Beatrix signs the Act of Abdication next to Willem-Alexander and Maxima during a ceremony in Amsterdam on April 30, 2013 |
Willem-Alexander was
sworn in as the first Dutch king in more than 120 years on Tuesday after his
mother, Queen Beatrix, abdicated the throne, ending 33 years as the country's
monarch.
The 75-year-old monarch
handed over power in a constitutionally ordained ceremony in the Mozes Hall of
the royal palace in Amsterdam. The transfer became official as she signed the
"instrument of abdication" that means she will now be known as
Princess Beatrix.
Cheers erupted from
crowds gathered outside the palace who were watching proceedings on a big
screen as the queen signed the document. CNN's Max Foster reported that many in
the Netherlands had been partying well into the night.
Thousands of
well-wishers, many of them wearing orange wigs, T-shirts and hats, flooded down
Damrak towards the center of the city. Lots of flags were waving, saying
"Dag Beatrix" on one side and "Hallo Willem-Alexander" on
the other.
Church bells rang out
across the city as the family appeared on the balcony of the royal palace and
people in the square waved flags and blew horns. "I'm happy and grateful
to present you your new King Willem-Alexander," Beatrix told the crowd.
King Willem-Alexander told the crowd he was
"grateful for your confidence and support" as he started his reign
and thanked his mother for "33 touching and inspiring years."
Beatrix stepped down on
the national holiday known as Queen's Day, an opportunity for people across the
Netherlands to dress up and party. The investiture during which the new king
took the oath of office before a joint session of parliament was the high point
of a year of celebrations marking the end of the Napoleonic occupation in 1813.
Before taking his oath,
the king thanked his mother for the "many beautiful years during which she
was our queen."
"Dear mother, he
said, "remained calm in difficult times and stayed her course," he
said. "I'm treading in your footsteps but no one knows what the future
brings," he said.
The king swore "to
preserve the independence and territory of the kingdom to the best of my
ability ... so help me God."
Beatrix announced her
abdication in January, saying it was time for a new generation to lead.
"I have always
considered it as an extraordinary privilege to be able to put a big part of my
life at the service of our country and in accordance with my task to add
substance to my kingship," said Beatrix, who acceded to the throne when
her mother, Queen Juliana, abdicated in 1980.
"Until today, this
beautiful task has given me a lot of satisfaction. It is inspiring to feel
close to people, to sympathize in grievances and share times of joy and
national pride."
The Dutch media has
speculated that the queen was abdicating to spend more time with her second son Friso, who was injured in an avalanche at an Austrian ski
resort last year. He remains in a coma in a London hospital.
In a televised address
Monday night, Beatrix said she knew the new royal couple would have the loving
trust of the nation.
"My oldest son will
now take over a beautiful task which is filled with great responsibility,"
she said. "I am absolutely convinced that Willem-Alexander will be committed
in faithful devotion to be a good king and to do what a good King is asked to
do."
A king for the 21st
century
The 46-year-old new king
was educated in Wales and Holland, where he earned a history degree at Leiden
University. He served in the Dutch Royal Navy from 1985 to 1987. As Prince of
Orange -- the title given to the person first in line to the Dutch throne -- he
was interested in sustainability and innovation.
He is married to Máxima,
who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has a degree in economics and has
worked for HSBC and Deutsche Bank. The couple have been married for 11 years
and have three daughters.
Last week, the couple
gave their first joint TV interview in which Willem set out how he intended to
rule.
"I want to be a
king who is first of all traditional, built on the tradition of my
predecessors, who stands for continuity and also for stability in the country
... but also a king who in the 21st century can bind together and represent
society as a whole."
Asked how he intended to
do that, Willem told the NOS state broadcaster: "By being present where
you think people need support or help, by giving extra attention and presence
to worthwhile events and by supporting people who are in need."
Notable absence
One notable absence at
Tuesday's ceremony was the new queen's father, Jorge Zorreguieta, who was a
minister during the 1976-1983 Argentinian military dictatorship.
Maxima said her family
would not attend her swearing-in as queen because of her father's controversial
past.
"This is a
constitutional event, when my husband becomes king and my father doesn't belong
there, especially if there are issues," the princess told NOS. "He
remains my father, we still enjoy our private moments."
Queen Beatrix attends the 50th anniversary celebrations of the European School, Bergen on March |
A crown is hung in the center of Amsterdam on April 23, 2013 ahead of Beatrix's abdication. |
Orange cows are placed on a traffic island in Wassenaar, the hometown of Willem-Alexander and Maxima, on April 17. |
Princesses Alexia, Catharina-Amalia and Ariane pose for Christmas celebrations in 2012. |
Queen Beatrix attends the 50th anniversary celebrations of the European School, Bergen on March 12, 2013. |
Willem-Alexander (right) talks to soldiers during a visit to Gilze Rijen airbase on November 13, 2012. |
Willem-Alexander and Maxima pose with their daughters as the Dutch royal family celebrates Christmas 2012 in Villa la Angostura, Argentina. |
Willem-Alexander, Maxima, Beatrix, Alexia, Amalia and Ariane appear at the annual winter photocall on February 18, 2013 in Lech, Austria |
0 comments:
Post a Comment