King's Day Netherlands or Koningsdag is a public holiday in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is celebrated on April 27 (April 26 if April 27 falls on Sunday) marking the birthday of King Willem-Alexander. The holiday is known as Koninginnedag or Queen’s Day when the Dutch monarch is a woman, and until Queen Beatrix’s reign in 2013, it was celebrated on April 30th. Please scroll down to learn more about King's Day Netherlands and its history, activities, wishes, messages, greetings, and quotes.
King's Day 2024 Date
King's Day, observed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Netherlands, Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten) is a national holiday. The day is dedicated to the Birthday of King Willem-Alexander. King's Day is marked by Partying, flea markets, wearing orange costumes, concerts, and traditional local gatherings. In 2024, Koningsdag will be celebrated on Wednesday, 27 April.
History of King's Day
Originally celebrated on August 31, 1885, Prinsesadag or Princess's Day, the fifth birth anniversary of Princess Wilhelmina, then heir conjectural to the Dutch throne. After her accession in November 1890, the holiday was renamed Koninginnedag, which was celebrated for the first time on 31 March 1891. In September 1948, Wilhelmina’s daughter Juliana ascended the throne and the date was moved to her birthday, April 30, and had been celebrated since 1949.
In 2009, an unfortunate incident occurred when the Queen was celebrating Queen's Day in Apeldoorn when a man tried to assault her by trying to hit the royal family’s bus with his car; instead, he hit a man with his car and crashed into a monument: seven people in the crowd were killed, as well as the driver.
In 2013, Queen Beatrix was turned down on Koninginnedag and her son Willem-Alexander replaced the throne (the first king since the national holiday). The festival was therefore renamed Koningsdag from 2014 onwards, and the three-day celebration was moved to April 27, Willem-Alexander’s birthday.
King's Day Activities, Celebrations
The Koningsdag celebrations are organized by the Orange Committees, local associations that seek sponsorship and funds for their activities. Koningsdag or King's Day is known throughout the country for its vrijmarkt (free market), where the Dutch sell their used goods. Besides, it brings an opportunity for "orange madness" or oranjegekte, one type of frenzy named after the Netherlands' national color.
How to Celebrate King's Day
There are many ways to celebrate Koningdag, among these we have given you 3 best ideas below to celebrate King's Day:
1. DRESS UP IN ORANGE
Amsterdam turns into an ocean of orange on Koningsdag. The Dutch Royal family is known as the “House of Orange-Nassau” so orange has become the Netherlands’ national colour.[1] It has become a custom to wear full orange outfits such as hats, dresses, wigs, and makeup and go all out.
2. GO TO FLEA MARKETS
Everyone has a permit to sell goods on the street on Koningsdag. There are tons of flea markets (vrijmarkten) that have popped up in different cities! Look for businesses and enjoy street performers and musicians as you go. Vondelpark in Amsterdam is the place to go to look for kids’ stuff.[2]
3. PARTICIPATE IN AN EVENT
Celebrating the King’s birthday means a perfect way to have a party! There are already many events in the Netherlands; some of which are free and some require you to buy tickets. The four best places to celebrate the great Koningsdag are Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam, and Utrecht.
Happy King's Day 2024 Wishes, Messages, Greetings
Here we bring cheerful Happy Koningdag greetings, wishes, and messages to share with your friends and family:
- I wish you a very Happy King's Day! Make sure you take part in the festivities on this day to make it a special one.
- Greetings to all of you at Koningsdag! We will go to the city fairs, which are very important on this day.
- On King's Day, we will head to the Amsterdam Kingsland Festival which is one of the most anticipated festivals of the year. Happy Koningsdag!
- It’s great to visit the small town and experience the warmth and vibrancy of the celebrations organized on this day.
- Happy Koningsdag! Let’s drop everything, and take part in the most colorful celebrations of the year. Gezellig Koningdag!
- Happy King's Day! King Willem-Alexander’s birthday celebrations are a festival where everything is painted orange. Fijne Koningsdag!
Happy King's Day Quotes
Here are the most used phrases and quotes Dutch people use to greet on King Willem-Alexander's birthday:
"Gezellig Koningdag" – (Happy King’s Day)
"Oranje boven!" (Orange on top!)
"Lang leve de koning!" (Long live the King)
"Fijne Koningsdag!"
"Hoera, hoera, hoera!" – (hurrah hurrah hurrah!)
"Prettige Koningsdag!"
Lastly, we can say that King's Day in the Netherlands is known as Koningsdag. It marks the birthday of King Willem-Alexander which falls on April 27 each year (26 Apr if 27 Apr Sunday). There are lots of vibrant and colorful events that take place on this day across the Netherlands including Amsterdam. You can wish your friends and family with the above-mentioned greetings and quotes.