BREAKING: Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands to abdicate in favor of Prince Williem-Alexander & Princess Maxima

On 28 January 2013, it was announced that Queen Beatrix was speaking to the nation for undisclosed reasons at approximately 1900 Dutch time. Speculations began at that point if she were planning on abdicating in favor of her eldest son. Sure enough, that was her announcement.

In her announcement, she made it clear that:

• She believes the time is right for her to abdicate
• This year is the 200th year of the anniversary of The Netherlands becoming a monarchy.
• She's not abdicating because she no longer thinks she can handle the position or is tired.
• She believes it's time for a new generation to lead and that Williem-Alexander & Maxmia will be good for the monarchy.

Titles & Line of Succession:

Per the websites of the Dutch Royal Court:

• Prince Williem-Alexander of Oranje will become King Willem-Alexander.
• Princess Maxima will be come Queen Maxima
• Princess Catharina-Amalia will become Princess Catharina-Amalia of Oranje (her father's present title, and she will be the 1st female to bear the title in her own right)
• Queen Beatrix will become Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, just as her mother and grandmother were "downgraded" from Queen regent to Princess upon their own abdications.

Per the Royal House Succession laws, upon the succession of King Williem-Alexander, his cousins and their children will lose their succession rights. Therefore, the succession will be as follows:

1. Princess Catharina-Amalia of Oranje, eldest daughter of the King
2. Princess Alexia of The Netherlands, daughter #2 of The King
3. Princess Ariane of The Netherlands, daughter #3 of The King
4. Prince Constanijn of The Netherlands, brother of The King
5. Countess Eloise of Orange-Nassau, niece of The King
6. Count Claus-Casimir of Orange-Nassau, nephew of The King
7. Countess Leonore of Orange-Nassau, niece of The King
8. Princess Margriet of The Netherlands, aunt of The King

Queen Beatrix's son Prince Friso, and sisters Princess Christina & Princess Irene did not seek parliamentary approval before their marriages, therefore, they nor their descendants are part of the The Royal House or in line for the throne.

The Time & Place of the Abdication & Investiture

On 30 April 2013, Queen Beatrix will officially signing the instrument of Abdication at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. Afterward, the investiture of King Williem-Alexander will take place at The New Chuch in Amsterdam.

Kings's Day, April 27, 2014

From 2014 onwards, King's Day (formally Queen's Day) will move from Queen Juliana's birthday, 30 April to  King Williem-Alexander's birthday, 27 April. 

Official Residences

 For the time being, the families will remain at their present residences. After the investiture, the new Royal Family (The King, The Queen, The Princess of Oranje, and the younger Princesses) will continue to reside at Eikenhorst in Wassenaar. At an appropriateness time the family will move to Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague (My guess would be after school lets out not to disrupt the girls more than they already will be having become more public faces than they already are).

Noordeinde Palace will continued to be used as the monarch's place of work.

Princess Beatrix will take up residence at Drakensteyn Castle in Lage Vuursche (where she and her husband Prince Claus raised their children and she resided until 1980).

Prince Constantijn and his family will continue to reside in Brussels, and Princess Mabel and her daughters in London.