The Royal Church

Official, Royal and state ceremonies take place in De Nieuwe Kerk: investitures for the Head of State and Royal weddings. This state function stems from the Church’s location right next to the Royal Palace. It began with the investiture of Willem I in 1814. In his footsteps followed King Willem II and III, Queen-Regent Emma, Queens Wilhelmina, Juliana and Beatrix and King Willem-Alexander and their retinues, from the Royal Palace to De Nieuwe Kerk. Standing before the copper choir screen they all swore allegiance to ‘folk and fatherland’.

Wedding Willem-Alexander en Máxima

On the 2nd of February 2002, De Nieuwe Kerk was the stage for the church wedding of the Price of Orange, Willem-Alexander and Máxima Zorreguieta. The event was widely broadcast with millions of viewers both in the Netherlands and around the world watching this fairytale event.

Investiture of King Willem-Alexander

Willem-Alexander was officially inaugurated as King on the 30th of April 2013. For the two days following the event, De Nieuwe Kerk opened its doors to the public. More than 20,000 people took advantage of this opportunity to enjoy the wonderful investiture celebrations and flowers.

The Royal Investiture! – the exhibition

Over 100,000 visitors came to the exhibition The Royal Investiture! in 2013. The exhibition took place almost directly after the investiture of the King. For this occasion the beautiful book Ingehuldigd! was published about the House of Orange and De Nieuwe Kerk (Dutch only).

Investitures in chronological order

1814
Willem I as Sovereign Vorst (30 March)
(Inaugurated in Brussels on 21 September 1815 as King of the Netherlands.)

1840
King Willem II (28 November)

1849
King Willem III (12 May)

1898
Queen Wilhelmina (6 September)

1948
Queen Juliana (6 September)

1980
Queen Beatrix (30 April)

2013
King Willem-Alexander (3o April)