King Willem Alexander
In a good mood on King’s Day
Willem-Alexander will celebrate King’s Day 2024 in Emmen with Queen Máxima and their three daughters.
© Dutch Press Photo Agency
King Willem-Alexander spends his 57th birthday with his loved ones in Emmen.
The Dutch King Willem-Alexander celebrates his 57th birthday on April 27th in the municipality of Emmen. On Saturday morning he arrived in the municipality in the southeast of the province of Drenthe, accompanied by his wife, Queen Máxima (52), and their three daughters Amalia (20), Alexia (18) and Ariane (17).
The queen sings along loudly to the birthday song
They were received there by Mayor Eric van Oosterhout and Jetta Klijnsma, the King’s Commissioner in Drenthe, among others the Dutch daily newspaper “De Telegraaf” reports. The royal family appeared radiant. While the king wore a blue suit with a light tie, the queen enchanted in a green dress with a light jacket. Upon arrival, Bouke & The ElvisMatters Band sang a birthday song for Willem-Alexander. According to the “Telegraaf”, Máxima sang along “loudly”.
The palace was already divided in the morning on his Instagram page On the day of honor, a portrait of the king in a black suit, with a sash and medal. It said: “King Willem-Alexander is celebrating his 57th birthday today. The royal family is celebrating Koningsdag in Emmen this year.”
The king’s brother, Prince Constantijn (54), and his wife, Princess Laurentien (57), were also present in Emmen. The royal family will visit various places in Emmen on Koningsdag, where they will meet many subjects. Hundreds of people crowded along the route to catch a glimpse of the royal family or shake Willem-Alexander’s hand.
Koningsdag is celebrated throughout the Netherlands
For the first time in more than 20 years, the royals are spending King’s Day in the province of Drenthe. Queen Beatrix (86) last visited Meppel and Hoogeveen in 2002. Willem-Alexander’s mother often chose two different locations on Queen’s Day, usually in the same province.
Koningsdag, which celebrates the monarch’s birthday, is a national holiday in the Netherlands. All over the country, the king is celebrated with parades, concerts and festivals, decorations and clothing are in orange, the color of the royal family.