#koningsday

[nature-nerd-sarah]

I made a meme like this as a teenager, something like fifteen years ago, and I still stand by the sentiment. It's ridiculous that this country still has a king, and it's even more ridiculous that his birthday is a national holiday.

[jewwbear]

Happy King's Day

[wind0ws-of-this-love]

On kingsday we wear orange (it's a Dutch thing) 🇳🇱🎉

[marcosstop]

Today #koningsday #holland me go to #gent #belgium #hotelibisgent

[citroentje]

Happy Kingsday folks

I’m gonna see where that music’s coming from

[overlyheterosexualbread]

The origin of Kingday

Yesterday the Netherlands celebrated Kingsday, the birthday of king Willem-Alexander. The years before that have always been Queensday. Until 1948 queensday had been celebrated on August 31st, the birthday of, then the queen Wilhelmina. When she resigned and Juliana became queen the holiday was moved to Aril 31st. Beatrix became queen in 19800 and she said queensday would stay on the same day out of respect for her mother, but more practical reasons were most likely involved as well since Beatrix’s birthday is in the middle of the winter, on January 31st.

In the 19th century June 18th was a national holiday, that was the celebration of Waterloo. But through the years the meaning of that day decreased. In 1885 the chief of a newspaper from Utrecht thought it was time for a new holiday. Princess Day was first only celebrated in Utrecht of August 31st, the birthday of Princess Wilhelmina, but over the years other places adapted this holiday. When Wilhelmina was crowned Queen in 1898 Princess Day was renamed Queenday.