video transcript

A tradition continues in The Netherlands. On Monday Queen Beatrix took to the airwaves to announce that she was abdicating the throne to make way for her son Willem Alexander. She said she felt her son was ready to become King. Queen Beatrix became the sixth monarch of the House of Orange in 1980 following the abdication of her mother, Queen Juliana, who reigned for 31 years. Willem-Alexander was once the darling of Dutch tabloids because of his love of fast cars and women. Now the 45 year old father of three will become the first King of the Netherlands in more than a century.