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| Netherlands welcomes King Willem-Alexander | Netherlands welcomes King Willem-Alexander |
| (7 days later) | |
| King Willem-Alexander has become the first male Dutch monarch in more than a century after his mother Beatrix abdicated, ending a 33-year reign. | King Willem-Alexander has become the first male Dutch monarch in more than a century after his mother Beatrix abdicated, ending a 33-year reign. |
| The change in the House of Orange-Nassau gave the Netherlands a moment of celebration and pageantry as the country of nearly 17 million struggles through a lengthy recession brought on by the European economic crisis. | The change in the House of Orange-Nassau gave the Netherlands a moment of celebration and pageantry as the country of nearly 17 million struggles through a lengthy recession brought on by the European economic crisis. |
| Visibly emotional, the much-loved Beatrix ended her reign in a nationally televised ceremony as thousands of orange-clad people cheered outside. Millions more were expected to watch on television. | Visibly emotional, the much-loved Beatrix ended her reign in a nationally televised ceremony as thousands of orange-clad people cheered outside. Millions more were expected to watch on television. |
| Willem-Alexander gripped his mother's hand and looked briefly into her eyes after they both signed the abdication document in the Royal Palace on downtown Amsterdam's Dam Square. | Willem-Alexander gripped his mother's hand and looked briefly into her eyes after they both signed the abdication document in the Royal Palace on downtown Amsterdam's Dam Square. |
| Beatrix looked close to tears when she appeared on a balcony overlooking some 20,000 of her subjects. | Beatrix looked close to tears when she appeared on a balcony overlooking some 20,000 of her subjects. |
| "I am happy and grateful to introduce to you your new king, Willem-Alexander," she told the cheering crowd. | "I am happy and grateful to introduce to you your new king, Willem-Alexander," she told the cheering crowd. |
| Moments later, in a striking symbol of the generational shift, she left the balcony and Willem-Alexander, his wife and three daughters – the children in matching yellow dresses and headbands – waved to the crowd. | Moments later, in a striking symbol of the generational shift, she left the balcony and Willem-Alexander, his wife and three daughters – the children in matching yellow dresses and headbands – waved to the crowd. |
| The former queen becomes Princess Beatrix and her son becomes the first Dutch king since Willem III died in 1890. | The former queen becomes Princess Beatrix and her son becomes the first Dutch king since Willem III died in 1890. |
| The 46-year-old father of three's popular Argentinian-born wife is now Queen Maxima and their eldest daughter, Catharina-Amalia, who attended the ceremony wearing a yellow dress, becomes Princess of Orange and first in line to the throne. | The 46-year-old father of three's popular Argentinian-born wife is now Queen Maxima and their eldest daughter, Catharina-Amalia, who attended the ceremony wearing a yellow dress, becomes Princess of Orange and first in line to the throne. |
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