Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands is to abdicate in favour of her son, Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, who will become the first Dutch king since 1890. Two days short of her 75th birthday, the much-loved Queen went on television yesterday to say she was retiring from the throne on April 30 after 33 years.

Prince Willem-Alexander (45), who has shaken off a reputation as a fun-loving, blunt-spoken student prince, was ready for the job, she said. Her birthday and celebrations this year of the bicentenary of the Dutch monarchy made it a good time to hand over to a new generation, she added.