From King
William to
King
I
W i l l e m-
Alexander
The role of the Royal Palace Amsterdam in the succession to the throne
INTRODUCTION NOT A CORONATION BUT AN INVESTITURE . . . 5 THE LOCATION OF THE ABDICATION . . . 9 THE LOCATION OF THE ADDRESS . . . 10 THE LOCATION FOR THE INVESTITURE PORTRAIT . . . 10 THE ROYAL SUCCESSION IN PICTURES . . . 13
Instrument of Abdication, 1980 National Archives of the Netherlands, The Hague
INTRODUCTION On 30 April 2013, another new page was added to the history of the Netherlands. In the Royal Palace Amsterdam, Queen Beatrix put her signature to the document in which she abdicated the throne in favour of her son, the Prince of Orange. The Royal Palace, together with the Nieuwe Kerk, has played a prominent role in the abdications and investitures of Orange monarchs on no fewer than seven occasions. The ďŹ rst investiture, that of William I, took place on 30 March 1814 and the last one in the year that the Kingdom of the Netherlands celebrates its 200-year anniversary. In this booklet, you will learn more about the role the Royal Palace plays in successions to the throne and about the monarchs of the House of Orange-Nassau.
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Queen Beatrix dances at a state ball in the Royal Palace Amsterdam with her son, Prince Willem-Alexander, 1 February 1988 National Archives of the Netherlands, The Hague / ABC Press / Photographer Ruud Ho
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NOT A CORONATION BUT AN INVESTITURE The Dutch Constitution determines that the monarch is sworn in and inaugurated following confirmation by the government. The tradition of investiture derives from a similar practice from the Middle Ages. Then, the new monarch made a tour of various cities following his accession. Cities received a confirmation and sometimes an extension of their privileges from the monarch in recognition of their relative independence, in return for which they affirmed their loyalty to the King. This affirmation of loyalty is the basis of the traditional investiture. It is a bilateral covenant.
A LEADING ROLE FOR AMSTERDAM According to the Constitution, the new monarch should be sworn in and inaugurated as soon as possible. The Constitution states that the investiture must take place in the capital city of Amsterdam during a joint session of the two Houses of the States General (the Senate and the House of Representatives).
above This copy of the constitution was made especially for Queen Juliana on the occasion of her investiture on 6 September 1948. Sjoerd H. de Roos (1877-1962) Royal Collections, The Hague
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below Dam Square during the investiture of Queen Juliana, 1948 Josephus A.U. Stierhout (1911-1997) The House of Orange-Nassau Historic Collections Trust, The Hague
THE INVESTITURE CEREMONY If a monarch wishes to pass on the throne to a successor during his or her lifetime, he or she must voluntarily renounce the throne before the new monarch can succeed to it. This is known as an abdication. In practice, from 1948 such abdications have taken place in the Royal Palace in the presence of, among others, the Presidents of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Council of Ministers for the Kingdom and members of the Royal Family. The monarch signs the Instrument of Abdication, which is read aloud by the Director of the King’s Office and is also signed by the representatives of the authorities that are present as witnesses. Following the abdication, both the former and the new monarch appear together on the Palace balcony, where appropriate accompanied by their spouses. Following a short address, the new monarch is then joined on the balcony by other members of his or her immediate family. The swearing in and the investiture of the monarch then take place during the joint session of the two Houses of the States General in the Nieuwe Kerk. The day closes with a reception in the Royal Palace for authorities and members of the States General.
above State dinner for 272 guests in the Citizens’ Hall on the occasion of the investiture of Queen Juliana, 6 September 1948 National Archives of the Netherlands, The Hague / Photo collection Van de Poll below The Council Chamber or Mozeszaal in the Royal Palace Amsterdam
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THE LOCATION OF THE ABDICATION Traditionally, the abdication takes place in the Council Chamber, also known as the Mozeszaal. For the ceremony, a long table is placed in the hall, at which the monarch and the Prince or Princess of Orange are seated together with the invited dignitaries.
ORIGINAL FUNCTION In the period when the building served as the Town Hall, this room functioned as a meeting room of the advisory body of the city council, the so-called Vroedschap. Since the opening of the Town Hall in 1655, this council of 36 wealthy members from distinguished Amsterdam families convened annually. With the transformation of the Town Hall into a palace in 1808, Louis Napoleon allocated this room as the Council of State Hall. From that moment, the Council of State, the King’s advisory body, met here. Because the hall was also used as a concert hall, the furniture used for the meetings did not remain in this room permanently, but was stored in a room elsewhere.
SYMBOLISM The Council Chamber is one of the most richly adorned rooms of the Royal Palace. The symbolism of the decorations represents wisdom and the provision of good counsel, which is entirely appropriate for a room which over the centuries – and still today – inspires people to take wise decisions and provide sound advice. The paintings above the fireplaces depicting Solomon’s prayer for wisdom by Govert Flinck (1615-1660) and Jethro advising Moses by Jan van Bronckhorst (1601/5-1661), and the ceiling painting by Erasmus Quellinus (1607-1678) date from the seventeenth century. The wall-filling painting Moses appointing the council of seventy elders and the trompe l’oeil paintings were executed in 1737 and 1738 by Jacob de Wit (1695-1754) and commissioned by the then sitting City Council. Due to the various representations of Moses, the room became known as the Mozeszaal.
top right The Council Chamber in the Town Hall during the annual meeting of the Council on 28 January, 1790 Willem Kok (illustrator), Noach van der Meer (engraver) & I. de Jongh (publisher) Amsterdam City Archives bottom right Solomon’s prayer for wisdom, 1656 Govert Flinck (1615-1660)
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left The goddess Pallas Athena descends with God’s all-seeing eye in her right hand, 1656 Erasmus Quellinus (1607-1678)
THE LOCATION OF THE ADDRESS Various elements of the succession are made public through the media. The occasion only becomes truly tangible when the Royal Family appears on the balcony after the abdication. The balcony dates from 1808, the period in which Louis Napoleon (1778-1846) was King of Holland. He had the balcony installed in order to show himself to his people. In 1938, the balcony was reduced to its present size and the railings were replaced by medallions. Placed in the gilded laurel wreaths is the Dutch Republic Lion, recognisable by its crown, sword and arrows. This lion refers to the coat of arms of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in which the same lion is depicted in the shield.
THE LOCATION FOR THE INVESTITURE PORTRAIT Following the investiture ceremony in the Nieuwe Kerk, the guests return to the Royal Palace, where, starting from the investiture of Juliana, the official photographs marking the investiture of new monarchs are taken. In the case of the previous investitures this happened in the Burgomasters’ Cabinet. During the Town Hall period this used to be the hall where the burgomasters or mayors of Amsterdam had their meetings. In the seventeenth century Amsterdam had not just one but four burgomasters. This was also where the meetings with former burgomasters were held, which is why it is also known as the Oud Raadzaal or 'old council chamber'. During the French period, the hall formed part of the private chambers of Louis Napoleon, serving as a salon. The seventeenth-century paintings above the mantelpiece, by Govert Flinck (1615-1660) and Ferdinand Bol (1616-1680) are meant to inspire good behaviour and competent leadership with their allegorical depictions of incorruptibility and steadfastness.
above Fragment of the façade featuring the balcony of the Royal Palace Amsterdam below Burgomasters’ Cabinet in the Royal Palace Amsterdam
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THE ROYAL SUCCESSION IN PICTURES Only a few prints have survived from the first investitures. The first moving images are of the investiture of the eighteen-year-old Wilhelmina, who succeeded her mother, Queen Regent Emma, on the day she came of age. Extensive visuals are available of subsequent transfers of the throne – from Wilhelmina to Juliana, from Juliana to Beatrix, and most recently from Beatrix to Willem-Alexander – which continue to capture the imagination.
above Morning paper featuring the headline ‘Queen Juliana to abdicate’ on 30 April, 1 February 1980 National Archives of the Netherlands, The Hague / Anefo / Photographer Rob Bogaerts
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below Palace to the Nieuwe Kerk on 29 and 30 March 1814, Abraham Vinkeles (illustrator) & Reinier Vinkeles (etcher) Amsterdam City Archives
THE FIRST KING OF THE HOUSE OF ORANGE Following the French occupation, after an absence of eighteen years, William VI, Prince of Orange-Nassau, the son of the last stadtholder of the Republic, came ashore on 30 November 1813. He arrived at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam on 2 December 1813 as William I, Sovereign Prince of the Netherlands. Initially, the new monarch returned the palace to the Amsterdam City Council, but quickly realised that it was essential for him to be in Amsterdam quite often. On 28 January 1814, the Amsterdam City Council decided to make the building available to the monarch. The Palace would eventually become state property in 1935.
THE INVESTITURE OF KING WILLIAM I The investiture of William I as Sovereign Prince took place on 30 March 1814. William I found inspiration for the ceremony in the transfer of the throne of Charles V to Philip II. Initially, the plan had been to have the meeting of the States General, in the course of which the investiture would take place, in the Citizens’ Hall of the Palace. William I wanted the investiture to close with a church service, however, so the entire ceremony was quickly moved to the adjacent Nieuwe Kerk.
A SECOND INVESTITURE William I underwent a second investiture in 1815, this time as King of the Netherlands. The ceremony did not take place in Amsterdam but in Brussels, in the Southern Netherlands, which was part of his Kingdom until the revolution in 1830. From that moment on, his eldest son, the presumptive heir to the throne, bore the title of Prince of Orange.
Investiture portrait of King William I, 1819 Joseph Paelinck (1781-1839) Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
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THE INVESTITURE OF KING WILLIAM II William I abdicated the throne at Het Loo Palace on 7 October 1840. One and a half months later, on 28 November 1840, the investiture of his son, King William II, took place. At eight o’clock in the morning, a royal salute of 101 cannon shots sounded throughout Amsterdam. The new King proceeded on foot under a canopy of ostrich feathers over a green-clad deck from the Palace to the Nieuwe Kerk. The regalia – the crown, sceptre and orb – were specially made for the ceremony and borne before him. He took the oath in the Nieuwe Kerk in the presence of the Members of the States General and his wife Anna Pavlovna, daughter of the Russian Tsar Alexander I.
START OF THE INVESTITURE TRADITION The ceremony such as it was held at the investiture of King William II has become the guideline for the investitures of his successors. The current regalia, for example, were commissioned by him. The ceremony in the Nieuwe Kerk consisted of, among other things, the reading of the Constitution by the Secretary of State and the taking of the oath by the King with head uncovered. After three cheers of ‘Long live the King!’, all the bells of the city rang out.
top left Investiture portrait of William II, 1842 Jan Adam Kruseman (1804-1862) Senate of the States General, The Hague top right Investiture portrait of William III, 1856 Nicolaas Pieneman (1809-1860) Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, Amersfoort
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bottom The walk from the Royal Palace to the Nieuwe Kerk during the investiture of King William II, 1840 Amsterdam City Archives
THE INVESTITURE OF KING WILLIAM III As a result of the sudden death of William II after a nine-year reign, the next ceremony followed very quickly. William III became King of the Netherlands at the age of 32. The investiture ceremony held on 12 May 1849 was shortened in various places, and he rejected the use of the canopy for his walk from the Palace to the Nieuwe Kerk, while the regalia were placed in the Nieuwe Kerk beforehand. Another new element of the investiture was that in place of the oath, a pledge could be made.
UNCERTAIN SUCCESSION The three sons from William’s first marriage, to Sophie of Württemberg, all died at a relatively young age, before they could succeed their father. Following the death of Sophie, King William III married Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont in 1879. Princess Wilhelmina, their daughter and eventually the heir to the throne, was born on 31 August 1880. Until that time, succession only took place through the male line. The government changed the Constitution especially for the Princess in 1887, so that henceforth women could also succeed to the throne. The precedence of sons over daughters was only removed from the Constitution in 1983.
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A YOUNG QUEEN In 1888, the health of William III deteriorated rapidly. On 14 November 1890, his wife Emma was appointed Regent. The King died nine days later at the age of 73. From that moment Wilhelmina, who was just ten years old, was Queen. Emma was again appointed Regent for the period until her daughter turned 18. On 5 September 1898, one day before the investiture, Wilhelmina made her entrance into Amsterdam in the Crème Calèche, an open carriage that Emma had presented to her on her birthday five days before.
THE INVESTITURE OF QUEEN WILHELMINA On the following day, 6 September, the official investiture took place in the Nieuwe Kerk. Moving pictures were made of Wilhelmina entering and leaving the Nieuwe Kerk. According to eyewitnesses, Wilhelmina read out a short, self-written speech in the Nieuwe Kerk, after which she took the oath on the Constitution in a clear, strong voice.
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LARGE-SCALE CELEBRATIONS During Wilhelmina’s stay in Amsterdam, all kinds of festive activities were organised to mark her investiture. In addition to various rides through the capital, museum visits and her reception of certain committees and delegations, the new Queen was given an aubade by a 940-strong choir led by J.F. Roesken. In order to guarantee Wilhelmina a good night’s sleep in the Palace, the evening papers ran the following message: ‘Her Majesty the Queen has requested that commotion be avoided as much as possible on Dam Square after eleven o’clock in the evening, so that Her Majesty will be able to enjoy a night’s sleep without too much disturbance during these tiring days.’
THE INVESTITURE PORTRAIT OF WILHELMINA At every investiture, various portraits of the new monarch are made, which are distributed throughout the Kingdom. The investiture portrait of Wilhelmina, which can now be viewed in the Royal Palace, originates from the palace of the Governor General of Batavia. The Dutch East Indies formed part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands until 1949. That year the transfer of sovereignty was signed in the Citizens’ Hall of the Royal Palace Amsterdam. The investiture portraits of the following generations of monarchs would no longer be made with a paintbrush but through the medium of photography, still quite a new thing in the days of Wilhelmina.
top left Arrival of Queen Wilhelmina and Queen Regent Emma at the Royal Palace after making her entrance into Amsterdam, 5 September 1898 Amsterdam City Archives top right Investiture portrait of Wilhelmina, 1900 Pieter Josselin de Jong (1861-1906) Collection of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, Amersfoort / on view at the Royal Palace Amsterdam bottom Queen Wilhelmina walks under a pergola from the Royal Palace to the Nieuwe Kerk, 6 September 1898 J.M. Rousel National Archives of the Netherlands, The Hague
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THE ABDICATION OF QUEEN WILHELMINA On 4 September 1948, after a period of fifty years, Queen Wilhelmina abdicated the throne in favour of her only daughter, Princess Juliana. She was the first of three Queens to sign the Instrument of Abdication in the Council Chamber of the Royal Palace. After signing, mother and daughter appeared on the balcony at exactly twelve o’clock and Princess Wilhelmina introduced the new Queen to the crowd that had gathered with the words ‘Long live our Queen’.
THE INVESTITURE OF QUEEN JULIANA Two days later, on 6 September – exactly fifty years after her mother took the oath – the investiture of Queen Juliana took place. Coming so soon after the Second World War, the ceremonial setting and activities were less lavish than in 1898. Following the investiture, the new Queen and her family appeared on the balcony of the Royal Palace Amsterdam.
above Queen Wilhelmina and Queen Emma stand beneath white parasols on the balcony of the Royal Palace during the aubade, 7 September 1898 Jacob Olie (1834-1905) Amsterdam City Archives
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below Princess Wilhelmina just after her abdication, with the new Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard on the balcony, 1948 National Archives of the Netherlands, The Hague / Spaarnestad Photo
AN ORDINARY LADY After Juliana took her oath, the President of the joint session of the two Houses of the States General held a speech, which had not been done since the investiture of the Sovereign Prince in 1814. Despite all the ceremony surrounding the traditions of investiture, the new monarch wished to be regarded as much as possible as an ‘ordinary lady’ without the – according to her –unnecessary distance between the head of state and her subjects.
THE ABDICATION OF QUEEN JULIANA With the words ‘I step down and she ascends’, Juliana sealed the event that would take place a few minutes later. In the presence of Prince Bernhard, Princess Beatrix and her husband, the Presidents of both Houses of the States General, the Council of Ministers for the Kingdom, the Vice President of the Council of State, the members of the Deputation from the Netherlands Antilles, the Queen’s Commissioner of North Holland, the Mayor of Amsterdam and the Director of the Queen’s Office, and observed by a large number of family members, Juliana stood down from the throne. According to Juliana, it was time for ‘a fresh new force’ to take over her duties as Queen.
above The Royal Family on the balcony of the Royal Palace after the investiture of Queen Juliana, 6 September 1948 below Queen Juliana, with Prince Bernhard and the Princesses Beatrix, Margriet, Irene and Marijke (Christina) with the royal guests in the Royal Palace Amsterdam, 6 September 1948 National Archives of the Netherlands, The Hague / Collection RVD / Photographer Marius Meijboom
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A TUMULTUOUS START On 30 April 1980, following her abdication, Princess Juliana introduced her eldest daughter Queen Beatrix to the people. Princess Juliana’s address was hardly audible due to the tumultuous scenes on Dam Square and in the immediate surroundings. At the time of the succession, there was an active squatters’ movement in Amsterdam. During the festivities and ceremonies surrounding the investiture, protests flared up under the slogan ‘no accommodation, no coronation’. Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus visited wounded anti-riot police in hospital the day after her investiture.
THE INVESTITURE OF QUEEN BEATRIX The succession of the throne from Juliana to Beatrix took place on Juliana’s 71st birthday, the day on which Queen’s Day had been celebrated since she took office in 1948. As a tribute to her mother, Queen Beatrix announced at her investiture that 30 April would remain Queen’s Day. One thing that was different from previous investitures was that following the ceremony the Constitution was borne to the Palace on a cushion before the Queen.
above Queen Juliana and Princess Beatrix in the Council Chamber, just before signing the Instrument of Abdication, 30 April 1980
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below Princess Juliana introduces the new Queen Beatrix to the Dutch people in the presence of both husbands, Prince Bernhard and Prince Claus, 30 April 1980
THE ABDICATION OF QUEEN BEATRIX Thirty-three years after her inauguration, on 30 April 2013, Queen Beatrix relinquished the Dutch throne. Just as her mother and grandmother before her, she signed the Instrument of Abdication in the Council Chamber of the Royal Palace. At the start of the occasion the Queen reaďŹƒrmed the statement she made a few months earlier when announcing her abdication, that she felt it was time to make way for a new generation. Shortly after this she signed the instrument which oďŹƒcially transferred the monarchy to her eldest son, King Willem-Alexander.
Investiture portrait of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus National Archives of the Netherlands, The Hague / Photographer Max Koot
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A NEW ROYAL COUPLE Following the abdication, Princess Beatrix, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima appeared on the balcony of the Royal Palace. Welcomed by an orange-clad crowd on Dam Square, Princess Beatrix introduced Willem-Alexander as the new King. After the singing of the national anthem, the Wilhelmus, Princess Beatrix bade farewell to the crowd, and the royal couple's three daughters, Princess Catharina-Amalia (now the Princess of Orange), Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane, joined their parents on the balcony.
THE INVESTITURE OF KING WILLEM-ALEXANDER Following the reign of four queens (including the Queen Regent Emma), and 123 years after the death of King Willem III, the Netherlands once again has a king. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima left the Royal Palace early in the afternoon to take their place in the Nieuwe Kerk for the official investiture. They were part of the main procession, led by bearers carrying objects including the Dutch Constitution and the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
above Queen Beatrix, Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima just before signing the Instrument of Abdication.
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below King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and their three daughters the Princess of Orange, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane after the royal succession on 30 April 2013.
A NEW HEIR TO THE THRONE In his speech, his Majesty the King expressed his thanks to his mother and referred to the future with the words: "I am following in your footsteps. I have a clear understanding of my office. However, no one can knows what the future holds. But wherever my path leads and however far it may go, I will always carry your wisdom and warmth with me." Now that King Willem-Alexander is the monarch, the Netherlands has a new heir to the throne in the person of his eldest daughter, Princess Catharina-Amalia. Following an amendment to the constitution in 2002 (Section 7 of the Membership of the Royal House Act), Amalia is the first female heir to the throne to bear the title Princess of Orange.
Three generations of the House of Orange-Nassau: King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, Princess Beatrix, Princess Ariane, the Princess of Orange, Princess Alexia.
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VISIT THE ROYAL PALACE AMSTERDAM The Royal Palace Amsterdam is one of the three palaces used by the Royal House of the Netherlands. The Amsterdam palace is used for state visits, symposia, award ceremonies, dinners and receptions hosted by His Majesty the King. For a large part of the year, the Royal Palace is open to the public. You are invited to come and admire this magniďŹ cent building with its unique history and interior. For more information, please visit www.paleisamsterdam.nl
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COLOPHON Š Amsterdam Royal Palace Foundation 2013 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or computer database, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, be it electronic or mechanical, through photocopying, recording or by any means whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The publisher has sought to establish the rights to visual materials in accordance with the statutory provisions. Nevertheless, should any party feel justiďŹ ed in asserting certain rights, they can still apply to the publisher.
Published by: Amsterdam Royal Palace Foundation Text: Renske Cohen Tervaert Photographic credits: Amsterdam Royal palace Foundation / Photographer Tom Haartsen: pp. 8 and 21, top right Birza Design, Deventer: p. 34. Amsterdam Royal palace Foundation / Photographer Wim Ruigrok: pp. 7 below, pp. 11. ANP: pp. 25 above, 26, 30, 33. Graphic design: Minkowsky visuele communicatie, Enkhuizen Printed by: Rob Stolk, Amsterdam Translated by: UvA Talen, Amsterdam Sources consulted: - Eelco Elzenga, Mirjam Hoijtink, Wilhelmina, een feestelijke inhuldiging in De Nieuwe Kerk, De Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam, 1998. - Eijmert-Jan Goossens, Het Amsterdamse Paleis, Schat van beitel en penseel, Zwolle 2010. - The website of the Royal House of the Netherlands, www.koninklijkhuis.nl www.paleisamsterdam.nl
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