King Willem-Alexander celebrated his 48th birthday with a renewed 'King's Day' in the city of Dordrecht Monday, together with his wife Queen Máxima and daughters Amalia, Alexia and Ariane. The King was also joined by members of the extended royal family - his brother Prince Constantijn and his wife Princess Laurentien, and his cousins Maurits, Bernhard and Pieter-Christiaan and their spouses.
King's Day took its form from the previous Queen's Day celebrations, the official birthday of Queen Beatrix who abdicated on Queen's Day 2013. But King Willem-Alexander had asked for modernisation. No longer are two cities visited but only one, there is more emphasis on the presentation of the great and good of the chosen city, and the traditional games and activities were scrapped.
King Willem-Alexander also decided to bring his daughters along. Last year they made a surprise appearance, but this year their presence was announced beforehand. The King posted a picture of his young family in fron of their Eikenhorst residence near The Hague, just before leaving for the ancient city of Dordrecht. Princess Amalia still had her earphones at hand.
The three hour programme in the historic city was a mixed one, with a 'parade' of gigantic boats in the confluence of three rivers, a classical mini concert in Dordrecht's Grote Kerk, with music by Hándel and Bach, a walk about, food tasting and a pop concert.
.© Koninklijk Huis
There were some 20 to 25,000 people who came out to watch the royal family, far less than expected but the weather forecasts owed much to do that. Rain and cold weather were predicted but Monday turned out to be chilly but very sunny.
© Royalblog, Hans Jacobs; © RB, KH, RPE
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