King's Day 2024
Koningsdag is a festive day in the Netherlands when we celebrate King Willem-Alexander's birthday. Here are some details about Koningsdag 2024:
- Date: Koningsdag is celebrated annually on April 27.
- Week number: In 2024, Koningsdag falls on Saturday, April 27, in week 17
Birthday King William - Alexander
Birthday of King Willem-Alexander
Initially, Queen's Day was simply held at Soestdijk Palace and we did not yet have a day off in the Netherlands. Only later did it become an event that could also be followed on television, and when Beatrix became queen in 1980 she decided to take a different - and especially bigger - approach. She decided to keep the date of April 30 (Queen Juliana's birthday) and from then on, she went into the country every year to visit one or more municipalities together with other members of the royal family. These municipalities spend months in preparation and get the chance to show off by hosting the family festively and organizing events that can be followed live on television. Willem-Alexander did not actually change anything about this celebration in 2014, but unlike Beatrix, he did decide to have the festivities take place on his own birthday.
King's Day 2024
When is Koningsdag in 2024?
On this official national holiday, the birthday of King Willem-Alexander is celebrated throughout the Netherlands. In 2013 Prince Willem-Alexander was crowned King of the Netherlands and since 2014 it has been celebrated every year on April 27, as that is the birthday of our king. Before that, we celebrated the birthdays of Queen Juliana (April 30) and Queen Wilhelmina (August 31) on Queen's Day, and when Wilhelmina was small -and not yet a queen- also briefly celebrated Princess's Day. Should King's Day fall on a Sunday, the festivities will be moved to a day before or after. In 2024, King's Day will be on Saturday, April 27, in Week 17.
What are the official holidays?
Koningsdag is one of only two official national holidays we have in the Netherlands. Liberation Day on May 5 is also a national holiday, but unlike Liberation Day, on Koningsdag everyone in the Netherlands has a nice day off to celebrate! Many Dutch people gather along the route in the municipalities where the royal family will visit, others follow the event live on national television. Throughout the country, free markets, dress markets and other festivities are celebrated and, of course, most people proudly hang out their flags. Not only in the Netherlands is it a national holiday, people in Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten also celebrate King Willem-Alexander's birthday. On the last Friday preceding this national holiday, the Koningsspelen 2024 will be held at elementary school in the Netherlands.
Free days 2024 and public holidays 2024
| Public holiday | Date | Day | Week |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day 2024 | 1-1-24 | Monday | 1 |
| Good Friday 2024 | 29-3-24 | Friday | 13 |
| Easter Sunday 2024 | 31-3-24 | Sunday | 13 |
| Easter Monday 2024 | 1-4-24 | Monday | 14 |
| King's Day 2024 | 27-4-24 | Saturday | 17 |
| Liberation Day 2024 | 5-5-24 | Sunday | 18 |
| Ascension Day 2024 | 9-5-24 | Thursday | 19 |
| Whit Sunday 2024 | 19-5-24 | Sunday | 20 |
| Whit Monday 2024 | 20-5-24 | Monday | 21 |
| Christmas Day 2024 | 25-12-24 | Wednesday | 52 |
| Boxing Day 2024 | 26-12-24 | Thursday | 52 |
| New Year's Day 2024 | 31-12-24 | Tuesday | 1 |