Outline of Abdication and Investiture Programme, 19 March 2013
TIMES: Subtract 6 hours for the US East coast
Programme outline (subject to change):
29 April 2013
20.00-22.30
Dinner, at the invitation of Her Majesty the Queen, with members of the Royal Family and other royal and foreign missions at the Rijksmuseum.
30 April 2013
10.00-10.30
Abdication of Her Majesty the Queen in the Moseszaal of the Royal Palace Amsterdam. Those present will include the Presidents of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Council of Ministers for the Kingdom and members of the Royal Family, the governors and prime-ministers of Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten.
The Queen will give a short address. The Director of the Queen's Office will then read aloud the instrument of abdication to which the Queen will then give her assent by means of her signature. Finally the instrument of abdication will be signed by the witnesses.
10.30-10.50
His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, Her Majesty Queen Máxima and Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands appear on the balcony of the Royal Palace Amsterdam. Princess Beatrix and the King will both give a short address, after which the Wilhelmus will be played. Her Royal Highness the Princess of Orange and Their Royal Highnesses Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane will then join their parents on the balcony.
13.30
Opening of the joint session of the States General, following the entry of the members of the States General, the States of Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten, the Council of Ministers for the Kingdom and the Council of State.
13.50
Princess Beatrix and other members of the Royal Family proceed to the Nieuwe Kerk.
14.00
The King and the main cortege proceed to the Nieuwe Kerk.
14.00-15.30
Swearing in and investiture of the King at the joint session of the two Houses of the States General in the Nieuwe Kerk. The King will deliver an address and be sworn in. The President of the joint session, Fred de Graaf, will deliver an address and make a solemn declaration, after which members of the States General and the States of Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten swear an oath or make an affirmation.
15.30
The King and his retinue proceed to the Royal Palace Amsterdam.
16.30-18.00
Reception for royal and foreign missions, dignitaries and members of the States General and the States of Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten, Council of Ministers for the Kindom, the Council of State, governors and prime-ministers of Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten and the Corps Diplomatique in the Royal Palace Amsterdam.
19.30
The Song for the King will be performed in the presence of the King and Queen, prior to the water pageant. This will take place at the EYE Film Museum via a video link with Ahoy Rotterdam.
19.45-21.30
The King and Queen will take part in a water pageant with their daughters on the River IJ. They will sail from EYE Film Institute past the Oever Park and the 'Kop van Java'. At several places along the route they will be treated to a festive programme, including a 'mini Sail'.
21.30
Celebration, hosted by the Prime Minister on behalf of the Council of Ministers for the Kingdom.
I went to Amsterdam on 29 and 30 april. It was everything very nice, I could see the Dutch royal family coming into the Rijksmuseum, I saw the royal guest as well: Haakon of Norway, Salma of Maroc, Frederick and Mary of Denmark, etc... All the princesses with lovely jewels.
ReplyDeleteLater on I had the opportunity to see The Dutch royal family coming into the Royal Palace, Princess Beatrix is so short !!.
Next day I went to Dam Square, a lot of people were in there, most of them in orange, I was in orange as well !. There were a big screen in the square and we could watch everything was happening inside the Royal Palace, finally Princess Beatrix and King Willem and Queen Maxima went out to the balcony, people got crazy !! it was a lovely moment.
Later I saw the royals going into the Niewe Kerk, many of them looking at people: Mathilde of Belgium, Mary and Frederick of Denmark, others were more cold to people, Albert of Mónaco or Victoria and Daniel of Sweeden.
It was everything wonderful, worderful to be and worderful to see how Dutch people love its royal family. The Queen´s Day was celebrated around the city, many boats sailing in the canals, with people dancing on them, you could hear music anywhere. Amsterdam was dressed in Orange.