Behind the scenes: Budget Day (Prinsjesdag) - NL Host Nation
Behind the scenes: Budget Day (Prinsjesdag)
In the Netherlands, the state opening of parliament takes place on the third Tuesday in September. Known as Prinsjesdag (‘Prince’s Day’) in Dutch, this occasion is sometimes called Budget Day in English. The Protocol and Host Country Affairs Department (DPG) plays a special role in preparing this event, this year on 17 September 2024.
On this day the King delivers a speech outlining the government’s main plans for the year ahead. King Willem-Alexander travelled in the Glass Coach to the Koninklijke Schouwburg (Royal Theatre) in The Hague. There he delivered the Speech from the Throne, officially opening the parliamentary year.
| Who writes the Speech from the Throne? The Prime Minister drafts a provisional version of the Speech from the Throne, based on input from the other ministers. He also discusses the text with the King before it is finalised by the government. |
An annual event of this size is a major organisational undertaking. DPG’s first task is to ensure that all the ambassadors to the Netherlands are invited. A list is drawn up and then sent to the Senate, which prints out the invitations and formally invites the ambassadors. If an ambassador is out of the country, a chargé d’affaires (a diplomat who replaces the ambassador in their absence) is permitted to come in their place. DPG also sees to it that the invitations contain the necessary logistical details. The area where the ambassadors are dropped off is a secure zone.
Strategic seats and ‘préséance’
On Budget Day, DPG staff are strategically positioned around the venue. The ambassadors are led into the theatre, where they are met by the director of DPG, Dominique Kuhling. Once the ambassadors are inside, they are offered a cup of coffee. They are then invited into the auditorium to listen to the speech. DPG is also responsible for ‘préséance’, that is to say, ensuring that the ambassadors are seated in order of seniority, on the basis of when they submitted their letters of credence to the king.
| Budget Day fact Did you know that the ambassadors are the first to see what’s in the Speech from the Throne? An hour before the start, DPG puts an English translation of the speech on their seats in the theatre. |
After the speech, there is a reception ‘vin d’honneur’, with drinks and other refreshments.
The third Tuesday in September
Historically, Budget Day was held on the first Monday in November and later on the third Monday in October. But this didn’t give parliament enough time to finalise the national budget before 1 January. So in 1848, Budget Day was brought forward to the third Monday in September. But there was still a problem: in order to arrive on time, members of parliament living outside The Hague had to set out the day before. Protestant MPs, in particular, objected to travelling on a Sunday. So, in 1887 Budget Day was moved to the third Tuesday in September, where it has remained ever since.
The name Prinsjesdag
The name Prinsjesdag (Prince’s Day) harks back to the 18th century, and the time of Prince William V. His birthday (8 March) was known as Prince’s Day. During the French occupation, supporters of the House of Orange-Nassau demonstrated their loyalty to the prince by continuing to celebrate this day.
No one really knows why, many years later, the same name was given to the day when parliament is opened. Regardless, it remains an occasion for people to show their affection for the royal family.