Friday 30 April 2010

Koninginne Dag, Queen's Day


Ik wens alle landgenoten een fijne en vooral ZONNIGE Koninginne Dag.

I wish all Dutch people a wonderful and above all a SUNNY Queen's Day.











The Queen always visits two towns or cities on Queen's Birthday, together with her family, her sister Margaret and her sister's family.The flag together with the orange pennant is only hoisted on birthdays of members of the House of Orange.


Koninginnedag or Queen's Day is a national holiday in the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba on 30 April or on 29 April if the 30th is a Sunday. Queen's Day celebrates the birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands and is supposed to be a day of national unity and "togetherness". The tradition started on 31 August 1885 on the birthday of Princess Wilhelmina, later Queen Wilhelmina. Since 1949, after the ascension of Queen Juliana, Queen's Day is Queen Juliana's birthday on 30 April. Although Queen Beatrix's birthday is on 31 January, she officially celebrates her birthday on 30 April, because 31 January is far too cold for open air activities.

15 comments:

Elisabeth said...

Happy Queens day to you too, Reader Will.

My mother who is ninety and lives now in a retirement village in Melbourne Australia still loves the Dutch monarchy. I grew up hearing about Beatrix and the rest.

Kay said...

Happy Queens Day, Wil. I love the photo on this post and your new header. Wow!

Vicki Lane said...

A Happy Queen's Day to you! The Dutch monarchy has always seemed so sensible and NICE to me -- looking on from afar.

Arkansas Patti said...

Happy Queen's Day Wil. Hope there are lovely celebrations.

Dina said...

Happy Koninginne Dag to you and all Dutch people, Wil!
Tonight I go to have dinner with my nun friends Hiltje and Maatje. Now I will know what to wish them.

Anya said...

F_I_J_N_E_

K_O_N_I_N_G_I_N_N_E_D_A_G


:))

DeniseinVA said...

Happy Queen's Day Wil. what a lovely photo and I loved your new header too. Have a great weekend.

The Weaver of Grass said...

I had just read on another blog that today was your Queen's Day what a lovely idea wil. So a Happy Queen's Day to you.

Jeannette StG said...

By now, Koninginne dag is over -hope you had a great day! Do they have celebrations in the town where you live, or do you have to go to a bigger town/city?

Marja said...

Hope you had a great day. I was a year ago in Holland with queens birthday and loved the atmosphere.
Feel a bit homesick on these days

EG CameraGirl said...

Happy Queen's Day to you! Hope you had a lovely day. Lucky Queen Beatrix that she can chose her own day to celebrate. :)

Etje said...

Heb gisteren wat van al de festiviteiten op het nieuws gezien, spijtig dat het 's morgens regende

Rune Eide said...

A belated congratulation with the day! This is the kind of traditions we share with you.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

It is good that the Dutch people still love their monarchy. Everybody loves their royalty.

Bradley Hsi said...

I visited Holland many years ago just after the Queen's birthday. It was the best tulip season. They were amazing. Happy Queensday.