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How to Celebrate King’s Day: An Expat’s Guide
It’s arguably the Netherlands’ biggest holiday (and party).
King’s Day (Koningsdag in Dutch) is a massive national holiday (potentially the biggest celebration) in the Netherlands, but many of us from outside the country have never heard of it. So let’s dig in — what and when is King’s Day, how do you celebrate, and why does everyone wear orange?
A Bit of Context: The Netherlands Has a King?
Yes! The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy (just like the UK).
This, in short, means that there’s a monarch in power, but that monarch exists alongside a constitutionally elected government.
His Role: The monarch in the Netherlands still holds some power (i.e. his role is not completely ceremonial). His main obligations relate to appointing, dismissing, and swearing-in government leaders.
So What is King’s Day?
King’s Day is basically a big birthday party.
The king, King Willem Alexander, was born on April 27, so that’s when the festivities take place (though the date and name of the holiday have changed depending on the monarch in power).
