King's Day 2019

Some 45 thousand people braved the rain and cold on Saturday to spend King's Day with the Royal family in Amersfoort. Mayor Lucas Bolsuis called it "a fantastic King's Day". King Willem-Alexander spoke of a "fantastic birthday party", the Telegraaf reports.

King Willem-Alexander and his family are visiting Amersfoort today to celebrate the King's 52nd birthday. The Royal family will walk a route of just over a kilometer through the city center, encountering various performances and exhibitions.

The Royals are expected to arrive on Kleine Haag at Marienhof at 11:00 a.m., where they will be welcomed by the mayor. The King and Queen will then take a photo with the day's storytellers, who will share the tale of Amersfoort and the region around it throughout the day. 

Residents of and visitors to Amsterdam may have to take an alternative route when moving about the city on King's Day today. Parts of the city are blocked off to car traffic, and public transit in the capital are running on adjusted schedules and alternative routes. 

After months of preparations, King's Day is only one day away and Amersfoort is just about ready to receive King Willem-Alexander and his family on his birthday. The city center, which the Royals will tour through on Saturday, is covered in flags and the final stages are being built along the route, Metro Nieuws reports.

While the majority of Dutch still find King's Day a fun party, four in ten people say that they are not a fan of the holiday on King Willem-Alexander's birthday, according to a study by Acties.nl among 1,025 Dutch people, RTL Nieuws reports

Enforcement officers in Amsterdam will strike for three hours on King's Day, unless the municipality meets their demands for more equipment with which to defend themselves before then. The strike will take place between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, a spokesperson for the Dutch enforcement officers' union NBB said during a protest on Dam Square, the Telegraaf reports.

The municipality of Amersfoort is scrapping a fine of up to 25 thousand euros for those who reveal information about the King's Day celebrations in the city later this month, mayor Lucas Bolsuis said to RTV Utrecht on Sunday.