April 27: Koningsdag in the Netherlands
Prayer Idea
Pray for the people, government, and royal family of the Netherlands.
History Note
Koningsdag (King’s Day) is a national holiday in the Netherlands. It honors the birthday of the current monarch, King Willem-Alexander, who was born in 1967. Celebrating a national holiday on the birthday of a member of the Dutch royal family goes back to 1885.
The first national birthday holiday honored Princess Wilhelmina on her fifth birthday and was called Prinsessedag (Princess’s Day). Wilhelmina became queen in 1890 at age 10, and the holiday was renamed Koninginnedag (Queen’s Day). The holiday continued when Wilhelmina’s daughter, Juliana, became queen in 1948, and when Juliana’s daughter Beatrix became queen in 1980. Beatrix’s son Willem-Alexander became king in 2013. (Interestingly, Wilhelmina, Juliana, and Beatrix all abdicated the throne to allow the next generation to become monarch.)
The Dutch people celebrate Koningsdag by wearing orange, the color associated with the royal family. They also host flea markets across the country in which people sell used clothes, toys, and household items. This is the one day each year when people can make sales on the street without a permit. Other activities include parties and concerts. When the holiday falls on a Sunday, it is observed on the previous Saturday.
This 2022 photo shows Dutch people celebrating Koningsdag by buying and selling at a vrijmarkt (“free market”). Photo by ingehogenbijl / Shutterstock.com.
Learn More
This video shows the royal family singing the Dutch national anthem (“Wilhelmus”) with a crowd of celebrants on Koningsday in 2023.
Explore more resources at Homeschool History, including a recording of “Wilhelmus” with all fifteen stanzas!
