Inauguration of King Willem-Alexander, 2013

Today marks the 5th Anniversary of King Willem-Alexander’s Accession and Inauguration to the Dutch Throne, after the Abdication of his mother, Queen Beatrix, who had reigned from 1981, after the Abdication of her own mother, under the Dutch system of passing the Throne to the next generation in your own lifetime. King Willem-Alexander was the first King of the Netherlands since 1890. To mark that anniversary, we are taking a look at the events-

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At 10:07 am, at the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, Queen Beatrix signed the Instrument of Abdication which made her son the King, and herself a Princess. Afterwards, the new King and Queen waved to the crowds in Dam Square from the Balcony of the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, where they were joined by the new Princess Beatrix and later by their three daughters, including the new Princess of Orange, the Heir to the Throne.

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In the afternoon, after the arrival of the Royal Family and Royal Guests, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima processed into the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, for the for Inauguration Ceremony, when he was sworn in a King of the Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean territories of Curacao, Aruba and Sint Maarten.

I swear that I shall defend and preserve the independence and territory of the state with all my powers, that I shall protect the general and individual freedom and rights of all my subjects and shall use all available means granted to me by law for preserving and promoting general and individual prosperity as I befitting of a good king…. So help me God almighty.”

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On top of the entire extended Dutch Royal Family, Royal Guests included the Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco, Sheikha Mozah of Qatar, Crown Prince Philippe and Crown Princess Mathilde of Belgium, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stephanie, Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako of Japan, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, the Prince and Princess of Asturias, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and Princess Sirindhorn of Thailand, Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein, Crown Prince Billah and Crown Princess Sarah of Brunei, and Prince Hassan and Princess Sarvath of Jordan.

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King Willem-Alexander wore White Tie with the Sash and Star of the Military William Order, his Miniatures, and a Mantle of State. Queen Máxima wore a bespoke Jan Taminiau gown with the Dutch Sapphire Tiara, large Sapphire Earrings, Sapphire Brooch, and the Sash and Star of the Order of the Netherlands Lion.

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