The Netherlands

King Willem-Alexander bans foie gras at royal residence

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has banned foie gras at the royal residence. Shortly after ascending to the throne following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III banned foie gras from being served at any royal residences in the United Kingdom. Now, the King of the Netherlands has seemingly followed suit, with a royal spokesperson telling animal rights group PETA: “We…
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The Netherlands

Historian speaks on King Willem-Alexander's legacy after marking 10 years as King

After a decade of reigning, King Willem-Alexander’s legacy is already being examined by Dutch historians, and one brands him ‘ordinary’ compared to his mother, Princess Beatrix. The historian Han van Bree, who specialises in the Dutch Royal Family, spoke to Vortsen about King Willem-Alexander’s legacy so far. He opined that the King rules more like his grandmother, Juliana, than his…
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The Netherlands

A Sweet 16 for the youngest child of a King

A special princess has celebrated her Sweet 16 in the Netherlands. Princess Ariane, the youngest child of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, turned 16 on 10 April. During a recent photo session, the Queen said of her youngest daughter, “She does very well…
The Netherlands

King Willem-Alexander visits site of deadly train crash

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands travelled to Voorschoten to visit the site of the deadly crash that involved two trains and a crane.  His Majesty arrived on site on the morning of 4 April, just a few hours after the crash took place, at roughly 3:25 am local time.  According to the first accounts, both the passenger train and the goods train collided with a crane used for repairs…
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The Netherlands

The line of succession to the Dutch throne

The Netherlands abides by absolute primogeniture and has since 1983. It is governed by Article 25 of the Dutch Constitution. The Netherlands takes the proximity of blood into consideration when determining the line of succession; as such, only three degrees of kinship are allowed. For example, when King Willem-Alexander ascended the throne, his aunt’s children lost their succession…
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