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| Koninginnedag (Queen's Day) 2010 Carmelrmd, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
Koningsdag (King's Day) is a holiday in the Netherland to mark the Monarch’s official birthday. The day is celebrated with flea markets, concerts, outdoor parties, etc. Celebrations take place throughout the Netherlands. However one city each year holds an extra large celebrate attended by the Royal Family.
Koningsdag has taken place on various dates throughout history depending on when the monarch's birthday is. Currently the holiday takes place on April 27th which is King Willem-Alexander's actual birthday. (Unless the 27th is a Sunday, then Koningsdag takes place the day before.)
This day has also been known as Koninginnedag (Queen's Day), during Queen Beatrix, Queen Juliana & Queen Wilhelmina's reign. And was originally known as Prinsessedag (Princess's Day), as the day originally marked the heir's (Princess Wilhelmina) birthday.
King Willem-Alexander's Reign
(2013-Present)
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| 2013-2024 Locations |
During King Willem-Alexander's reign Koningsdag is held on his birthday April 27th (except when his birthday fall on a Sunday, and then the official birthday celebrations are held on Saturday, April 26th.)
King Willem-Alexander broke from his mother's tradition and instead only visits one city each year. This allows him and his family to participate in more events in that host city.
| Year | City | Municipality | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | |||
| 2029 | - | - | - |
| 2028 | - | - | - |
| 2027 | - | - | - |
| 2026 | - | - | - |
| 2025 | - | - | - |
| 2024 | Emmen | Emmen | - |
| 2023 | Rotterdam | Rotterdam | 10th Anniv of the Throne |
| 2022 | Maastricht | Maastricht | Rescheduled, after canceled in 2020 |
| 2021 | Eindhoven | Eindhoven | Digital Event, with No Public Events |
| 2020 | Canceled due to Pandemic | ||
| 2010s | |||
| 2019 | Amersfoort | Amersfoort | - |
| 2018 | Groningen | Groningen | - |
| 2017 | Tilburg | Tilburg | - |
| 2016 | Zwolle | Zwolle | - |
| 2015 | Dordrecht | Dordrecht | - |
| 2014 | De Rijp & Amstelveen | Alkmaar & Amstelveen | First King's Day of his reign. This was the planned city for 2013, but had to be postponed due to Beatrix's Abdication. |
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| Koninginnedag 1981 in Breda Rob Bogaerts / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons |
As Queen Beatrix's Birthday took place in January, she continued to celebrate Koninginnedag (Queen's Day) on her mother's birthday on April 30th, making it her official birthday. (If April 30th fell on a Sunday, the celebrations took place on Saturday, April 29th. )
Queen Beatrix started the tradition of visiting different palaces in the Netherlands each year. Queen Beatrix would visit two cities each year.
| Year | City 1 | City 2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | |||
| 2013 | Queen Beatrix formally abdicated on this day, following an announcement earlier that year. The visits to the two host cities was postponed due to Queen Beatrix's abdication. | ||
| 2012 | Rhenen | Veenendaal | |
| 2011 | Weert | Thorn | |
| 2010 | Wemeldinge | Middelburg | |
| 2000s | |||
| 2009 | Apeldoorn | - | Man intentionally crashed his car into the parade in an attack on the Royal Family. 8 people were killed including the attacker. This year marked the 100th Anniversary of Queen Juliana's birthday. Only one host city was selected this year, as a special parade & events were held to mark the 100th Anniversary |
| 2008 | Makkum | Franeker | |
| 2007 | Woudrichem | 's-Hertogenbosch | |
| 2006 | Zeewolde | Almere | |
| 2005 | Scheveningen | The Hague | |
| 2004 | Warffum | Groningen | |
| 2003 | Wijhe | Deventer | |
| 2002 | Hoogeveen | Meppel | |
| 2001 | Visits canceled due to outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease | ||
| 2000 | Katwijk | Leiden | |
| 1990s | |||
| 1999 | Houten | Utrecht | |
| 1998 | Doesburg | Zutphen | |
| 1997 | Marken | Velsen | |
| 1996 | Sint Maartensdijk | Bergen op Zoom | |
| 1995 | Eijsden | Sittard | |
| 1994 | Emmeloord | Urk | |
| 1993 | Vlieland | Sneek | |
| 1992 | Rotterdam | - | |
| 1991 | Buren | Culemborg | |
| 1990 | Haren | Loppersum | |
| 1980s | |||
| 1989 | Goedereede | Oud-Beijerland | |
| 1988 | Genemuiden | Kampen | |
| 1987 | Breukelen | - | |
| 1986 | Deurne | Meijel | |
| 1985 | Anna Paulowna | Callantsoog | 3 Cities this year. |
| Schagen | - | ||
| 1984 | The Hague | - | |
| 1983 | Lochem | Vaassen | |
| 1982 | Harlingen | Zuidlaren | |
| 1981 | Veere | Breda | |
Queen Juliana's Reign
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| Koninginnedag 1966 Ron Kroon / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons |
Queen Juliana moved Koninginnedag (Queen's Day) to her own birthday, April 30th. Juliana marked the day by receiving a floral parade at Soestdijk Palace, a tradition already started from when she was a Princess. Originally the floral parade was started at Soestdijk Palace to mark her grandmother, Queen (Consort) Emma's Birthday.
Queen Wilhelmina's Reign
During Queen Wilhelmina's reign the holiday was renamed Koninginnedag (Queen's Day) and became the Monarch's Official Birthday Celebration. The holiday continued to be celebrated on August 31st, Wilhelmina's birthday.
Wilhelmina became Queen at age 10, so she had no heir at the time for the tradition of Princess's (or Prince's) Day to continue.
King Willem III's Reign
The holiday was created in 1885 to celebrate the 5th birthday of Princess Wilhelmina, heir to the throne. King Willem III wasn't super popular then, so they thought celebrating the heir's birthday would be good. The holiday was called Prinsessedag (Princess's Day) and was celebrated on August 31st, Princess Wilhelmina's Birthday.
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