There is a small chance that the British, Belgians or Danes will see the birthdays of ‘their’ respective kings Charles, Philippe or Frederik as an occasion to display the contents of their attic on a rug in the street. Or consider the royal birthday as the perfect opportunity to purchase that one pair of jeans, Agatha Christie novel or the neighbors’ homemade cupcakes.
This is the case in the Netherlands. This King’s Day, on which King Willem-Alexander turns 59, Dutch people also take advantage of the opportunity to stroll through the free market in their city or village, looking for things and/or fun. In many places, sellers tried to mark their spot with sidewalk chalk days in advance. In Utrecht the free market started on Sunday.
The free market, as part of what was then known as Queen’s Day, was on the rise in the 1970s. In 1988, when the popularity of her distant governing style was waning, even the then Queen Beatrix visited such a flea market. There, in Amsterdam’s Jordaan, she mingled “loosely among the common people,” NRC previously wrote. A passerby kissed her.
A large free market is also traditionally held in the Vondelpark.
Photo DINGENA MOL / ANP
Crowds in Amsterdam’s Westerstraat during King’s Night.
Photo MICHEL VAN BERGEN / ANP
Clothes are laid out in Sloten, Amsterdam.
Photo Dingena Mol / ANP
On the free market of Utrecht.
Photo Jeroen Jumelet / ANP
Another custom: party on the evening before the royal birthday. King’s Night was relatively quiet this year, with no major incidents reported in the major cities. Utrecht called on Sunday evening to stop coming to the city center, squares such as the Janskerkhof and Vredenburg were quickly full.
King Willem-Alexander spends King’s Day in Dokkum. On Monday morning at just after 11 a.m. he got off a bus there, which was accompanied by Frisian horses. Mayor of the municipality of Noardeast-Fryslân Johannes Kramer received the royal family partly in Frisian. He congratulated the king on his birthday (“many, many lokwinske‘) and referred to the Elfstedentocht („It pours on“). Then they started a walk through the city.
Earlier in the day, NOS published the results of an annual royal family survey by Ipsos I&O. It shows that six in ten respondents support the monarchy, just like last year. Half of those surveyed think that the royal family costs too much money. King Willem-Alexander received a score of 6.9, just like in 2025.
The king rebounds.
Photo Sem van der Wal / Pool / ANP
Princess Alexia has her photo taken in Dokkum.
Photo Mischa Schoemaker / Pool / ANP
Reception of the king in Dokkum.
Photo Jilmer Postma / ANP
The family gets off the royal bus in Dokkum.
Photo Sem van der Wal / ANP
Public along the route in Dokkum.
Photo Ramon from Flymen / ANP
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