Queen's Day, known as Koninginnedag in Dutch, was a national holiday in the Netherlands celebrated on April 30th. However, as of 2014, the holiday has been replaced by King's Day (Koningsdag) to celebrate the birthday of King Willem-Alexander, who ascended to the throne on April 30, 2013.
Queen's Day had been celebrated for many years in the Netherlands, originally to mark the birthday of Queen Juliana, who was born on April 30th. After Queen Beatrix succeeded her mother, Queen Juliana, she continued the tradition of celebrating Queen's Day on April 30th, even though her own birthday was in January. This date became a day of national celebration, characterized by festivities, street markets, concerts, and other events across the country.
However, when Queen Beatrix abdicated in favor of her son, Willem-Alexander, on April 30, 2013, the date of the holiday changed. In honor of King Willem-Alexander's birthday, King's Day is now celebrated on April 27th, the King's actual birthday. This change was made to maintain the tradition of a national holiday celebrating the monarch's birthday while aligning it with the new king's birthday.
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