What is King's Day?
King's Day, Koningsdag in Dutch, is the national holiday of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, celebrating the birthday of the reigning monarch. King Willem-Alexander was born on 27 April 1967, and the holiday has been held on that date since he became king in 2013. It is observed in the Netherlands and in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom, including Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands. The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy, and the king's birthday is a national occasion rather than a personal one. It is the largest annual street festival in the country.
The day is known for its sea of orange, the colour of the royal House of Orange-Nassau, with people wearing orange clothes, face paint and wigs. Towns hold a vrijmarkt, a free market on which anyone can sell second-hand goods without a permit, and there are music festivals, street parties and, in Amsterdam, a famous boat party on the canals. The King and the royal family visit a different town each year. Many Dutch people also play traditional games and sell homemade items, and children often perform music in the street.
Why it is observed
The holiday was previously Queen's Day, celebrated from 1885 on the birthday of Princess Wilhelmina, and then from 1949 on 30 April, the birthday of Queen Juliana. Queen Beatrix, who was born on 31 January, kept 30 April, the date of her mother's birthday, and it was also the date of her own accession in 1980. When Willem-Alexander succeeded her on 30 April 2013, the holiday was renamed King's Day and moved to his birthday, 27 April, starting in 2014. The name changed because the monarch changed. The tradition of an orange-coloured holiday dates from the royal house's name.
How the date is set
King's Day is fixed on 27 April, the birthday of King Willem-Alexander. When 27 April falls on a Sunday, it is celebrated on Saturday 26 April instead.
How it is observed
King's Day is a national public holiday in the Netherlands, and shops, banks and offices are generally closed, although the street markets and large events are open to everyone. Amsterdam and other cities are extremely crowded, with restrictions on traffic and heavy use of public transport, and hotels fill early. In 2027 it falls on a Tuesday. Entitlements to pay and time off depend on the employer and collective agreements, since the holiday is not automatically a day off for all workers. Bring cash for markets. Plan transport ahead. Bring cash.
Netherlands