The regalia of the Netherlands consist of the following: • the
crown, symbolising the
sovereignty of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands, which currently consists of the
Netherlands in Western Europe and three overseas countries in the Caribbean:
Curaçao,
Sint Maarten and
Aruba. It also symbolises the dignity of the Sovereign as
head of state. The renowned Amsterdam jewelry firm
Bonebakker was commissioned to make the crown. The execution were left to master gold- and silversmith
Theodorus Gerardus Bentvelt. It is made of gilded silver, adorned with coloured stones and imitations of pearls, and has eight arches with a
monde and cross at the top. • the
sceptre, symbolising the reigning King or Queen's authority; • the
orb, symbolising the Sovereign territory; Both sceptre and orb were made by court jeweler Meijer from The Hague. • the
sword of state, standing for the Monarch's power; • the
gonfalon of state (
Rijksvaandel or
Rijksbanier), a banner of white
moiré silk suspended from a
gilded spear, painted with the
coat of arms of the Netherlands as decreed on 24 August 1815, symbolising the nation. The arms of the Netherlands have changed since 1815, but the depiction on the gonfalon has not. The artwork was by
Bartholomeus van Hove. During the inauguration, the monarch also wears a
royal mantle (). The
mantle, which is not part of the regalia, is made of purple velvet and is trimmed with
ermine. 83 lions, embroidered in gold, adorn the mantle. The mantle was first used in 1815 and has been redesigned several times to fit the various monarchs and reflect the changing fashions. The lions are old and were part of King William I's mantle. Part of the fur has been renewed or replaced. In 1948, the velvet was in such a poor condition after last being used for
Wilhelmina's inauguration 50 years earlier that the Swiss couturier who was responsible for its adaptation had no choice but to replace it with a modern fabric. == Usage ==