King’s Day Celebrations Mark 135 Years of Dutch Relations With Luxembourg

On the evening of Monday 27 April 2026, the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Luxembourg, Carin Lobbezoo, hosted a reception at her residence in Luxembourg-Kirchberg to celebrate King’s Day, the national day of the Netherlands.

2026 marks 135 years of diplomatic relations between Luxembourg and the Netherlands and 135 years since the union between the two countries came to an end and Grand Duke Adolf became the Sovereign of Luxembourg.

The celebratory event, held under marquees erected in the garden of the residence, saw around 250 guests attend, including other ambassadors, representatives of government ministries, arts, culture and civil society, local business leaders, as well as representatives of the Dutch community (both social and business) in Luxembourg.

In her speech, Ambassador Lobbezoo welcomed attendees who had come to celebrate the birthday of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, who turned 59 on Monday 27 April. The ambassador then spoke of the history of King’s Day, its importance to the people of the Netherlands and the significance of the 135 years of diplomatic relationship with Luxembourg, as well as the work of the ambassadors who have preceded her.

Ambassador Lobbezoo said: “Looking back, we can easily conclude that the real game-changer in our relations came on 5 September 1944, when the governments of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg in London concluded a customs union, thereby laying the foundation for the Benelux, and indirectly for the European Union. This was an extraordinary visionary decision, which 82 years later still shapes our relations. People often think ‘the Benelux, does it still exist?’ I can assure you, the Benelux is alive and kicking, and more relevant than ever.”

The ambassador then talked of the cooperation between the Netherlands and Luxembourg, highlighting the Schengen Agreement, police cooperation, the recognition of higher education diplomas, as well as new initiatives involving autonomous trade, transport, energy and cooperation in the field of space and satellites.

She added: “Two countries that have much in common, almost have the same flag, enjoy working together, respect one another, and although they do not often like to discuss it, are very attached to their own identity. Luxembourg and the Netherlands: after so many years of working together, it feels a bit like family.”

Ambassador Lobbezoo thanked those involved in preparing the King’s Day celebrations and invited guests to enjoy the food and refreshments chosen for the occasion, which included fresh fruit juices from the Zeeland province of the Netherlands, “haringhappen” (raw herring with chopped pieces of raw onion) from the Scheveningen district of The Hague and the popular Dutch snack “bitterballen” (breaded meatballs).

Guests were then invited to participate in the national anthems of the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the European Union, which were performed by the Red Sax saxophone quartet.

Additional music was also provided throughout the event by Dutch musical duo Edith van den Heuvel and Paolo Simoens.