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| Dutch Queen Beatrix abdicates in favour of son | Dutch Queen Beatrix abdicates in favour of son |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands has handed the throne to her son Prince Willem-Alexander. | Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands has handed the throne to her son Prince Willem-Alexander. |
| Queen Beatrix, 75, signed the instrument of abdication in Amsterdam after 33 years on the throne. | Queen Beatrix, 75, signed the instrument of abdication in Amsterdam after 33 years on the throne. |
| Willem-Alexander has now become the country's first king since 1890. | Willem-Alexander has now become the country's first king since 1890. |
| Huge crowds of orange-clad partygoers are in Amsterdam to pay tribute to the popular queen, who maintained a recent Dutch tradition to hand over to a new generation. | Huge crowds of orange-clad partygoers are in Amsterdam to pay tribute to the popular queen, who maintained a recent Dutch tradition to hand over to a new generation. |
| 'Heart-warming affection' | 'Heart-warming affection' |
| Queen Beatrix announced her intention to stand down in January, saying her son was ready to reign and that it was time for the throne to be held by "a new generation". | Queen Beatrix announced her intention to stand down in January, saying her son was ready to reign and that it was time for the throne to be held by "a new generation". |
| She formally relinquished throne at a short ceremony in the Royal Palace on Tuesday, signing a statement which read: "I now withdraw from my office of Queen of the Netherlands, and the monarchy will now be transferred to my eldest son, Willem-Alexander." | She formally relinquished throne at a short ceremony in the Royal Palace on Tuesday, signing a statement which read: "I now withdraw from my office of Queen of the Netherlands, and the monarchy will now be transferred to my eldest son, Willem-Alexander." |
| There were huge cheers from the crowds outside, watching on giant screens, as she and the prince and his wife signed the deed. | There were huge cheers from the crowds outside, watching on giant screens, as she and the prince and his wife signed the deed. |
| Willem-Alexander is now king, and will later be officially sworn at the Nieuwe Kerk, before a joint session of the Dutch parliament. | Willem-Alexander is now king, and will later be officially sworn at the Nieuwe Kerk, before a joint session of the Dutch parliament. |
| His wife Maxima, a 41-year-old Argentine-born investment banker, will become queen consort. | His wife Maxima, a 41-year-old Argentine-born investment banker, will become queen consort. |
| In the evening, the royal family will take part in a water pageant. | In the evening, the royal family will take part in a water pageant. |
| The ceremonies will be attended by other invited royals and high-ranking dignitaries, including Britain's Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Spain and Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and his wife. | The ceremonies will be attended by other invited royals and high-ranking dignitaries, including Britain's Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Spain and Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and his wife. |
| About a million visitors are also set to pour into Amsterdam, and street parties are planned across the nation. | |
| On Monday, Queen Beatrix thanked the nation, saying the people's devotion had given her the strength to carry on during her 33-year reign. | On Monday, Queen Beatrix thanked the nation, saying the people's devotion had given her the strength to carry on during her 33-year reign. |
| "Without your heart-warming and encouraging displays of affection, the burdens, which certainly have existed, would have weighed heavily," she said. | "Without your heart-warming and encouraging displays of affection, the burdens, which certainly have existed, would have weighed heavily," she said. |
| Paying tribute to her late husband Prince Claus, who died in 2002, she said he had helped modernise the House of Orange. | Paying tribute to her late husband Prince Claus, who died in 2002, she said he had helped modernise the House of Orange. |
| "Perhaps history will bear out that the choice of my partner was my best decision," said the monarch, who is known affectionately as Queen Bea. | "Perhaps history will bear out that the choice of my partner was my best decision," said the monarch, who is known affectionately as Queen Bea. |
| She said hereditary authority of itself did not give substance to a contemporary monarchy; rather this was earned through "the will to serve the country". | She said hereditary authority of itself did not give substance to a contemporary monarchy; rather this was earned through "the will to serve the country". |
| Willem-Alexander is well-prepared for the task ahead of him and will stand above party and group interests, she said. | Willem-Alexander is well-prepared for the task ahead of him and will stand above party and group interests, she said. |
| Willem-Alexander has already said he wants to "be a king that can bring society together, representative and encouraging in the 21st Century". | Willem-Alexander has already said he wants to "be a king that can bring society together, representative and encouraging in the 21st Century". |
| "People can address me as they wish because then they can feel comfortable." | "People can address me as they wish because then they can feel comfortable." |
| Abdication 'tradition' | Abdication 'tradition' |
| Queen Beatrix is the sixth monarch from the House of Orange-Nassau, which has ruled the Netherlands since the early 19th Century. | Queen Beatrix is the sixth monarch from the House of Orange-Nassau, which has ruled the Netherlands since the early 19th Century. |
| Correspondents say she is extremely popular with most Dutch people, but her abdication was widely expected and will not provoke a constitutional crisis. | Correspondents say she is extremely popular with most Dutch people, but her abdication was widely expected and will not provoke a constitutional crisis. |
| Under Dutch law, the monarch has few powers and the role is considered ceremonial. | Under Dutch law, the monarch has few powers and the role is considered ceremonial. |
| In recent decades it has become the tradition for the monarch to abdicate. | In recent decades it has become the tradition for the monarch to abdicate. |
| Queen Beatrix's mother Juliana resigned the throne in 1980 on her 71st birthday, and her grandmother Wilhelmina abdicated in 1948 at the age of 68. | Queen Beatrix's mother Juliana resigned the throne in 1980 on her 71st birthday, and her grandmother Wilhelmina abdicated in 1948 at the age of 68. |
| Queen Beatrix has remained active in recent years, but her reign has also seen traumatic events. | Queen Beatrix has remained active in recent years, but her reign has also seen traumatic events. |
| In 2009 a would-be attacker killed eight people when he drove his car into crowds watching the queen and other members of the royal family in a national holiday parade. | In 2009 a would-be attacker killed eight people when he drove his car into crowds watching the queen and other members of the royal family in a national holiday parade. |
| In February last year her second son, Prince Friso, was struck by an avalanche in Austria and remains in a coma. | In February last year her second son, Prince Friso, was struck by an avalanche in Austria and remains in a coma. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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