Queen Beatrix Announces Abdication: January 28, 2013

[PrincessofEurope]

I guess it won't be a big problem for the other Crown Princesses to curtsey to Maxima, that's part of the show and they are already used to such things.

However, Maxima & Willem-Alexander will be the first among the current generation of CP couple's who will become majesties. Mary & Frederik, Mette-Marit & Haakon, Victoria & Daniel and to some extent perhaps Mathilde & Phillipe are good friends and of M&W and they will benefit from their experiences I believe.

Interesting is that Duchess Camilla and Prince Charles will, if we are to stick to the protocol, have to curtsey or at least show proper respect to M&W, even though they are considerably older.

It will take some time to get used to the current generation of cp couples having to curtsey and bow to the new King and Queen. But also WA and Maxima will no longer cutsey to the other monarchs.

I would expect Camilla and Charles to show respect for them as Monarch despite the age difference

The next 'big' formal gathering of monarchs and royals is surely the swedish ruby jubilee where we will see WA and Maxima in the monarch lineup

 

[Dman]

Well, I hope The Prince of Wales & Duchess of Cornwall attends the Inauguration Ceremony in April. He attended Queen Beatrix's Inauguration Ceremony in 1980.

 

[Mademoiselle Lilo]

sad to hear Queen Beatrix retire she did a great job as Queen.
on other hand i m looking forward the 30th April i am sure Maxima and WA will make good monarchs too.

 

[White Princess]

So he will be king Willem-Alexander I or Willem IV after all?

 

[windsorgirl]

So he will be king Willem-Alexander I or Willem IV after all?

Well, if he uses Willem-Alexander, wouldn't he be King Willem-Alexander without the roman numeral? Yes, he would be the first but that is not a distinction until there is a second, like WWI was not called that until there was a WWII. Just wondering....I hope he keeps the Alexander.

 

[mum]

I can just imagine that the people from Netherlands are of mixed feelings at the moment. Their Queen for so many years are retiring and are handing the reigns over to the younger generation. Her Majesty Queen Beatrix was and will allways be a favourite to her countrymen and also to so many other people all over the world!! Rest well Your Majesty and thank you for being just you! We respect and love you!!

 

[NGalitzine]

News - Het Koninklijk Huis

I like how the Dutch monarchy official website tried to answer the basic questions as soon as the abdication was announced.....titles, residences, line of succession etc. Guess they hoped it would cut down on a lot of media speculation.

 

[Artemisia]

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands Announces Abdication

At 17:00 (Dutch time) it was made known Her Majesty Queen Beatrix will make an announcement two hours later in a special broadcast on television and radio. No information was given about the content of the announcement but immediately rumours circulated Her Majesty will formally announce her abdication in a message that had been recorded earlier in the day.

Rumours proved to be correct and on 28 January 2013, at 19:00, the Queen announced her intention to abdicate on 30 April (Queen’s Day) – the day that will also mark the 33rd anniversary of her accession to the Throne.
...

 

[Water]

Very shock news

 

[suztav]

News - Het Koninklijk Huis

I like how the Dutch monarchy official website tried to answer the basic questions as soon as the abdication was announced.....titles, residences, line of succession etc. Guess they hoped it would cut down on a lot of media speculation.

Great job by the royal household in proactively providing answers to Frequenly Asked Questions (FAQ's). They are very, very professional.

 

[CarolynHarris]

The historical context for today's abdication announcement by Queen Beatrix

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands to Abdicate on April 30, 2013 | Carolyn Harris: Royal Historian

 

[sheikah deena]

Ohh That’s really sad to hear :-( ,, I Love Queen Beatrix ,, she’s so Sweet Nice Queen ,, What a great Mother she giving the Future & opportunity to her son to be a king in early stage , well not early But Queen Beatrix not very old , she can Continue ,, But also Nice to see New King & Queen in 2013 !! ,,, Feel sorry & sad to Princess Maxima because her parents won't be attending the inauguration ceremony !!!

 

[Lindy]

Prinsjesdag will now be opened by WA in the company of his wife Maxima!!! and Amalia's 10th birthday photoshoot will be with her parents as King&Queen and her as an heir aparent.

Can't wait to see this year's photosession at Lech!!!

Do you really think they will be going to Lech??? I can't imagine they would go there ever again. So many sad memories of Friso's accident. I wondered if the timing of this announcement was such that it would give them the chance to say they were too busy to go this year.

 

[kathl29]

I am glad that Beatrix is getting to step down in her way and spend time with her grandchildren. It will also allow her to spend more time with Friso and Mabel - his accident must have been a huge shock for her and I understand she travels to visit him regularly in hospital.

But I am also sorry to see that Beatrix is abdicating as for me it brings home to me that the monarchs are now getting older and we are in the first stage of a number of years where we will lose the old monarchs and all the Crown Prince/Princesses step up and take over the reins.

Having said that I think WA and Maxima will do a wonderful job.

 

[Viv]

How strange for Mary, Mette-Marit and Victoria to now be expected to curtsey to maxima!!

Not really, the curtseying comes with the territory ! You 'acknowledge' the function rather than the person! Being born a royal Crown Princess Victoria is the last person it would present a problem for!
By the way, whenever an assorted crowd of royalty get together it's quite fun to watch the bowing and curtseying, it's looks like some board game with intricate rules!

viv

 

[NGalitzine]

Do you really think they will be going to Lech??? I can't imagine they would go there ever again. So many sad memories of Friso's accident. I wondered if the timing of this announcement was such that it would give them the chance to say they were too busy to go this year.

It has already been announced that they are going to Lech and there will be a photosession. They have been going there for decades so I am sure they have many fond memories of the place.

 

[Bine221]

I have to admit, while I was in shock prior to and during the announcement, I am now more and more happy about the situation.

It is a true win-win situation.

Beatrix DID NOT DIE (sorry to say so, but for most of the countries it is "the king is dead, long live the king"), she is alive, in her best years , healthy, will remain visible and can start her well-deserved retirement.

And: she has handed-over to the next generation.
Now we have young and fresh blood, new ideas, a glittering Queen and a young new Princess of Orange. It gives the Netherlands a Push, as well as the House of Orange.

The more I am thinking about it, the more I like it.

BYe Bine

 

[Bine221]

Not really, the curtseying comes with the territory ! You 'acknowledge' the function rather than the person! Being born a royal Crown Princess Victoria is the last person it would present a problem for!
By the way, whenever an assorted crowd of royalty get together it's quite fun to watch the bowing and curtseying, it's looks like some board game with intricate rules!

viv

That is the only thing I also need to swallow..... the "Clan" of the CrownPrinces/CrownPrincesses is loosing one important part ....
but someone has to do the first step ....
Nevertheless I will watch carefully, what will happen to the curtesys.
Most probably a curtesy, follow by a huge kiss

BYe Bine

 

[Dman]

I too like the idea. I just think it's time for the new generation of royals to help carry on the work of these old institutions. I also think it's good for Beatrix to give the 'Top Job' to her son and daughter-in-law while she's healthy and able to see them do well with their new roles.

 

[LadyFinn]

Well the fact remains that while both Willem Alexander and Victoria are royals by blood and were born heir apparants Willem Alexander will now be a King and as such above Victoria.

I don't think that it bothers Victoria to curtsey to Willem-Alexander and Maxima, they are her dear friends. When prince Pieter-Christiaan visited Sweden last year, he said at an interview that Victoria and Daniel are very, very close friends to Willem-Alexander and Maxima.

 

[Dman]

I everyone (Princes, Princesses, Dukes & Duchesses) will acknowledge Willem & Maxima as King & Queen with a bow and curtsey.

 

[Tarlita]

Wow I didn't see this coming. However, I am not surprised after the stressful year she has had with her son Prince Friso. As an observer from far away I know Her Majesty is well respected and much loved in the Netherlands. When I visited Amsterdam in 1986 she was much loved and I have always had a lot of respect for this lovely lady. I wish her well in her retirement and I am sure Willem Alexander and Maxima will make the transition to Regent couple very well. I am sure we will still see her out and about from time to time.

 

[QUEENECE29]

I think it is a decision.

 

[carlota]

WA and maxima, front page of several argentinian and spanish speaking newspapers:

lanacion.com - Información confiable en internet*
Guillermo y Mxima de Holanda: de la polmica a la adoracin popular | elmundo.es
Clarín.com
Página/12
http://www.elmundo.es/america/2013/01/28/argentina/1359405748.html

 

[Tiggersk8]

I've been trying to catch up on a week of little sleep due to following the Aussie Open, so when I woke up from a nap to my Mom asking if I'd heard the news from Holland?

Her telling me Queen Beatrix's plans woke me up faster than that cup of coffee I was planning on having just then.

It is rather bitter sweet, but I can understand why she's doing it now. It's been such a tough year for not just her, but the entire Family and now, she'll have the time needed to be w/Mabel and the girls to help on that front that wasn't there the last year. Also this way, she'll be there to help out W-A and Maxima during the early years of the new Reign.

I have great respect for HM and while this is a bitter sweet day, I don't doubt this decision came about after great thought and discussion w/all concerned.

It had to to be tough during the last week though for the three of them knowing it would be the last State Visit the three of them would make.

I now am getting excited for April 30th and my first Investiture/Enthronement of the Internet age. I followed along thanks to the Royal Magazines of the times when Japan had their Enthronement Ceremonies in the late 80's/early 90's, but that's not the same as actually watching things as they actually happen!!

Thank you Your Majesty for your caring, loving and dedication during your time of service to your People.

God Bless King William-Alexander and Queen Maxima!!

Long Live The Netherlands!!

 

[MARG]

Wow! Surprising but strangely not unexpectedly surprising. Queen Beatrix is a very hard working Queen and, as many have pointed out, it seems the present Dutch tradition is to abdicate in favour of the heir. Any discussion regarding her doing so when the grandchildren were older is and was just empty speculation. But as an aside, the children need to learn what it is like to be the children of the monarch just as W-A, Johan Friso and Constantijn did.

And to those non-Dutch posters who "don't approve" of this abdication. . . tough! Their country. Their rules.

I think she is and has been an incredibly hard working and popular Queen but she is coming up 75 and, to be honest, she does not have the good fortune to still have her beloved husband to walk beside her and help her carry the heavy personal load. It must be lonely to be alone in the palace without someone to mull over the current events in her life. But having said that, I would not presume to surmise that she should go into demi-retirement to look after the grandkids or spend most of her time with Mabel in the UK.

The speculation about who will and won't, should and shouldn't curtsy or bow to be quite weirdly entertaining:

Charles and Camilla will, of course, bow and curtsy to King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. What on earth has age got to do with it?

Victoria will alway curtsy to a Royal King and his Consort and, she'll have her very best megawatt smile for W-A and Maxima the first time she does it.

Mary, Mette-Marit, Mathilde, Letizia will all follow protocol. They would never disgrace their royal houses and their countries by doing anything less.

As an aside, I think every heir that attends the inauguration will quietly envy W-A the fact his mother still lives which, in the normal course of events, is a privilege none of them will enjoy.

As to whether Maxima is a suitable Queen? That ship sailed right about the same time she married W-A! I am going to be watching her with great interest and the magpie in me will enjoy every single sparkly bauble she deigns to bless us with.

 

[principessa]

I am deeply impressed by the information policy with the new FAQ of the abdication and inauguration! They are answered quick and very informative.

 

[XeniaCasaraghi]

Good for her! Nice tradition of the heir succeeding without a death being tied to it. This way WA can have the support of his mother while being King. How long has Maxima been married? Since 2004? I just assume Beatrix feels not only her son but her DiL as well are ready for this.

 

[ricarda]

Since 02.02.02 (2nd February 2002)

 

[Elly C]

Now the announcement has been made, it seems like there's so many plus points to the decision. I'm really looking forward to the preparations for the succession.