The reason why Kingsday can’t be celebrated on Sunday

willem-alexander© RVD - Paul Tolenaar




Since 2014, the Netherlands has celebrated Kingsday on 27 April, which is King Willem-Alexander’s actual birthday. But why can’t we celebrate this if it falls on a Sunday?

When his mother still reigned, she celebrated Queen’s Day, as it was then called, on 3o April, even though her actual birthday was on 31 January. Upon King Willem-Alexander’s Kingsday was settled on 27 April by law.

This past year, Kingsday was celebrated on Saturday, 27 April, in the city of Emmen. The Royal House recently announced that the King and his family would celebrate his birthday in the city of Doetinchem.

But there’s a catch – the date was settled on Saturday, 26 April 2025.

This is because of Sunday rest, which limits the public activities which can be done on a Sunday, which is by tradition a day of rest.1

  1. Besluit

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