Riot police disperse crowds celebrating King’s Day in Amsterdam as celebrations fail to comply with Covid-19 restrictions
- Anti-riot police were deployed to King’s Day celebrations in Amsterdam
- Overcrowding led to the Vondelpark in the city centre being evacuated
- King’s Day or Koningsdag takes place every year on 27 April, celebrates the reigning monarch’s birthday but celebrations were muted this year
Anti-riot police were deployed to King’s Day celebrations in Amsterdam due to gatherings of thousands of people.
Officers evacuated the Vondelpark in the city centre after authorities deemed it to be too crowded amid Covid-19 restrictions.
City mayor Femke Halsema had previously warned that officers would intervene to close parks if the crowds became too large.
People are jumping over a fence as anti-riot police officers evacuate the Vondelpark due to the gathering of thousands of people to celebrate King’s Day on April 27
A rioter is arrested as people gather in Amsterdam to celebrate King’s Day on April 27, 2021 in Amsterdam, Netherlands
People jump over a fence as anti-riot police officers evacuate the Vondelpark due to the gathering of thousands of people to celebrate King’s Day on April 27
People were pictured jumping over a fence as anti-riot police officers evacuated the Vondelpark.
The city’s authorities initially closed off side entrances to the park in a bid to reduce numbers, then the main entrances, with visitors able to exit from the main gates.
The measures had little effect on reducing the crowds, prompting police to evacuate the park.
Authorities had instructed people to avoid crowded places amid King’s Day celebrations, as well as practice social distancing and remain in groups of a maximum of two people from the same household.
Anti-riot police officers evacuate the Vondelpark due to the gathering of thousands of people to celebrate King’s Day on April 27
Anti-riot police officers evacuate the Vondelpark due to the gathering of thousands of people to celebrate King’s Day on April 27
Street vendors are seen as people gather to celebrate King’s Day on April 27, 2021 in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands stunned in a green and yellow number today as she joined her family to celebrate King’s Day in the Dutch city of Eindhoven.
The royal, 49, sported the colourful ensemble as she was joined by her daughters Amalia, 17, Alexia, 15, and Ariane, 14, to celebrate her husband’s 54th birthday.
The event, known as King’s Day or Koningsdag, which takes place every year on 27 April, celebrates the reigning monarch’s birthday and typically sees people enjoy markets, outdoor games and parties.
However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, events and public celebrations were cancelled this year, leaving the Dutch to celebrate from home.
This morning, the King and his family travelled to the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, and later they will take part in a special live-streamed TV show about getting to know the family.
And the teenage Princess also enjoyed a touch of glam for the celebrations, as pictures show their make-up being topped up ahead of the TV appearance.
Muted celebrations didn’t stop the royal family pulling out all the stops, with Maxima dressing up in a knee-length yellow and green skirt with a matching willow sleeved top with ruched ends and a coordinating clutch bag.
The royal pulled out all the stops from head to toe, with a matching head piece and complementing shoe.
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands (centre) stunned in a green and yellow number today as she joined her family to celebrate King’s Day in the Dutch city of Eindhoven. The royal, 49, sported the colourful ensemble as she was joined by her daughters Amalia, 17, (far right) Alexia, 15, (second left) and Ariane, 14, (left) to celebrate her husband’s (second right) 54th birthday
Ready for my close up! Princess Amalia of Orange had her make-up touched up ahead of the family’s TV appearance
Time to glam! 14-year-old Alexia looked delighted to have her make-up topped up
The mother-of-three held a bouquet of flowers as she posed with her husband, who donned a blue pinstriped suit with a purple tie and crisp white shirt and pocket square.
And the young royals also looked the part, with heir to the throne Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange sporting wide-leg green trousers and a powder blue shirt with a pretty blue coat.
Clearly taking after her mother in the style stakes, the 17-year-old completed her look with a burgundy nail polish, and sparkling red pedicure and open-toe fawn shoes.
And the young royals also looked the part, with heir to the throne Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange (centre, with her sisters Alexia right and Ariane, left) sporting wide-leg green trousers and a powder blue shirt with a pretty blue coat.
Crowds of people gathered at Rembrandtplein to celebrate King’s Day despite official events being muted due to the pandemic
Two women donned bright colours as they posed for a snap on a flowerman bicycle, decorated with plastic flowers to mark King’s Day
People were forced to leave the Vondelpark after it was closed due to the crowd during the celebration of King’s Day
King Willem-Alexander raised his glass for the National Toast in Eindhoven to celebrate his 54th birthday
Her younger sisters also looked like emerging style stars, with 15-year-old Alexia sporting a nude shift dress and matching jacket with pretty hoop earrings.
Baby of the family Ariane opted for a dark blue midi dress and tan jacket, while keeping her long hair loose and lightly curled like her mother and sisters.
Later Amalia joined her father for a ride in a blue open-top Daf car.
The royals smiled and waved to cameras as they travelled through the town.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima and their daughters appeared in good spirits with The Streamers, ahead of the live concert taking place at Noordeinde Palace that everyone can stream from their home
The Streamers, a band with multiple Dutch artists, entertained the royals as King’s Day celebrations took place
An international financier by training, Máxima was born in Argentina and married into the Dutch royal family in 2002, three years after meeting her husband-to-be in Seville, Spain.
The King’s Games or Koningsspelen, happens a few days before King’s Day – where the nation enjoys open-air activities in celebration of the King’s birthday.
Today’s celebration comes as it was revealed gaffes during Covid-19 lockdowns have badly dented the popularity of the Dutch king.
A study said on Tuesday, as the Netherlands held a public holiday marking the monarch’s birthday.
Confidence in King Willem-Alexander dove to 57 percent, from 76 percent in April last year, the Ipsos poll said as many Dutch donned orange to celebrate King’s Day.
‘Last year, King’s Day celebrations were cancelled at the last minute because of the outbreak of the coronavirus,’ said the 37-page report, commissioned by the NOS public broadcaster.
The three princess held bouquets of flowers as they posed with heir mother and father, who donned a blue pinstriped suit with a purple tie and crisp white shirt and pocket square
The king then made a televised speech ‘in which he spoke about the crisis, the uncertainty and the isolation that goes with it. The speech had a positive reception’.
‘But a lot has happened in the meantime. Several times last year the King involved himself in controversy,’ said the report, which polled 1,000 Dutch adults from all walks of life.
In October 2020, the royals flew to Greece for a holiday, as the country declared a partial virus lockdown.
The royal couple returned a day later, following the outcry that erupted in the Netherlands after the details of the trip became public.
15-year-old Alexia sported a nude shift dress and matching jacket with pretty hoop earrings as she sat with her mother
The royals afterwards apologised in a televised address, but confidence in the King plummeted to 47 percent in December.
The trip came just two months after the royals sparked controversy with a picture on social media that showed King Willem-Alexander and queen Maxima with a Greek restaurant owner on the island of Milos during another trip, without keeping social distancing and wearing facemasks – two requirements in the Netherlands.
The royal holiday row also came as Willem-Alexander faced growing criticism for being out of touch, with the Dutch government ordering a review of the annual royal budget.
‘Support for the monarchy is still under pressure and has decreased considerably compared to previous years,’ the Ipsos report said.
‘Despite this, most Dutch still prefer the monarchy to a republic as a form of government,’ it added, with 58 percent in support of the Dutch constitutional monarchy as opposed to 23 percent preferring a republic.
The Netherlands was set to ease coronavirus restrictions Wednesday including cancelling a nighttime curfew and allowing cafes and bars to serve clients outside between noon and six pm.
The easing comes amid a rise in coronavirus cases in the country which has now reported more than 17,000 deaths and 1.4 million infections.
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