Thousands of people gathered today in front of the Royal Palace in Amsterdam to welcome the country’s new king, Willem-Alexander, the eldest son of of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, who abdicated in his favor today, after a 33-year reign.
Willem-Alexander is the country’s first king in over 120 years, and he will be officially sworn at the Nieuwe Kerk later today, before God, the nation and a joint session of the Dutch parliament.
Dutch citizens are dressed in orange for the occasion, and show their support on social networks as well:
Dutch patriots giving British royalists a run for their money #oranjeboven twitter.com/FelicityMorse/…
— Felicity Morse (@FelicityMorse) April 30, 2013
Oranje Boven!! After 120 years, a King for the Netherlands: bit.ly/Zwfqgu via @mailonline …all proud Dutch wearing orange today!
— karinagrotz (@karinagrotz) April 30, 2013
The new king appears on the balcony in Amsterdam for the first time as King. Lang leve de Koning! Oranje Boven tmblr.co/ZoL4pxjtPvtT
— Jean-Paul H (@jeanpauljh) April 30, 2013
#emoday long live the king! I love my country!! #ORANJEBOVEN
— Johanna Köster (@Joop_3) April 30, 2013
If you ain’t Dutch, you ain’t much! #OranjeBoven ( bron: @kingendrick)
— Gerard Hengstman (@Gerard_1967) April 30, 2013
Lately I’ve been traveling so much! 1 thing i know tho, I’ll always be a Dutchie, and I’m proud of it! #oranjeboven twitter.com/Natalie_LA_Ros…
— Natalie La Rose (@Natalie_LA_Rose) March 2, 2013
In the eve of her abdication, Queen Beatrix addressed the nation, and expressed feelings of deep gratitude towards her subjects.
“Without your heartwarming and encouraging displays of affection, the burdens, which certainly have existed, would have weighed heavily,” she said. You can watch the full address in the video coverage below.
