On Monday January 28th, 2013 Queen Beatrix announced that she will abdicate. She succeeded her mother Princess Juliana 33 years ago and now her eldest son, Prince Willem-Alexander, will succeed her as the new monarch of the Netherlands. The investiture will occur at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam on April 30, 2013.
Time for a new generation
Queen Beatrix was queen for nearly 33 years, making her the longest reigning monarch after her grandmother Queen Wilhelmina (50 years) and King Willem III (41 years and 9 months). She abdicates not because she feels the work has become too strenuous but rather because she believes that the country should be led by a new generation. Read more
