A new era is opening to the Netherlands as Queen Beatrix, who has occupied the throne for the past three decades, is leaving the role up to her son, Willem-Alexander.
Beatrix will hand the head of state position to her son on Tuesday morning, thus making Willem-Alexander the first king of Holland in more than 120 years.
The Queen made the decision in the biggest national holiday in her country, Queen's Day, an opportunity across the Netherlands for people to dress up and party. The investiture of the new king will be the pinnacle of a year of celebrations commemorating the 200 years since the end of Napoleonic occupation in 1813.
The Dutch queen, who is 75 years old, said that she had been thinking about abdicating for several years. "It seems like a good point in time to take this step," she said. "The coincidence of these two special events has been the occasion for me to decide to step down from my position."
"It is with great confidence that I will pass on the throne on April 30 to my son, prince of Orange," the queen added. "He and Princess Maxima are fully prepared to take on their future task."
Willem-Alexander has been prince of Orange, title of the heir to the Dutch throne, since 1980. He married Argentine-born Maxima in 2002, amongst controvery for her family's involvement in Jorge Videla's term of office in Argentina. They have three daughters, the oldest of whom, Catharina-Amalia, will be the next to suceed Willem-Alexander.
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