Queen of the Netherlands
Under the Constitution of the Netherlands, Princess Beatrix was entitled to assume the royal prerogative at any time after her 18th birthday on 31 January 1956.
She did so in fact when Queen Juliana abdicated on her 71st birthday, 30 April 1980. Princess Beatrix succeeded her mother as Queen of the Netherlands. Her investiture took place at a special plenary session of both houses of parliament in the New Church in Amsterdam.
On that day, she stated that she wished to continue celebrating the Queen’s official birthday on 30 April, as a mark of respect for her mother.
In 1981 the royal family moved into Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, the seat of government. Since 1984, the Queen’s offices have been in Noordeinde Palace.