It has everything to do with an old royal decree.
As far as we are concerned, King’s Day is of course one of the best days of the year. Of course, we really enjoyed the Oranje spectacle again last weekend, and we are already secretly looking forward to next year’s edition. But did you know that there is something special going on with that?
King’s Day 2025
Yes, it is true: King’s Day will not be celebrated on April 27 next year. Instead, we celebrate our king’s birthday a day earlier, on the 26th. And no, that is not because King Willem-Alexander already had other things planned.
What causes it? Once every few years, King’s Day falls on the ‘wrong’ day. Because the party cannot fall on a Sunday. This has everything to do with the Christian tradition, in which Sunday is seen as a day of rest. When the 27th does fall on a Sunday, as in 2025, the celebration is moved forward one day: April 26th is.
Abolish
Nowadays there are actually very few people who really honor Sunday rest. But, as we have come to expect from the world of royals, traditions are not simply abolished. Moreover, it is of course not a drama: if you drink a few too many glasses of champagne and orange bitters on the terrace, at least you don’t have to show up for work the next day…
King’s Day 2024
For now, we can at least enjoy all the beautiful images of King’s Day 2024 in Emmen. We chatted with the crowd, tasted all kinds of delicacies, and enthusiastically took part in a quiz about the city and the province. The Oranges were also put to work! Tompouces were handed out, doodles were made, and balls were kicked around. In short: a wonderful moment for the Oranjes to all be together again. We already can’t wait for April 27 – sorry, April 26, 2025.
Source: Royal House, Margriet, Glamial archive | Image: NL Image
