The monarchy of the Netherlands has undergone many changes since its founding in 1815. Like most of Europe’s monarchies, the Dutch throne has transitioned to a constitutional monarchy that delegates most of the sovereign’s executive authority to ministers responsible for carrying out the tasks of government.
King Willem-Alexander is the current King of the Netherlands and is the country’s Head of State. The King’s mother, former Queen Beatrix, abdicated in favour of her eldest son and heir, Willem-Alexander, in 2013.
Princess Beatrix, as she is now styled, announced her abdication in January 2013 when she said in a national broadcast that it was time to transition to a new generation of rulers. Princess Beatrix abdicated on 30 April 2013, and her son automatically became King. The King is also the head of state of Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten, former Dutch colonies that form part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
According to the official website of the Royal House of the Netherlands, the Constitution clearly outlines that the government consists of the monarch and his ministers. In 1848, an addendum to the Constitution was added, which made the ministers, not the monarch, responsible for carrying out acts of government.
“Under the Constitution, before a bill can enter into law, it must be passed by Parliament and then signed by the monarch and countersigned by the responsible minister or state secretary.” The signatures of the ministers in any Act of Parliament form an essential part of the nation’s transition to a constitutional monarchy.
King Willem-Alexander also signs royal decrees, which like Acts of Parliament, must also be signed by a minister or other government official. When a new government is formed, the King signs the decrees appointing its members and swears them in.
In addition, the King is President of the Council of State, one of the oldest governing bodies in the world. The proposed legislation is submitted to the Council before a law is submitted to Parliament. The King rarely attends these meetings, and the Council is usually chaired by Thomas de Graaf, the current Vice President of the Council of State.
The King has several other formal duties, including receiving the Prime Minister of the Netherlands in a weekly audience, representing the Netherlands in a diplomatic capacity at home and abroad, and delivering the yearly Speech from the Throne outlining the government’s upcoming agenda.
The King married Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti, who was born in Argentina, while Prince of Orange in 2002. She became Her Majesty The Queen upon her husband’s accession to the throne. The couple has three daughters: the King’s eldest daughter and heiress to the throne, Princess Catharina-Amalia, and Princesses Alexia and Ariane.
For more information on the King’s constitutional role, click here.
