FAQ

Here are some questions and answers about the Dutch monarchy. If you have any more questions, just add them on the The Benelux Royals Message Board.
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This page was last updated on 21 of October 2002.

1. What is the name of the Dutch Royal House and how did this family gain the throne?
2. Can a woman become Queen Regnant in the Netherlands?
3. Have there been any Queen Regnants in the Netherlands?
4. Where can I find the part of the Constitution that regards the succession in English?
5. Who are in line of succession to the Dutch throne?
6. Who was the last King to be crowned?
7. Why were the Kings of the Netherlands also Grand Dukes of Luxembourg 1815-1890?
8. Which Monarch reigned for the longest period?
9. Which Monarch reigned for the shortest period?
10. Can a Prince/Princess of the Netherlands marry whomever he/she wants?
11. What power does the Monarch have today?
12. Which are the Dutch noble titles?
13. What is the Dutch Coat of Arms?
14. Which are the Royal Regalias?
15. Which are the Dutch Orders?
16. How is Queen Beatrix related to other European Monarchs?

1. What is the name of the Dutch Royal House and how did this family gain the throne?
The name is Orange-Nassau. The low countries (today the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg) originally were a part of the Holy Roman Empire. In the sixteenth century the low
countries belonged to the Habsburgs. In the midst of that century the northern provinces rebelled against their lord and gained their independence as the Republic of the United Netherlands. Leader of that rebellion was Prince Willem of Orange, Count of Nassau. His descendants played an
important role in the Republic as stadtholder. That commission became hereditary in 1747. In 1795 the stadtholder, Prince Willem V had to flee into exile from the French. His son and successor Willem Frederik returned in 1813 to the Netherlands and was proclaimed as Sovereign Prince Willem I of the Netherlands. In 1815 Willem I proclaimed himself King of the Netherlands. His kingdom also included the southern provinces of the former low countries. And Willem received the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in exchange for his territories in Germany.
The last Dutch Monarch from the House of Orange-Nassau was actually Queen Wilhelmina (1890-1948). Since she was married to Duke Heinrich of Mecklenburg (from the branch Mecklenburg-Schwerin), it could be argued that the Dutch throne belonged to the House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1948-1980 (when Juliana was Queen). From 1980 the House of Lippe-Biesterfeld gained the throne, because Queen Beatrix' father is Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. However, the Dutch Queens have decided to keep the name Orange-Nassau as the family name.
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2. Can a woman become Queen Regnant in the Netherlands?
Yes. Today, the eldest child inherites the throne, regardless of sex, since the 1990's. Female lineage is possible since the function of stadtholder became hereditary in 1747.
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3. Have there been any Queen Regnants in the Netherlands?
Yes. Queen Wilhelmina 1890-1948, Queen Juliana 1948-1980 and Queen Beatrix from 1980.
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4. Where can I find the part of the Constitution that regards the succession in English?
You can find it right here.
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5. Who are in line of succession to the Dutch throne?
This is the list:
1. Crown Prince Willem-Alexander (b. 1967). The Queen's eldest son.
2. Prince Johan Friso (b. 1968). The Queen's second son.
3. Prince Constantijn (b. 1969). The Queens youngest son.
4. Eloise (b. 2002). Prince Constantijn's daughter.
5. Princess Margriet (b. 1943). The Queen's sister
6. Prince Maurits (b. 1968). Princess Margriet's eldest son.
7. Prince Bernhard (b. 1969). Princess Margriet's second son.
8. Prince Pieter-Christiaan (b. 1972). Princess Margriet's third son.
9. Prince Floris (b. 1975). Princess Margriet's youngest son.
(When a son of the current Queen accedes the throne, the sons of Princess Margriet will lose their successional rights.)
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6. Who was the last King to be crowned?
The Dutch Monarchs have never been crowned.
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7. Why were the Kings of the Netherlands also Grand Dukes of Luxembourg 1815-1890?
The stadtholders of the Republic of the Netherlands originally came from Germany and also owned territories there: the northern part of Nassau. The southern part of Nassau was owned by another branch of the Nassau family which also owned Saarbrücken. After the defeat of Napoleon Prussia demanded Saarbrücken to guard France in the future. The Duke of (the southern part of) Nassau also gained the northern part of Nassau in exchange for Saarbrücken. King Willem I of the Netherlands, who was the owner of the northern part of Nassau, received the Duchy of Luxembourg in exchange.
Luxembourg was promoted to a Grand-Duchy on occassion of the exchange.
In 1783 the heads of the different branches of the Nassau family signed a Family Treaty concerning the succession in case one of the branches would become extinct. Decided was that the succession would be according to the Salic Law (male succession only). If one of the branches would become extinct the head of the other branch would succeed. When King Willem I received Luxembourg in exchange for his Nassau territories in 1815 both he, the head of the Branch of Otto, and the Duke of Nassau, the head of the branch of Walram, decided that the Nassau Family Treaty would also apply to the succession in Luxembourg. [note: it still does!] When King Willem III died in 1890, he had no son to succeed him. His daughter succeeded him as Queen of the Netherlands, but in Luxembourg he was succeeded by the head of the branch of Walram: Duke Adolf of Nassau, since Luxembourg at that time had Salic law (male succession only). [note: King Willem III first had the intention to change the Luxembourg succession laws, so that his daughter could succeed him there too. It was his wife Emma who persuaded him not to do so, as Duke Adolf of Nassau was Emma's maternal uncle!].
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8. Which Monarch reigned for the longest period?
That was Wilhelmina, who reigned for 58 years in 1890-1948.
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9. Which Monarch reigned for the shortest period?
King Willem II was King for 9 years in 1840-1849.
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10. Can a Prince/Princess of the Netherlands marry whomever he/she wants?
No, he/she needs the consent of the Parliament.
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11. What power does the Queen have today?
The Government consists of the sovereign and the Cabinet ministers. Since 1848, the constitution has laid down that the King is inviolable and that the ministers bear responsibility for affairs of government, which means that they are answerable to parliament for all legislation. Acts of Parliament and Royal Decrees, for which the approval of parliament is not required, are signed by both the sovereign and the minister responsible. By so doing, the Queen gives the royal assent, and the minister accepts full constitutional responsibility.

The Queen is closely involved in the formation of new governments. During her reign,
five governments have been formed, namely three headed by Ruud Lubbers and two
by Wim Kok. After a general election or the fall of a government, the Queen appoints
one or more formateurs or informateurs who are instructed to form a new government. The Queen makes this appointment after consulting with the vice-president of the
Council of State, the speakers of both Houses of the States General, the leaders of the parliamentary parties in the Lower House, and, if necessary, the ministers of State. The ministers and state secretaries of the newly formed government are sworn in by the Queen.

At the official opening of parliament on the third Tuesday of September
(Prinsjesdag), the Queen rides in the Golden Coach from Noordeinde Palace
to the Binnenhof. A plenary session of both Houses of the States General is
held in the Knights' Hall, during which the Queen delivers the Speech from
the Throne in which the government announces its policy plans for the
coming year.

The Queen regularly receives heads of state and heads of government who
are visiting the Netherlands. She also receives in audience the heads of
foreign diplomatic missions to the Netherlands, when they come to present
their letters of credence or take their leave. The Queen makes several state
visits to other countries every year.
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12. Which are the Dutch noble titles?
Count, Baron, Knight (Ridder) and Jonkheer. Since 1994 no new nobles can be created in the Netherlands, except for members of the Royal House.
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13. What is the Dutch Coat of Arms?
A Golden lion with a Silver Sword and Arrows on a blue background with yellow squares. (This was the original Coat of Arms of Nassau. You find a picture here:

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14. Which are the Royal Regalias?
The Crown, the Sceptre, the Sword of state and the Orb.
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15. Which are the Dutch Orders?

In the Netherlands there are five orders:

1. The Military Order of William (Militaire Willemsorde). Founded in 1815 by King Willem I to reward merits of military personal and since WWII also for civilians that were members of the resistance. Grandmaster is the Sovereign of the Netherlands.

2. The Order of the Dutch Lion (Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw). Founded in 1815 by King Willem I to reward civil merits. Grandmaster is the Sovereign of the Netherlands.

3. The Order of Orange-Nassau (Orde van Oranje-Nassau). Founded by Queen Regent Emma in 1892 to reward civil and military merits. Grandmaster is the Sovereign of the Netherlands.

4. The House Order of Orange (Huisorde van Oranje). Founded in 1905 by Queen Wilhelmina to reward people with merits for the sovereign and/or his family as a replacement for the House Order of the Golden Lion of Nassau.. Grandmaster is the Sovereign of the Netherlands.

5. The House Order of the Golden Lion of Nassau (Huisorde van de Gouden Leeuw van Nassau). Founded in 1858 by King Willem III and Duke Adolf of Nassau. It was founded as a house order for the Grand Duke of Luxembourg and a state order for the Duchy of Nassau. In 1866 it became a house order for the Duke of Nassau too, as the Duchy of Nassau became a part of Prussia. In 1890 after the death of King Willem III the order became a house order for the new grand duke of Luxembourg: the former Adolf Duke of Nassau. Queen Wilhelmina lost the house order as she did not succeed in Luxembourg. In 1905 Grand Duke Wilhelm IV re-instated the co-grandmastership of the order. Grandmasters are the Grand Duke of Luxembourg and the King of the Netherlands. It is tradition that one grandmaster grants the order to the sons of the other grandmaster when they come of age.

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16. How is Queen Beatrix related to other European Monarchs?
Denmark
Queen Beatrix and Queen Margrethe II are second cousins once removed. They are descendants of Grand Duke Friedrich Franz II of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. These are the lines: Friedrich Franz II - Heinrich - Juliana - Beatrix and Friedrich Franz II - Friedrich Franz III - Alexandrine - Frederik IX - Margrethe II.
Sweden
Queen Beatrix and King Carl XVI Gustaf are third cousins. They are descendants of Georg Victor zu Waldeck und Pyrmont. These are the lines: Georg Victor - Adelheid Emma - Wilhelmine - Juliana - Beatrix and Georg Victor - Helene - Carl Eduard - Sibylla - Carl XVI Gustaf.
Norway
Queen Beatrix and King Harald V are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg. These are the lines: Wilhelm - Helene - Adelheid Emma - Wilhelmine - Juliana - Beatrix and Wilhelm - Sofia - Carl -Märtha - Harald V.
United Kingdom
Queen Beatrix and Queen Elizabeth II are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Friedrich II Eugen, Duke of Würtemberg. These are the lines: Friedrich II Eugen - Sophie - Anne - Willem III - Wilhelmina - Juliana - Beatrix and Friedrich II Eugen - Ludwig - Alexander - Franz - Mary - George VI - Elizabeth II.
Spain
Queen Beatrix and King Juan Carlos are fourth cousins. They are descendants of Friedrich Ludwig of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. These are the lines: Friedrich Ludwig - Paul Friedrich - Friedrich Franz II - Heinrich - Juliana - Beatrix and Friedrich Ludwig - Helene - Louis Philippe - Louis - Maria - Juan Carlos.
Belgium
Queen Beatrix and King Albert II are third cousins once removed. They are descendants of Wilhelm von Nassau-Weilburg, Duke of Nassau. These are the lines: Wilhelm - Helene - Emma - Wilhelmine - Juliana - Beatrix and Wilhelm - Sophia - Carl - Astrid - Albert II.
Luxembourg
Queen Beatrix and Grand Duke Henri are fourth cousins. They are descendants of Wilhelm of Nassau-Weilburg. These are the lines: Wilhelm - Helene - Emma - Wilhelmina - Juliana - Beatrix and Wilhelm - Adolphe - Guillaume IV - Charlotte - Jean I - Henri.
Liechtenstein
Queen Beatrix and Prince Hans Adam are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. These are the lines: Karl Ludwig - Emelie - Adelheid - Ernst - Bernhard - Bernhard - Beatrix and Karl Ludwig - Marie - Adelheid - Marie-Thérèse - Elisabeth - Franz Josef II - Hans Adam II.
Monaco
Queen Beatrix and Prince Rainier are sixth cousins. They are descendants several times to Ludwig IX, Landgrave of Hessen-Darmstadt.
Bulgaria
Queen Beatrix and King Simeon II are fifth cousins. They are descendants of Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg. These are the lines: Friedrich Wilhelm - Wilhelm - Helene - Adelheid Emma - Wilhelmina - Juliana - Beatrix and Friedrich Wilhelm - Henriette - Marie-Thérèse - Pia - Maria Luisa - Boris III - Simeon II.
Greece
Queen Beatrix and King Constantinos II are fourth cousins. They are descendants of Friedrich Wilhelm III, King of Prussia. These are the lines: Friedrich Wilhelm III - Alexandrine - Friedrich Franz II - Heinrich - Juliana - Beatrix and Friedrich Wilhelm III - Wilhelm I - Friedrich III - Sophie - Pavlos I - Konstantinos II.
Portugal
Queen Beatrix and Prince Duarte Pio are fourth cousins once removed. They are descendants of Karl Ludwig, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. These are the lines: Karl Ludwig - Emelie - Adelheid - Ernst - Bernhard - Bernhard - Beatrix and Karl Ludwig - Marie - Adelheid - Miguel - Duarte Nuno - Duarte Pio.
Romania
Queen Beatrix and King Mihai I are fourth cousins. They are descendants of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia. These are the lines: Friedrich Wilhelm III - Alexandrine - Friedrich Franz II - Heinrich - Juliana - Beatrix and Friedrich Wilhelm III - Wilhelm I - Friedrich III - Sophie - Helena - Mihai I.
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