Queen Beatrix leaves after the opening of an attraction at the Arnhem Open Air Museum in Arnhem, The Netherlands on April 3, 2012.
Monochrome photo dated 10 March 1966 of newly-wed Beatrix of the Netherlands and Prince Claus in Amsterdam. Prince Claus died aged 76 06 October 2002 at a hospital in Amsterdam.
Prince Willem Alexander of Netherlands and Princess Maxima of Netherlands pose with their daughters Princess Catharina-Amalia of Netherlands, Princess Alexia of Netherlands and Princess Ariane of Netherlands pose as the Dutch Royal family celebrate Christmas on December 23, 2012 in Villa la Angostura, Argentina.
Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands walks alongside Prince Johan Friso's wife Princess Mabel as they arrive on February 24, 2012, at the University Hospital in Innsbruck, to visit Prince Johan Friso, who was seriously injured in an avalanche while skiing on February 17. Dutch Prince Johan Friso, the second son of Queen Beatrix, might never regain consciousness, his doctors announced.
Dutch Prince Willem-Alexander (R) talks with soldiers during a visit to the Defence Helicopter Command (DHC) at Gilze Rijen airbase on November 13, 2012.
Queen Beatrix, prince Friso and princess Mabel pose 24 April 2005 morning at the Palace Huis ten Bosch with countess Luana, daughter of the Royal couple.
The Netherlands' Queen Beatrix arrives for the traditional New Year reception at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam on January 15, 2013.
- Queen Beatrix will end 33 years on the Dutch throne on April 30
- She will be succeeded by Prince Willem-Alexander.
- He has earned a history degree and served in the Dutch Royal Navy
- His daughter Catharina-Amalia will be first in line when he becomes king
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story wrongly referred to Prince Claus as Queen Beatrix's son, not her husband. We apologize for this mistake.
(CNN) -- Queen Beatrix spent 33 years on the throne and will be succeeded by her son, the Prince of Orange, Prince Willem-Alexander.
She ascended to the throne when Queen Juliana abdicated on her 71st birthday, on April 30, 1980. Beatrix announced Monday that she will step aside on April 30.
Beatrix was born January 31, 1938, and when World War II reached Holland the family fled to London. Juliana, Beatrix and her sister Irene then moved to Ottawa, Canada.
Beatrix married German diplomat Claus von Amsberg on March 10, 1966, in Amsterdam. They have three sons, Willem-Alexander, born in 1967, Friso, born in 1968, and Constantijn, born in 1969.
Friso was injured in an avalanche at an Austrian ski resort last year.
She has eight grandchildren. Her husband died in 2002 aged 76.
He overcame early Dutch wariness -- in a country where the German occupation in WWII was still fresh in the national memory -- to become one of the most popular members of the Dutch royal family .
Under the Dutch Constitution the king or queen is head of state but politically neutral.
Beatrix, held weekly meetings with the prime minister and spoke regularly with high-ranking ministers and secretaries of state.
The head of state also signs all new acts of Parliament, and plays a role in the formation of new governments.
Prince Willem-Alexander, 45, was educated in Wales and Holland where he earned a history degree at Leiden University. He served in the Dutch Royal Navy from August 1985 to January 1987.
As Prince of Orange -- the title given to the person first in line to the Dutch throne ---- he has been interested in sustainability and innovation.
He has also been a member of the Dutch central bank supervisory board and regularly has represented the queen at international events.
Willem-Alexander has been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1998.
He is married to Princess Máxima, who was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has a degree in economics and has worked for HSBC and Deutsche Bank.
The couple, who met at a party, were engaged in March 2001 and they were married in February 2002.
The relationship -- like his mother's marriage -- sparked initial controversy last year when it emerged that Maxima's father had been a minister during the 1976-1983 Argentinean military dictatorship. He agreed to stay away from the wedding.
They have three daughters, Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane.
When Willem-Alexander becomes king, 9-year-old Catharina-Amalia will be next in line.
留言列表
留言列表
