Koninkrijksdag (Papiamento: Dia di Reino, English: Kingdom Day, West Frisian: Keninkryksdei) is the commemoration of the signing of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands on 15 December 1954 in Aruba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten. When 15 December falls on a Sunday, the commemoration takes place on Monday 16 December. Kingdom Day is, unlike Koningsdag (English: King's Day), not an official national holiday, but government buildings are instructed to fly the flag of the Netherlands.[1]

Koninkrijksdag
Observed byKingdom of the Netherlands (Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten)
SignificanceThe commemoration of the signing of the Charter of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Date15 December
(If a Sunday, on Monday 16 December)
2023 date15 December
2024 date16 December
2025 date15 December
2026 date15 December
Frequencyannual

The charter was signed by Queen Juliana on 15 December 1954.[2] The charter deals with the relation between the Netherlands and the overseas territories, the Netherlands Antilles, Netherlands New Guinea and Suriname. As of 2010, the charter governs the relationships between the Netherlands, Aruba (since 1986), Curaçao and Sint Maarten (since 2010).[3]

Since 2005, the Koninkrijksconcert (English: Kingdom Concert) is annually held on 15 December, to celebrate the relationship between Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba.[3]

In 2008, Naturalisatiedag (English: Naturalisation Day) in the Kingdom of the Netherlands was moved from 24 August, the day on which the Constitution of the Netherlands was signed, to 15 December, the day on which Queen Juliana signed the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands. On Naturalisation Day, newly naturalized citizens officially receive their Dutch citizenship.[4][3]

References

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  1. ^ "Dutch Flag Protocol (Nederlands vlaggen protocol volgens rijksoverheid.nl)". Protocolbureau (in Dutch). 10 March 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  2. ^ "History of the monarchy". Royal House of the Netherlands. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Kingdom Day". Royal House of the Netherlands. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Constitution of the Kingdom of the Netherlands of August 24, 1815 (consolidated version of 2017), Netherlands (Kingdom of the)". WIPO Lex. Retrieved 6 February 2024.