Streets of Amsterdam Turn Orange in Preparation for Historic Royal Abdication

The people of Amsterdam are getting ready to party and the streets are turning a festive orange. In the meantime, the Royal Family is busy with rehearsals for protocols that will define the historic royal abdication ceremonies on Tuesday. A number of days of festivities are already underway.

Crown Prince Willem-Alexander becomes King and Head of State. His wife, Princess Maxima of Argentina will be queen. His eldest daughter, nine-year old Princess Catharina-Amalia is bestowed the title, Crown Princess. She is next in line for the throne. A survey conducted by NOS, the Dutch national broadcaster revealed that Willem-Alexander has become more popular in the days approaching his accession. The increase in his popularity had been attributed to the relaxed and confident way by which he appeared in a recent television interview.

The Queen’s Holiday

Queen Beatrix is abdicating the throne. On Monday evening she addressed her people at the Rijksmuseum for the last time as Queen. Queen Beatrix is 75 years old. This once-in-a-generation transfer of titles is happening on Tuesday morning. The Queen has announced her abdication in January and the events happening this week are the culmination of months of preparation.

The Dutch traditionally party on Monday night and many have chosen not to work in anticipation of the Queen’s holiday on Tuesday. While they celebrate the Queen hosted a Monday evening dinner with European nobility dining in front of “The Night Watch,” Rembrandt van Rijn’s masterpiece, the Dutch Renaissance master. Amongst the royalty present are Prince Charles, heir to the throne of Britain and Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan and his wife, Crown Princess Masako.

On her Monday night address that was televised, she encouraged her subjects to support her son, the new King, asking them to bestow their “loving trust” as her firstborn assumes his new responsibilities. The Queen expressed her confidence on soon to be King Willem-Alexander who will do “everything a good king is obliged to do.”

Orange streets

The guests who have come from 18 countries to take part in the historic event are welcomed by orange décor and themes that have been put up all around the city. The shops are trimmed with orange streamers and orange flower arrangements are found everywhere. The trams and boats are going about their daily business while hoisting orange flags. Street vendors are selling orange shirts, feather boas and hats. And there are even orange urinals just set up by city workers who have made sure that the streets are clean and tidy.

The Prime Minister of the Netherlands has told the international press about the efforts that went into securing the week’s events. It has been a great logistical challenge for the organizers. And security measures had been put in place. The venue of the ceremony has been swept for bombs and the Amsterdam airspace is closed for three days. The Tuesday ceremonies are expected to be witnessed by about a million people. There will be 3,000 policemen on plainclothes and 10,000 policemen in uniform.