Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands abdicates in favour of son

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Guardian

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, the oldest reigning Dutch monarch, announced her abdication on Monday evening in a sudden move three days before her 75th birthday.

After 33 years on the throne following her mother's abdication in 1980, Beatrix said she would relinquish the crown at the end of April, leaving the monarchy to Crown-Prince Willem-Alexander, the oldest of her three sons.

The queen went on national television and radio on Monday evening to announce the departure, having recorded the broadcast earlier in the day. The prime minister, Mark Rutte, delivered a statement on television shortly afterwards, with both stressing that the crown prince had been intensively prepared for the role of monarch.

"The queen was there for us in good times, but also in bad times. Her knowledge and compassion made her an icon of the Netherlands," Rutte said in his statement.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jan/28/queen-beatrix-netherlands-abdicates

[SheilaT]

1. Classy.

[derby378]

2. Wow.

Even if her duties are for the most part ceremonial, she's definitely earned her retirement.

[hrmjustin]

3. God bless her and I hope she enjoys her retirement.

[Worried senior]

4. My grandparents came from Amsterdam,

there are days I really wish they hadn't.

[Myrina]

5. Is he single?

Just ... you know ... askin' ....

[SwissTony]

14. No, married to a beautiful woman called Maxima.

They have a couple of kids.

She's very popular in Holland (I live in Holland).

[loudsue]

6. "A member of the Bilderberg Group" "Among Europe's wealthiest"

A Bilderberger.

[Mosby]

7. why do European countries keep royalty around?

Just in case democracy does not work out?

I think the whole thing is fucking weird.

[dipsydoodle]

8. Don't worry about it.

We're just finw with it which is all that matters.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

9. I don't think anyone is "worried about it".

If your country wants to piss away 113m a year then by all means. Mosby was just asking a question and I think its valid.

[dipsydoodle]

11. Costs us a dollar a year each.

Last edited Mon Jan 28, 2013, 07:13 PM - Edit history (1)

What you got for a dollar ?

Yes - should've said don't be concerned.

[progressoid]

12. Think of how many bombs you could be making with that money.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

13. Isn't the Dutch royal family wealthy in its own right?

Major shareholders in Shell oil and all that?

[brooklynite]

10. You still need someone to cut the ribbon at train station openings...

From what I understand, the Dutch Monarchy is a pretty low cost operation.

[Nye Bevan]

15. Not just European countries. The Canadian Head of State is Queen Elizabeth II (nt)

[awoke_in_2003]

23. Because they want to. nt

[fishiefish]

16. Count me among the anti-royal types

It would be like me walking around in a pirates outfit and demanding to be taken seriously.

[obamanut2012]

17. The role of the Dutch Royal Family during WWII is worth reading about

Queen Wilhelmina and her family escaped to Britain, where she set up a government, and was a huge morale booster for those living under the Nazis in the Netherlands. Or so family friends who lived through all of this have said, as well as reading I've done.

Her SIL, Princess *and later Queen) Juliana's husband Prince Bernard, was an RAF Wing Commander, and was an active fighter pilot during WWII.

I find them one of the more interesting of Europe's monarchies.

on edit: Queen Wilhelmina had to be forced to flee the Netherlands during the Nazi invasion. She wanted to retreat to a more remote part of her country. Advisers convinced her she would be defeated and captured, and would be more use in an exile government. She was. She was also about 60 when this happened. She kicked ass.

It's worth reading the WWII part: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelmina_of_the_Netherlands#World_War_II

[Ghost Dog]

18. I wish the Q of UK

would do the same.

Then... let's see...

http://www.canalsuralacarta.es/directo/ver/flamenco-radio

Vive La France. Viva la Revolución.

[dipsydoodle]

19. She's a figurehead

Doing just fine as far as c. 70% of our population are concerned which is all that matters.

[Ghost Dog]

20. You're fast. And right...

Could be a hell of a lot worse...

Or, wait...

:wry grin:

[Ghost Dog]

21. Could do better. For example:

How come US military is still all over UK? Didn't we pay them off already?

¿Madame?

[dipsydoodle]

24. United States Air Force in the United Kingdom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_in_the_United_Kingdom

I think they may have been uprated a bit due to Iraq. Funnily enough the son-in-law of a friend in US is on his second placement whatever at RAF Molesworth now. When he's here he doesn't actually leave the country.

Madame ? : no Bloke/Geezer.

[muriel_volestrangler]

27. 2011 census shows Forest Heath District Council has 13% of inhabitants born in the USA

due to the Mildenhall and Lakenheath American airbases. Only only other council in the whole country has a higher percentage of people born in another country other than the UK - Tower Hamlets, with people born in Bangladesh (15.3%).

[dipsydoodle]

28. Note here re. Forest Heath

In March 2011, the population of Forest Heath was 59,700, made up of 25,400 households. These figures suggest that Forest Heath has grown by nearly 7.5% over the last ten years. Whilst the population has been ageing, the district had a more youthful profile than the rest of the region, with almost two thirds of the population being working age (15-64) and only 5% aged 65 or over, an update of this information from Census 2011 will not be available until later in the year.

Forest Heath is the most ethnically diverse district in Suffolk (13.2% of the population was non-white in June 2009, compared to the national average of 12.5%) and has the largest foreign population in the county. The 2009 Annual Population Survey suggested that over 15% of the population are non-UK nationals, compared to a Suffolk average of 4.2%.

The district's diversity and youthful age profile can be attributed to the presence of the United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE) bases in Mildenhall and Lakenheath and the number of migrant workers in the district's horse racing and agricultural industries.

http://www.forest-heath.gov.uk/info/100004/council_and_democracy/526/about_the_district

Your figure was 13% which represents about 7700. I'm not disputing it but sounds a bit high for two bases ?

[muriel_volestrangler]

29. Detailed numbers (for all of England and Wales) here:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-qs203ew.xls

59,748 people, with 7,746 people born in the USA. Perhaps there's a tendency for some Americans to stay in the area after they leave the Air Force?

[dipsydoodle]

32. after they leave .......

By coincidence my neighbour , who is from St Louis , was based here mid fifties with the US Army down the road apiece at the old Linconsfield base where the US 8th Airforce Fighter Command was during the war and he did exactly that - stayed here.

[Ghost Dog]

31. Reply here, mate.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=389491

"Madame" referred to Q of UK. Who doesn't even listen to, let alone reply to, remarks from mere mortals.

[muriel_volestrangler]

22. There's a bit of irony that you link to a Spanish radio station

Spain - Prop.: His Majesty Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias

[Ghost Dog]

30. Ok. Thanx guys.

Bloke I was talking to in a pub in S. Devon on my way through (to catch the ferry out) the other day, local, with a son in the RAF based at one of those (shared) locations down in Cornwall, watching the Western Approaches, mentioned that in some recent highly technical exercises the UK lads did a better job than the cousins, by far, he said he said...

Now, a bit of healthy competition and/or collaboration can sometimes be a fine thing. That way everybody wins, right? Only question is: who pays; who really pays... in the end.

Similarly, in Spain. The Rota base, amongst many others, for example, is essencial to the USA's current projection of power, um, let's just say, beyond its borders. I'm sure much is learned and/or otherwise gained from such, uh, collaboration, by all sides. But, nevertheless, one has to ask: Who's paying? Who's really paying? What price?

Edit: ... And, by way of laterally-thinking illustration I'll append today's following DU thread from the fine Octafish: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022304958

¡Salud! Santé.

[underpants]

25. Nethermind

[dipsydoodle]

26. lol

Very clever.