Apr 30, 2013

Willem-Alexander has been sworn in as the new king of the Netherlands following the abdication of his mother, Queen Beatrix, on Tuesday. With his inauguration, Willem-Alexander becomes the country’s first king since 1890. Numerous orange-clad revelers gathered in Amsterdam’s Dam Square outside the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) where the monarch’s inauguration ceremony took place.

: Spectators crowd the river banks during the new Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima’s boat trip on the IJ river in Amsterdam. (Koen van Weel/AFP/Getty Images)

: King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands looks on during his inauguration ceremony at New Church in Amsterdam. (Pool/Getty Images)

: Two girls wearing orange plastic crowns watch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Beatrix broadcast on a giant screen at the Dam Square during the Queen’s abdication ceremony in Amsterdam on April 30, 2013. Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander became Europe’s youngest monarch on Tuesday after his mother, Queen Beatrix, abdicated and his country hailed the avowedly 21st-century king with a massive, orange-hued party. (Evert Elzinga/AFP/Getty Images)

: King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands (left), his mother Princess Beatrix and his wife Queen Maxima wave to the crowd of Dam Square from the balcony of the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. (Patrick Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images)

: Queen Maxima, right, holds the hand of Princess Beatrix at the balcony of the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. The Netherlands is celebrating Queen’s Day on Tuesday, which will also mark the abdication of Queen Beatrix and the investiture of her eldest son Willem-Alexander. (Dylan Martinez/Reuters)

: A woman cries during Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands’ abdication ceremony as she watches it on a giant screen set up on Dam Square in Amsterdam. (Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images)

: Members of the public gather in Dam Square in front of the Royal Palace in central Amsterdam as they wait for members of the royal family to appear as Queen Beatrix abdicates and hands the throne to her son Willem-Alexander. (Carl Court/AFP/Getty Images)

: Dutch King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Maxima wave to the crowd with their daughters Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia (left), Princess Alexia (right) and Princess Ariane on the balcony of the Royal Palace in Amsterdam April 30, 2013. The Netherlands is celebrating Queen’s Day on Tuesday, which will also mark the abdication of Queen Beatrix and the investiture of her eldest son Willem-Alexander. (Kevin Coombs/Reuters)

: Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands signs the Act of Abdication of The Netherlands’ Queen Beatrix during a ceremony held at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. (Jerry Lampen/Pool/AFP/Getty Images)

: The Document of Abdication is displayed after the abdication ceremony of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in the Moseszaal at the Royal Palace on April 30, 2013 in Amsterdam. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands is abdicating the throne after a 33 year reign and hands the throne to her son Prince Willem-Alexander who will be sworn in later at the Nieuwe Kerk ahead of a joint session of parliament. (Michel Porro – Pool/Getty Images)

: Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and her son Willem-Alexander attend the abdication ceremony at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam on April 30, 2013. (Bart Maat/AFP/Getty Images)

: A man wearing orange, the Netherlands’ royal color, celebrates the new Dutch King Willem-Alexander who succeeds his mother Queen Beatrix, in Amsterdam’s Dam Square. Beatrix abdicated on Tuesday, handing over to her eldest son, Willem-Alexander, who became the first King of the Netherlands in over 120 years. (Cris Toala Olivares/Reuters)

: A woman celebrates the new Dutch King Willem-Alexander who succeeds his mother Queen Beatrix, in Amsterdam’s Dam Square. (Cris Toala Olivares/Reuters)

: A man celebrates before the inauguration of King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands as Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands abdicates on April 30, 2013 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

: A guard stands guard by the crown laid on a velvet cushion inside the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam during the last preparations for the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. (Robin Utrecht/Pool/AFP/Getty Images)

: The Netherlands’ globus cruciger is put in place before the religious ceremony at the Nieuwe Kerk church in Amsterdam. (Robin Utrecht/Pool/Reuters

: Two royal chairs are set up in the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, shows the royal chairs at the center of the church during the preparations of the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander. The Netherlands’ Willem-Alexander became Europe’s youngest monarch on Tuesday after his mother, queen Beatrix, abdicated and his country hailed the avowedly 21st-century king with a massive, orange-hued party. (Michael Kooren/Pool/AFP/Getty Images)

: Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, right, talks with Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange as they wait for the start of the inauguration ceremony for King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands at Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam. (Michael Kooren/Pool/AFP/Getty Images)

: Sjeikha Moza bint Nasser al Misned of Qatar (left), Princess Mary of Denmark and Prince Frederik of Denmark attend the inauguration of HM King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands and HRH Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands at New Church on April 30, 2013 in Amsterdam. (Michael Kooren-Pool/Getty Images)

: The crown, scepter, globus cruciger and sword of state of the Netherlands are displayed before the inauguration of HM King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and HRH Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands at New Church on April 30, 2013 in Amsterdam. (Peter Dejong-Pool/Getty Images)

: Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands arrives to attend the inauguration ceremony for King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands at Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam. (Robin Utrecht/AFP/Getty Images)

: The Netherlands’ royal crown rests on a pillow in Amsterdam during the preparations of the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander. The Netherlands’ Willem-Alexander became Europe’s youngest monarch on Tuesday after his mother, queen Beatrix, abdicated and his country hailed the avowedly 21st-century king with a massive, orange-hued party. (Lex van Lieshout/AFP/Getty Images)

: HM King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and HM Queen Maxima of the Netherlands arrive to Nieuwe Kerk church ahead of his inauguration ceremony in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

: Spain’s Crown Prince Felipe, Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria and Qatar’s Sheikha Moza bint Nasser al Misned await the start of the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander at Nieuwe Kerk or New Church in Amsterdam on April 30, 2013. (Michael Kooren/AFP/Getty Images)

: King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands arrives with his wife Queen Maxima for his inauguration ceremony on April 30, 2013 at Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam. (Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images)

: People celebrate the new Dutch King Willem-Alexander who succeeds his mother Queen Beatrix, in Amsterdam’s Dam Square Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands abdicated on Tuesday, handing over to her eldest son, Willem-Alexander, who became the first King of the Netherlands in over 120 years. (Kevin Coombs/Reuters)

: Spectators celebrate the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands as Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands abdicates on April 30, 2013 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

: Dutch King Willem-Alexander accompanied by his wife Queen Maxima attends a religious ceremony at the Nieuwe Kerk church in Amsterdam. (Odd Anderson/Pool/Reuters)

: HM King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands takes the oath as his wife HRH Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looks on during their inauguration ceremony at New Church on April 30, 2013 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Peter Dejong-Pool/Getty Images)

: King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands is seen on a giant screen during his inauguration ceremony on April 30, 2013 at Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) in Amsterdam. (Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images)

: Princess Beatrix of Netherlands leaves the Nieuwe Kerk church in Amsterdam after the religious crowning ceremony on April 30, 2013. (Jasper Juinen/Pool/Reuters)

: Britain’s Prince Charles of Wales and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall leave the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam after attending the investiture of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. (Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images)

: A man wearing shades displays a t-shirt depicting Dutch Queen Beatrix in a souvenirs shop in Amsterdam April 29, 2013. The Netherlands is preparing for Queen’s Day on April 30, which will also mark the abdication of Queen Beatrix and the investiture of her eldest son Willem-Alexander. (Cris Toala Olivares/Reuters)

: A man wears a crown during the celebrations for the new Dutch King Willem-Alexander who succeeds his mother Queen Beatrix, in Amsterdam’s Dam Square. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands abdicated on Tuesday, handing over to her eldest son, Willem-Alexander, who became the first King of the Netherlands in over 120 years. (Cris Toala Olivares/Reuters)

: Dutch King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Maxima leave Nieuwe Kerk church after the religious crowning ceremony in Amsterdam. (Dylan Martinez/Reuters)

: Netherlands Princess Beatrix follows the granddaughters Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia (center) Princess Alexia (left) and Princess Ariane on their way out from the Nieuwe Kerk church in Amsterdam after before the religious crowning ceremony. (Jasper Juinen/Pool/Reuters)

Dutch King Willem-Alexander succeeds mother Beatrix
Gilbert Kreijger and Thomas Escritt, Reuters
April 30, 2013

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Willem-Alexander became the first king of the Netherlands since 1890 on Tuesday, ascending a throne largely stripped of political power but still invested with enormous symbolic significance for the Dutch people.

Blinking back tears, former Queen Beatrix stepped out onto the balcony of the Royal Palace and presented her son to crowds of orange-clad well-wishers who had gathered in Dam Square from early on Tuesday.

“Some moments ago I abdicated from the throne. I am happy and thankful to present to you your new king,” said Beatrix, 75, who retired after 33 years in the role, following in the tradition of her mother and grandmother. She now takes the title princess.

An estimated 25,000 people massed in the square – many dressed in the color of the House of Orange or wearing orange wigs, hats, feather boas and pretend crowns – cheered as the abdication and automatic succession were broadcast live.

Wearing a sober purple dress, Beatrix signed the abdication document in front of the Dutch cabinet, Willem-Alexander, 46, and his wife Maxima, a former investment banker from Argentina.

Willem-Alexander becomes new Dutch king after Beatrix abdicates

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