King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands Celebrates Birthday with National Festivities in Emmen

On Sunday, April 27th, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands turns 58, and as is tradition, the country celebrated with King's Day, a festive occasion held this year in the city of Emmen, in the province of Drenthe. The main events took place on Saturday, the 26th, marked by the absence of Princess Ariane, the monarch's youngest daughter, who could not attend due to academic commitments. The young princess is pursuing the International Baccalaureate at the United World College Adriatic in Italy.

The King was accompanied by his wife, Queen Máxima, and their other two daughters, Princesses Amalia and Alexia. The royal family engaged in various activities with the citizens, including musical performances and parades. Queen Máxima stood out in an olive green dress and a butterfly headpiece, a nod to Emmen's nickname as the 'Butterfly City'.

The celebration also coincided with Pope Francis' funeral in Rome, attended by numerous world leaders. The Dutch royal family was not present at the ceremony due to the national festivities of King's Day, one of the most significant celebrations in the Netherlands, where citizens dress in orange and participate in events across the country to commemorate the monarch's birthday.