Dutch abdication: Ten things you never knew about the royal family of the Netherlands

1) New Dutch king Willem-Alexander earned the nickname 'Prince Pils' (after Pilsner lager) following a reportedly drunken time at Leiden University. His habit was so widely publicised brewers in The Netherlands decided to produce their own limited-edition beers, named the 'Abdication Beer', in order to honour their future monarch and his abdicating mother, Queen Beatrix.

2) The family of new monarch Willem-Alexander were immortalised by Holland's National Spore, Mould and Fungus Institute in April, after their names were used to classify new strains of a fungal nail disease. Willem-Alexander's wife, Princess Máxima, and their daughters Amalia, Alexia and Ariane had their names given to new strains of mould, known to cause bright orange spores on the feet, after they were discovered in a royal Dutch shower cubicle.

3) Unlike in the UK, where Queen Elizabeth has religious titles and will hold her role until she is no longer able, the Dutch monarch is more or less a government job – only hereditary. As head of state, the Dutch king or queen falls under the influence of the prime minister and there is nothing to stop them abdicating as Beatrix, her mother Queen Juliana, and her mother Queen Wilhelmina did before.

4) Aside from the wealth and titles he inherited at birth, Willem-Alexander can pilot jet-planes, skated a 200km contest along frozen canals and ran the New York City marathon in 1992. Before ascending to the throne, the Prince chaired the UN advisory panel on water and sanitation and was a member of the International Olympic Committee.

5) Former-monarch Beatrix's marriage to her husband Prince Claus was initially resisted by the Dutch public following revelations of his service in the Nazi Army during World War II and his membership of the Hitler Youth. Having served in Denmark and Italy, Claus was captured by US forces in 1945 at the age of 19, having not seen any military combat.

6) Whilst new monarchs in the UK are crowned, Dutch kings and queens are inaugurated to their role as head of the royal family. This different approach to kingship reflects the more modern approach to the monarchy in the Netherlands compared to the UK. Instead of a crowning ceremony, Dutch monarchs are inaugurated at a meeting of the upper and lower houses of the Dutch Parliament, where they promise to serve and uphold the country's constitution.

7) New queen Princess Máxima has faced criticism in the Netherlands due to her father's position as a minister in Argentina's previous military dictatorship. From 1976 her father, Jorge Zorreguieta, served under General Jorge Rafael Videla during a dark period of Argentina's history, known as the 'Dirty War'.

8) The Dutch royal family is known as the 'House of Orange', deriving its name from a medieval principality in the south of France. While having its roots in the royal family, nowadays the colour orange symbolises broader feelings of national pride in the country and in being Dutch.

9) Willem-Alexander has struggled to win the affections of the Netherlands following his bad reputation as a heavy drinker and frat boy. The future monarch is also known for upsetting the press, once shouting "All press, p*** off" during a royal photo session. Since then however, the Prince of Orange has improved his reputation, having been specially groomed for his new position as king.

10) Willem-Alexander's inauguration will be the largest gathering of royalty since the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in Britain last year. Crowned heads and other representatives of monarchies are coming from as far afield as Japan and the Middle East, with Prince Charles and Camilla also in attendance.