Prinsjesdag

The Golden Coach on Prinsjesdag 2014.
Video impression of the Prince’s Day Procession 2014.
Spectators are photographing the Golden Coach, as farmers protest the controversial government nitrogen policies by raising an inverted Dutch flag. Prinsjesdag 20 September 2022.
The Central Royal Military Band of the Netherlands Army during Prinsjesdag 2013.

Prinsjesdag (English: Prince's Day[1]) is the day on which the reigning monarch of the Netherlands addresses a joint session of the States-General of the Netherlands (consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives) to give the Speech from the Throne (Dutch: Troonrede), similar to the annual State of the Union in the United States or the British State Opening of Parliament. This speech sets out the main features of government policy for the coming parliamentary session.

The occasion is prescribed by the constitution, article 65 of which states: "A statement of the policy to be pursued by the Government shall be given by or on behalf of the King or the Queen before a joint session of the two Houses of the States-General that shall be held every year on the third Tuesday in September or on such earlier date as may be prescribed by Act of Parliament."[2] Article 105, paragraph 2 of the Constitution adds that this coincides with the submission of the budget.[3]

After the speech from the throne, the budget is later presented to the House of Representatives by the Minister of Finance.

  1. ^ "From Prince's Day to Accountability Day".
  2. ^ "Artikel 65: Troonrede; Prinsjesdag - Nederlandse Grondwet". www.denederlandsegrondwet.nl. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
  3. ^ "Artikel 105: Begroting; budgetrecht; rekening en verantwoording; comptabiliteit - Nederlandse Grondwet". www.denederlandsegrondwet.nl. Retrieved 2024-02-07.