As Prince Alexander Willem is sworn as King, the Dutch celebrate Queen’s day

The Royal Dutch family and former Queen (Image: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2316988/Queen-Beatrix-Netherlands-abdicates-Thousands-Dutch-turn-monarch-sign-away-throne.html)

Koninginnedag or Queen's Day was a national holiday in the Kingdom of the Netherlands until 2013. Celebrated on 30 April (the 29th if the 30th falls on a Sunday), Koninginnedag was Queen Beatrix's official celebration day. Though Queen Beatrix was born on 31 January, the holiday is observed on 30 April, as it was the birthday of her mother and predecessor, Juliana. Many of the traditional activities are held outside, and observing the holiday in April makes suitable weather more likely.

From 2014, the holiday is to be known as Koningsdag or King's Day following the investiture of Willem-Alexander as king of the Netherlands on 30 April 2013. It will be celebrated on Willem-Alexander's birthday, 27 April, but the first Koningsdag will be held on 26 April 2014 because 27 April 2014 is a Sunday.

Koninginnedag is known for its nationwide vrijmarkt ("free market"), at which many Dutch sell their secondhand items. It is also an opportunity for "orange madness" or oranjegekte, for the national colour, when the normally strait-laced Dutch let down their hair, often dyed orange for the occasion. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koninginnedag)

As is my custom, I move around the market stalls in my neighbourhood just in case I find something useful. I recall 10 years ago when I had just arrived in the country I wanted to take everything! My limitation was money and space; otherwise I bought crockery, cutlery, clothing, curtains, toolbox, books, music CDs, VHS tapes, beddings, and a myriad of other stuff. And the cost; I don’t remember the total, but it could have been a few 10s of Euros.

As the years went by, my interest in that stuff waned. I found less and less interest in anything to buy. I occasionally got some toys and affordable new electronic equipment, but nothing more. This year was much worse as Almere city was not as exciting as the years before this. There were fewer people, and not as rowdy and thrilling as before. All spaces were also not fully taken up by the free market sellers. I suspected that most people had traveled to Amsterdam to witness the swearing in of the new King after the Queen abdicated the throne.

The story in Almere Buiten a suburb of Almere city was no different. However, there was more excitement and more people and more stalls than at the inner city. I took my time to visit most stalls, but saw nothing of interest. I saw some wireless Sony headphones, negotiated the price and thought I would later pick them, but some one beat me to it! So for the whole day from 9.00am in the morning to 6.00pm, I failed to find something I could buy despite the affordability of everything on display.

Back to the swearing in of Willem-Alexander as king, he became Europe's youngest monarch on Tuesday after his mother, Queen Beatrix, abdicated.  His country acclaimed the 21st-century king with a massive, orange-hued party countrywide. Beatrix, 75, shed a tear before signing the act of abdication at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, witnessed by Willem-Alexander, 46, his Argentine-born Queen Maxima, 41, and members of the government. Tens of thousands of people cheered at the Dam, the main square opposite the palace where the signing was shown on giant screens.

Willem Alexander was not crowned king but instead sworn in, his mother signed legal papers abdicating the throne at the palace in Amsterdam after which they appeared at the balcony to wave to the crowds. From there they proceeded to a nearby church (Nieuwe Kerk) where bedecked in a fur-trimmed ceremonial robe Willem Alexander swore an oath of allegiance to his country and the constitution, after becoming the first Dutch king in more than a century.

All these ceremonies were transmitted live on TV and on large screens in the cities.

The Dutch monarch is sworn in before a joint session of the houses of parliament in the deconsecrated church, rather than crowned, because church and royalty are separated in the Netherlands. The king swore, "to preserve the independence and territory of the kingdom to the best of my ability ... so help me God."

No ruling royals attended the function only royals in-waiting attended as protocol dictates that reigning sovereigns are not invited so as not to overshadow the new king's presence Those in attendance included Prince Charles and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall, Spain's Crown Prince Felipe, Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria, Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, Crown Prince Billah and Crown Princess Sarah of Brunei, Prince Philippe  and Princess Mathilde of Belgium,  Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway  and his wife Crown Princess Mette-Marit,

Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary and former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his wife Nane Annan.

Parliament last year stripped Beatrix of her last remaining role in forming governments, and the new king has said he would accept a purely ceremonial role should parliament so decide. The Dutch monarch's current political role is restricted to signing laws and meeting regularly with the prime minister. Sixteen MPs refused to take an oath in front of the king, saying that they have already pledged allegiance to the constitution and cannot now do so to a person. Four Socialist MPs stayed away, and the other sat at the back of the church.

According to press reports, in 1980 Beatrix's enthronement was marred by violent protests and running street battles over a housing crisis that left the city looking like a war zone. This time, anti-royalists were allotted six locations in Amsterdam to stage protests. But only a few hundred participated in the low-key protests. However, republicans have started a petition to reduce the king's 825,000-euro ($1.1-million) salary to get the matter debated in parliament.

A cornucopia of concerts and club nights were organized around the city, including an open-air set by world-famous Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren, and more orange-themed street parties took place across the nation. Unfortunately, maxima’s father Jorge Zorreguieta, and mother were not able to attend because Zorreguieta, 85, was a minister under the notorious Argentine regime of general Jorge Videla in the 1970s. He also had to miss his daughter's 2002 marriage because of doubts over his role in the murderous junta. Maxima is largely responsible for having made her husband popular after an allegedly boozy youth, which earned him the nickname "Prince Pils". The Dutch love their Argentine queen despite father's past.

After the act of becoming King, Willem paid tribute to his mother and promised to continue her course. He stressed the need to respect diversity and promised that “however varied our backgrounds, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands everyone can have a voice and can contribute to society on an equal footing.” He did not forget to acknowledge his subjects’ growing economic woes as the country’s once robust economy struggles with its third recession since 2009.

I talked to a number of Dutch people about their inner feelings on this occasion. Mr Theo Koopman from in Lutjebroek had this to say:  “The bottom line for me is, that as long as we pretend to live in a democracy, we should accept all the consequences of that political system, which, by the way, I fully support: I call myself a democrat in the true meaning of the word. To me that means, that all governmental institutions, law, policy and social structure and interaction must be based on or at least cannot be in conflict with the democratic principles. These principles are not flexible or random or yet to be decided; they are absolute and follow from the essence of democracy, which, according to me, is the ultimate and equal distribution of all political power over all participants, in this case the citizens of our country. This basically means that everyone has power over his/her own life only. Any concentration of power is contrary to this democratic essence and therefore undemocratic and all decisions made should, ideally, be made as an agreement between the free citizens.

A monarchy, based on the nepotistic system of the heredity of power for a few over many, is in conflict with these democratic principles and should therefore be abolished. Not necessarily should we exchange the king/queen with a president, though. We already have too many politicians performing their work in full contempt of the people. On top of this all I am not a fan of this family, whose position is a stolen one and whose capital is based on a history of robbery, murder, oppression and slavery. I am inclined to say: not only should the monarchy be abolished, but all possessions of the royal family should be confiscated.

Of course this is not the only change we would have to make in order for our country to be a true democracy, but since your question regards the royal family and the monarchy, I'll leave it at this”.

Johan van De Broek of Alkmaar says of the royal family: “I really believe they cost too much money and most have lived a frivolous live with many affairs. Queen Beatrix is however without doubt, sincere and for me without question a honest an sensitive person with a good heart, I have observed and admired her strengths in how she coped with what happened to her son Friso and respected her for her response and also what happened in Apeldoorn during the assassination attempt on members of the royal house by a single maniac. There are also some points  in Dutch history when the royal house kept The Netherlands  together against the might and  strength of Spain, France an Germany......GREAT reason to vote for a royal house....!”

According to Machteld Mulder from Hoorn in North Holland: “We have a new king. I am not a royalist/monarchist, more a republican. But the last decade I was very glad with our queen Beatrix, because of the sentiments, which became strong in The Netherlands beyond a part of the Dutch. There came a way of thinking in 'we' against 'them''. And 'them' are the people from not western origin and/or muslims. And I lived with a man who had both qualifications. The climate was threatening and far from the tolerant, open society in which I grew up. Beatrix was one of the few people with influence, who often spoke words with universal values about humanity: that we need to cooperate and respect each other. Politicians hardly did. Prince Claus, her husband, (may he rest in peace), was a wise man with a big heart and a free and open mind. He had a huge impact on his wife and children and the development of their way of thinking. He gave them ideals to work at. In this way the royal family is a stabilizing factor in our country. I don't love them, but respect them. Prince Claus was a man to love. (sic)  

All photos below, by Ali Balunywa

Now Princess Beatrix, former Queen

Amelia, next in line to the throne, asked her father how long he would rule!

The new royal family King Willem, Queen Maxima and their 3 daughters

The Queen signed the Instrument of Abdication in the Vroedschapkamer
(also known as Mozeszaal) in the Royal Palace, Amsterdam at 10:07 a.m. local time.
above and below

Below, images of the free market in Almere Buiten

Below: Free market in Almere city