They say that there’s nothing a mother won’t do for her son. Apparently, this still holds true even if you are giving up your royal seat and you are the Queen of the Netherlands. Queen Beatrix of Netherlands announced that she would abdicate and allow her 45-year old son, Prince Willem-Alexander to become the first king of the country in more than a hundred years. The Prince is the first male heir of the House of Orange in over a century.
From Prince to a Father, now King
Upon ascension to the throne, Prince Willem-Alexander will be known as King Willem IV.
All first-born sons (and sometimes even daughters) of royalty are groomed to one day ascend the throne. Being the good mother that she is and reminiscent of her own fond experiences of early parenthood, Queen Beatrix saw fit to give her son more personal time to devote to his family before taking on the duties of being the head of the state.
Prince Willem-Alexander married Maxima Zorregueta, a former Argentine investment banker in 2002. Together they have three daughters: Princess Alexia, Princess Catharina-Amalia, and Princess Ariane.
Queen Beatrix: Longest Dutch Monarch
Queen Beatrix has been at the throne for more than three decades. At 33 years on the throne, she is one of the longest serving monarchs in Europe. However, her grandmother, Queen Wilhelmina served as Queen for an even longer period, with 58 years on the throne, from 1890 to 1948. This isn’t surprising since Queen Wilhelmina ascended to the throne at the age of ten.
Queen Bea, as she is fondly called by her constituents, was crowned in 1980. She is also the oldest living Dutch monarch to date, when she celebrates her 75th birthday on January 31st. However, effective April 30, 2013, she will step down and her reign will end.
Abdication not uncommon
The abdication comes as no surprise to her constituents. However, it doesn’t seem to diminish Queen Bea’s popularity one bit. Abdication in Dutch royalty isn’t new. Both her mother and grandmother abdicated at some point.
House of Orange
Incidentally, the Dutch monarchy, also known as the House of Orange-Nassau or Huis van Oranje-Nassau, will be celebrating its second centennial anniversary this year. This celebration is called Koninginnedag or Queen’s Day.
The holiday falls on April 30, which will coincide with the abdication of Queen Beatrix. At the same time, it will also be the investiture of Prince Willem-Alexander. April 30 is the birthday of Queen Bea’s mother, Queen Juliana.
When Prince Willem-Alexander ascends to the throne, the holiday will be called Koningsdag or King’s Day. During his reign, the holiday will be celebrated on April 27, which is his birthday.
The House of Orange was founded in the 19th century by William I of Orange. William is better known to the Dutch and to historians as “William the Silent” and “Father of the Fatherland.”
Photo Credit: Queen Beatrix
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