naming-of-a-king-willem-alexander-of-the-netherlands/

Happy 16th Birthday to HRH The Princess of Orange.

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Catherina-Amalia of the Netherlands, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands., Princess of Orange, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands

Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange (Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria; born December 7, 2003) is the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of the countries of the Netherlands, Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten.

Princess Catharina-Amalia has two younger sisters: Princess Alexia (born in 2005) and Princess Ariane (born in 2007). She lives with her parents and sisters in Huis ten Bosch palace in The Hague.

Starting in December 2007, Catharina-Amalia attended the public primary school Bloemcampschool in Wassenaar. She now attends the Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague, where her aunt Princess Laurentien attended.

Her birthdays are traditionally celebrated with a concert at the Kloosterkerk in The Hague, which is attended by ambassadors and members of the royal household and the Council of State of the Netherlands. She speaks Dutch, English, and some Spanish.

When she succeeds to the Dutch throne, Catherina-Amalia will follow in the footsteps of three of her ancestresses. Her great-great grandmother Wilhelmina (1880-1962) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1890 until 1948. Catherina-Amalia’s great-grandmother Juliana (1909-2004) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until 1980. Most recently, her grandmother Beatrix was Queen of the Netherlands from 1980 until 2013. Amalia will be the fourth queen regnant of the Netherlands in five generations of the Dutch Royal Family. 

Absolute Primogeniture and future Queen Regnants in Europe: Part II.

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Duchess of Brabant, Duke of Cambridge, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, King Felipe VI of Spain, King Philippe of the Belgians, Lenor of Spain, Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg, Princess Amalia of Nassau, Princess Carlotte of Cambridge, Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess Elisabeth, Princess of Asturias, Princess of Orange, Willem-Alexander of the netherlands

Part II

Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange was born on December 7, 2003 in the HMC Bronovo in The Hague, the first child of the then Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima (now King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima).

The Netherlands is used to female monarch. Since Queen Wilhelmina ascended the throne in 1890 with the death of her father, King Willem IV, until the accession of King Willem-Alexander in 2013 upon the abdication of his mother his mother Queen Beatrix, the Netherlands has had women reigning queens for a total of 123 years. Once Willem-Alexander’s reign ends and Princess Catharina-Amalia becomes queen the Netherlands will once again have a queen reigning over the nation.

The monarchy of the Netherlands passes by right of succession to the heirs of King Willem I of the Netherlands. The heir is determined through two mechanisms: absolute cognatic primogeniture and proximity of blood. The Netherlands established absolute cognatic primogeniture instead of male preference primogeniture by law in 1983. Proximity of blood is a topic for another day.

Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant was born October 25, 2001 and is the heir apparent to the Belgian throne. The eldest child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, she acquired her position after her grandfather King Albert II abdicated in favour of her father on 21 July 2013.

In 2003, ten years prior to Elisabeth’s birth, a new act of succession was put into effect which introduced absolute primogeniture, meaning that Elisabeth comes first in the line of succession because she is the eldest child. If she ascends to the throne as expected, she will be Belgium’s first queen regnant. The Belgian monarchy descends from the German House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha whose succession was governed by Salic-Primogeniture which also became the rules governing the succession to the Belgian throne. In 1991 the act of succession was passed which established absolute (gender-neutral) primogeniture, altering the order of succession from “eldest son” to “eldest child”. This is the first example of a crown going from Salic-Primogeniture to absolute cognatic primogeniture.

Leonor, Princess of Asturias born 31 October 2005, is the heir presumptive to the throne of the Kingdom of Spain as the elder child of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. In addition to the official title of Princess of Asturias, she bears the historical titles of Princess of Girona, Princess of Viana, Duchess of Montblanc, Countess of Cerveraand Lady of Balaguer. If Leonor ascended the throne, she would be Spain’s first queen regnant since Isabella II, who reigned from 1833 to 1868.

The Spanish monarchy is the only existing European monarchy that doesn’t operate under absolute cognatic primogeniture. Instead the Spanish monarchy operates under a system of male-preference cognatic primogeniture, meaning that Leonor, as the elder of Felipe’s two daughters, is first in line to inherit the throne. Under the current law, however, if her father has a legitimate son while still being king, Leonor would be displaced in the line of succession and again become an infanta. There have been discussions about changing the succession law to absolute primogeniture, allowing for the inheritance of the eldest child, regardless of sex; however, the birth of Leonor, followed by that of her younger sister Sofía, stalled these plans. Despite a change from male-preference to absolute primogeniture for Spanish titles of nobility in 2009, as of 2019 no legislation has been passed affecting the succession to the throne.

This concludes the women who will be Queen Regnants in the future. Since the majority of the European monarchies have changed their succession laws to absolute cognatic primogeniture, I’d like to mention three princesses that were effected by this change.

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Succession to the throne was governed by Salic law, as dictated by the Nassau Family Pact, first adopted on 30 June 1783. The right to reign over Luxembourg was until June 2011 passed by agnatic-cognatic primogeniture within the House of Nassau, as stipulated under the 1815 Final Act of the Congress of Vienna and as confirmed by the 1867 Treaty of London. The Nassau Family Pact itself can be amended by the usual legislative process, having been so on 10 July 1907 to exclude the Count of Merenberg branch of the House, which was descended from a morganatic marriage.

An heir apparent may be granted the style ‘Hereditary Grand Duke’. The current heir apparent is Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume. In June 2011, agnatic primogeniture was dropped in favour of absolute primogeniture, allowing any legitimate female descendants within the House of Nassau to be included in the line of Succession.

Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg, born 16 February 1991 is the fourth child and only daughter of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. She has three older brothers: Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, Prince Félix, and Prince Louis, and one younger: Prince Sébastien. She was excluded from the line of succession from birth until 2011, when absolute primogeniture was adopted in respect to Grand Duke Henri’s descendants, she is currently fifth in the line. Prince Louis gave up his place in the line of succession when he married Tessy Antony.

Princess Amalia of Nassau was born June 15, 2014 the eldest child of Prince Félix and Princess Claire of Luxembourg. She is the only granddaughter and third grandchild of Grand Duke Henri. She is currently third in the line of succession, behind her paternal uncle Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and her father. She has a brother, Prince Liam of Nassau. She was the first princess of Luxembourg to be born with hereditary rights to the crown after the change to absolute cognatic primogeniture in 2011.

Princess Charlotte of Cambridge was born May 2, 2015 is a member of the British royal family. She is the second child and only daughter of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. She is fourth in the line of succession to the British throne. Prince Charlotte is fourth in the line of succession to the British throne, after her grandfather, father, and elder brother. Due to the implementation of the Perth Agreement, which replaced male-preference primogeniture with absolute primogeniture, she did not move down the line of succession when her younger brother, Prince Louis of Cambridge, was born on April 23, 2018; this makes her the first elder sister of a British prince to be ranked above him in the line of succession.

The Naming of a King: Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

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Frederick II, King Willem IIII of the Nethlands, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands., Kings and Queens of Sweden, Kings and Queens of the Netherlands., Princess of Orange, Prussia, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Regal Number, Royal numbering, Wilhelm II of Germany, Willem IV of the Netherlands

Last week in my post about the titles and styles of the Dutch Sovereign I asked a question concerning the name and future numbering of a King Willem of the Netherlands. This is a follow up to that blog entry.

Willem-Alexander, King of the Nertherlands

Here was my question: What will another King Willem of the Netherlands call himself, assuming he just uses his first name only? Will he be Willem IV or possibly Willem V? I also wondered why King Willem-Alexander didn’t call himself Willem IV of the Netherlands? After doing some research and discussing the topic with some Dutch monarchists I found some answers.

King Willem-Alexander was born on April 27, 1967 the eldest son of future Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and her diplomat husband, Claus van Amsberg. He was christened with the names Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand; and became Prince of Orange as heir apparent upon his mother’s accession as queen on April 30, 1980.

Although he publicly went by the double name Willem-Alexander, he is called Alexander within the family. The King himself stated that his name has always been Willem-Alexander and that it would feel wrong for him to be called just Willem prior to being king, or Willem IV after coming to the throne. In earlier interviews he did acknowledge that there were options to what he could be called once he mounted the throne but he never publicly stated what his name would be as king.

His Majesty the King of the Nertherlands

Simply his options were:

Willem-Alexander
Willem IV Alexander
Willem IV
Alexander
Claus
George
Ferdinand

These were different combinations of his given names. Theoretically he could have chosen a completely different name altogether. I don’t think he had to stick with options stemming from his list of given names. However, he opted for Willem -Alexander since that has been his legal first name since birth.

Double names, such as Willem-Alexander, do have a rich tradition among European Royalty, reaching its peak of popular usage in the 18th and 19th centuries. Prussia is a prime example of how double names were handled when numbering single and double names that were closely related.

For example, the first Prussian king, Friedrich I, was succeeded by Friedrich Wilhelm I, then came Friedrich II, Friedrich Wilhelm II, III and IV, and then (after Wilhelm I) there was Friedrich III. In other words, the names Friedrich and Friedrich Wilhelm were regarded as different and separate regnal names and thus were treated differently.

What is also interesting to note is that both Friedrich III and his son Wilhelm II were publicly known by the double names Friedrich-Wilhelm prior to them succeeding the throne. However, within the family the future Friedrich III was known as “Fritz” while his son, the future Wilhelm II, was known as “Willy.” When they came to the Prussian and Imperial thrones they chose as their regal names that which reflected how they were known within the family.

Friedrich III, German Emperor & King of Prussia

Wilhelm II, German Emperor & King of Prussia

Sweden is another excellent example of how similar names were treated, specifically with the names Carl and Gustaf. We’ve seen kings named Carl, the notable Carl XII for example. We’ve seen kings named Gustaf, Gustaf V is an example. We’ve also seen double names used uniquely. Unlike the Prussians who have regarded the names Friedrich and Friedrich Wilhelm as different and separate regal names, in Sweden the first name was treated as the primary name and the regal number was placed in the middle of the name not at the end.

This resulted in names such as Gustaf II Adolph, Carl X Gustaf, Carl XIV Johan, Gustaf VI Adolph and the current king, Carl XVI Gustaf. If the succession to the Swedish Crown had not been altered to absolute primogeniture then the next King of Sweden would be Carl XVII Philip.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.

It could be theoretically possible for the sovereign of the Netherlands treating Willem and Willem-Alexander as different regnal names as was done in Prussia. This would mean that there could be a Willem IV, or a Willem-Alexander II, at some point in the future, and that the current king is not counted as Willem IV, even though he has not taken that regal name and number.

However, Willem-Alexander wanting to be known by his given names are not the only reasons he chose this option. From this article I found online by The Guardian, published on April 30, 2013 when Willem-Alexander came to the throne, I learned that being called Willem IV could open himself up for ridicule.

King Willem-Alexander does not wish to be called Willem IV, he says, because he doesn’t want to be labelled with a number. It has been suggested that his real motive is to avoid being called “vier” (four) because it rhymes with “bier” (beer), which would make the temptation to call him “Willem Bier”, following his previous nickname “Prince Pils”, almost irrestible. His father, Prince Claus, was so committed to informality that he became famous for his condemnation of tie-wearing. He first made his feelings known at an awards ceremony for African fashion designers, when he announced his contempt for this “snake around my neck” – a statement that has since become known as “The Declaration of the Tie”. LB

There is also another reason Willem-Alexander didn’t want a regal number attached to his name….he seems to detest them.

In an interview Willem-Alexander made a rather degrading comment that the regal numbers remind him of farm animals. He stated that “Willem IV stands next to Bertha XII (a cow) in the pasture.” It seems that the king feels that numbering a Dutch Monarch is the same as numbering cattle.

HRH The Princess of Orange

This does create a problem in the future. How could a sovereign of the Netherlands now be known by a regal number with that image in their minds? The heiress to the throne is the Princess of Orange, Princess Catherina-Amalia, and her father’s remarks makes it very difficult for her to choose an already existing name for her eldest child from the list of the Dutch sovereigns, should she ever have one.

These names include Willem, Wilhelmina, Juliana, Beatrix, Willem-Alexander or her own, Catherina-Amalia. Since any of those names would require a regnal number if used again, it would open them up for criticism or ridicule with every television channel or news organization in the Netherlands repeating her father’s comment on how Willem IV (or any name requiring a regular number) “stands in a pasture next to Bertha XXII.”

There hasn’t been a Monarch of the Netherlands with a regal number since the death of King Willem III on November 23, 1890, 128 years, 10 months, 15 days ago.

Since the reign of Queen Wilhelmina the tradition within the Dutch Royal family has been to pick a name with a familial connection but one that does not require a regal number. Now one cannot rule out the possibility of there being a Willem IV or Willem-Alexander II (or even a Wilhelmina II or Beatrix II) but that is unlikely to occur in the near or foreseeable future.






6th Anniversary of the Accession of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

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House of Orange-Nassau, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherland., Kingdom of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Princess Catharina-Amelia., Princess of Orange, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands

April 30th should be renamed “Abdication Day.” Today the Heisei Emperor Akihito abdicated the Chrysanthemum Throne of Japan in favor of his son, Naruhito (徳仁, born 23 February 1960) who is now the current Emperor of Japan. He succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1, 2019, following the abdication of his father Akihito on April 2019. (As I type this today, April 30, 2019, it is already tomorrow in Japan). The Emperor of Japan is the only head of state in the world with the English title of “Emperor.” The Era of Naruhito’s reign bears the name “Reiwa” (令和), and according to custom he will be renamed Emperor Reiwa(令和天皇 Reiwa Tennō) by order of the Cabinet after his death.

HM King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau.

On 30 April 1980, Beatrix became Queen of the Netherlands when her mother, Queen Juliana, abdicated. Queen Beatrix herself abdicated in favor of her eldest son, Prince Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, on April 30 2013.

The rest of this blog post will have some biographical information on King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and also information on the Dutch inauguration ceremony

Willem-Alexander (born Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand, 27 April 1967) was born in Utrecht as the oldest child of Princess Beatrix and diplomat Claus van Amsberg. He became Prince of Orange as heir apparent upon his mother’s accession as queen on 30 April 1980, and succeeded her following her abdication on 30 April 2013. He went to public primary and secondary schools, served in the Royal Netherlands Navy, and studied history at Leiden University.

On January 31, 2013, Beatrix announced her intention of abdicating. On the morning of 30 April, Beatrix signed the instrument of abdication at the Moseszaal (Moses Hall) at the Royal Palace of Amsterdam. Later that afternoon, Willem-Alexander was inaugurated as king in front of the joint assembly of the States General in a ceremony held at the Nieuwe Kerk.

As king, Willem-Alexander has weekly meetings with the prime minister and speaks regularly with ministers and state secretaries. He also signs all new Acts of Parliament and royal decrees. He represents the kingdom at home and abroad. At the State Opening of Parliament, he delivers the Speech from the Throne, which announces the plans of the government for the parliamentary year. The Constitution requires that the king appoint, dismiss and swear in all government ministers and state secretaries. As king, he is also the chairman of the Council of State, an advisory body that reviews proposed legislation. In modern practice, the monarch seldom chairs council meetings.

The Dutch Royal Family.

On February 2, 2002, he married Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. Máxima is an Argentine woman of Basque, Portuguese and Italian ancestry, who prior to their marriage worked as an investment banker in New York City. The marriage triggered significant controversy due to the role the bride’s father, Jorge Zorreguieta, had in the Argentinian military dictatorship. The couple have three daughters:

* The Princess of Orange (Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria; born 7 December 2003 at HMC Bronovo in The Hague)
* Princess Alexia Juliana Marcela Laurentien of the Netherlands(born 26 June 2005 at HMC Bronovo in The Hague)
* Princess Ariane Wilhelmina Máxima Inés of the Netherlands(born 10 April 2007 at HMC Bronovo in The Hague).

HRH Prince Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, The Princess of Orange.

Willem-Alexander is the first Dutch king since Willem III, who died in 1890. Willem-Alexander had earlier indicated that when he became king, he would take the name Willem IV, but it was announced in January 2013 that his regnal name would be Willem-Alexander.

Inauguration Ceremony

Upon his or her accession to the throne, the new Dutch monarch undergoes an inauguration ceremony as required by the constitution. The ceremony is taken as a joint session of the two houses of the States General, and is held at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam.

The King and Queen of the Netherlands at their Inauguration Ceremony.

As with many other European monarchic customs, in the Netherlands new monarchs are not crowned. (Only the British Monarchy continues a coronation ceremony) The Dutch crown and other regalia have never been physically bestowed. Article 32 of the Dutch constitution states that as soon as the monarch assumes the royal prerogative, he is to be sworn-in and invested in Amsterdam at a public joint session of the two houses of the States General. The monarch may not exercise the royal prerogative until reaching the age of 18.

Crown of the Netherlands.

Inauguration is strictly ceremonial as the successor to the throne instantly becomes the new monarch at the moment the former monarch dies or abdicates. The last Dutch monarch to rule until his death was Willem III in 1890. His successor was his daughter, Wilhelmina; however, she was not inaugurated until her coming of age in 1898. Her mother Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont was regent from 1890 to 1898. Wilhelmina passed the throne via abdication to her daughter Juliana in 1948. Every monarch since Wilhelmina have so far chosen to abdicate their thrones after a certain time. This is a custom or tradition and not required by the constitution. The monarch can choose to reign until their death if her or she so chooses.

The monarch, the heir to the throne, the royal family and the cabinet led by the prime minister meet in the Royal Palace of Amsterdam in the State Hall. The monarch signs the instrument of abdication, which is then signed by the heir, members of the royal family and members of government. As soon as the instrument is signed, the new monarch’s accession is complete. The previous monarch then steps on the balcony of the palace, where the new monarch is introduced to the waiting public outside.

The ritual is held at the Nieuwe Kerk, in the capital city of Amsterdam. Regalia such as the crown, orb and sceptre are present but are never physically given to the monarch, nor are they worn by him or her, instead they are placed on cushions, on what is called a credence table. The royal regalia surround a copy of the Dutch constitution. Two other regalia–the sword of state and the standard of the kingdom bearing the coat of arms of the Netherlands–are carried by two senior military officers. During the ceremony, the monarch, wearing a ceremonial mantle, is seated on a chair of state on a raised dais opposite members of the States General.

There is a new King in town!

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Dutch Inauguration, House of Orange-Nassau, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands., Maxima Zorreguieta, Prince of Orange, Princess of Orange, Princess Princess Catharina-Amalia, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, Queen Maxima, Willem III of the Netherlands

As I write this today, Saturday, 27 April 2013, HRH The Prince of Orange turns 46 years old. As you are reading this HM Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands has abdicated the throne and Willem-Alexander has now become the King of the Netherlands. He is the Netherlands first King since the death of Willem III on 23 November 1890. That is a span of 123 years. The heir to the throne is now the king’s eldest daughter HRH Princess Catharina-Amalia (born 7 December 2003). I believe the title Prince or Princess of Orange is automatic so she will inherit that title as her father becomes king. I believe she will be, at the age of 9, Europe’s youngest heir to the throne.

The new king is the son of HM Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands (now HRH Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands) and Claus van Amsberg (1926-2002). Willem-Alexander has gone through some big changes in his life. The media once depicted him as a playboy type of prince who loved wine women and song. Today as he mounts the throne of the Netherlands he has become a well-respected family man. This change can be linked to his 2002 marriage to Maxima Zorreguieta from Argentina. She has become a well-loved and respected Princess of Orange and has been a stabilizing presence. The prince and Princess of Orange also have three wonderful daughters that have helped the prince settle down into a responsible family man. With my back ground in psychology all of this seems like usual developmental stages. Most men do mature and settle down in their 30s.

One of the differenced in this new kingship will be the Kings involvement in politics. Beatrix has involved herself in politics. At times she excluded politicians that she did not like. It seems Willem-Alexander will not be as involved with government. His reign is reported to have a more low-key profile and to not be as protocol minded as other Dutch monarchs in the past. It will be interesting to follow him in the future to see how is style of rule actually plays out. The king will still be influential in government but it seems those influences will come through personal relationships with politicians.

I have always thought that the Dutch monarch had more political involvement and influence than other European constitutional monarchies. I have mixed feelings about a lesser involvement with politics. A part of me thinks it is absolutely wise to stay above party politics. I am an American and our political system is ripe with cutthroat political fighting among parties. I really do think a monarch should stay out of that messy business. However, I also love history and I do enjoy reading about those times when monarchs actually held power.

I am sad to see Queen Beatrix go. I think she was a wonderful queen and a model of a good constitutional monarch. I wish her well in the future. I also wish her successor, HM King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, a long and fruitful reign with good health and good times and prosperity for the Netherlands.

Here is a list of other royals that attended today’s innaguration:

Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde of Belgium
Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al Khalifa of Bahrain
Crown Prince Billah and Princess Sarah of Brunei
Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako of Japan
Prince El Hassan bin Talal and Princess Sarvath El Hassan of Jordan
Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein
Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stéphanie of Luxembourg
Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco
Prince Albert II of Monaco
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princees Mette-Marit of Norway
Haitham bin Tareq al Said (Oman)
Sheikha Moza bint Nasser al-Misned (Qatar)
The Prince and Princess of Asturias (Spain)
Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (Thailand)
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (Thailand)
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall (United Kingdom)
Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed al Nahyan (United Arab Emirates)
Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden