THE HAGUE--St. Maarten and the wider Caribbean part of the Kingdom received expanded attention from King Willem-Alexander on Tuesday, September 15, as he devoted a 120-word passage of the annual Throne Speech to cooperation within the Kingdom, more than twice the length of the Caribbean section a year ago.
The King delivered the Throne Speech as part of Prinsjesdag, the Netherlands’ annual Budget Day, held each year on the third Tuesday of September. The ceremony marks the start of the new parliamentary year and is one of the most important dates on the Dutch political calendar.
During the Throne Speech, the King presents the main plans and priorities of the Dutch government for the coming year before a joint meeting of the Senate and House of Representatives. The speech reflects government policy rather than the King’s personal political positions. Later on Prinsjesdag, the Minister of Finance presents the national budget and the Miljoenennota, which outlines the government’s financial and economic plans for the year ahead.
This year’s Caribbean section placed emphasis on greater cooperation between the Netherlands, St. Maarten, Curaçao and Aruba, together with Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba in the Caribbean Netherlands.
“Last but not least, the government is joining forces with the countries of Curaçao, St. Maarten and Aruba, and with the Caribbean Netherlands,” the King said.
He also announced that a summit of the four countries of the Kingdom will be held this autumn to examine progress and opportunities across several areas of cooperation.
According to the King, discussions will range from the economy and social security to climate issues and waste processing. He announced that the four-country summit will become an annual tradition, creating a regular high-level forum for the governments of the Netherlands, St. Maarten, Curaçao and Aruba.
The King also drew attention to the historical relationship connecting the Caribbean and the wider world, noting that November will mark 250 years since the famous salute from St. Eustatius connected the island to the recognition of the newly formed United States.
He concluded the Caribbean passage with a message emphasizing unity across the Kingdom: “Nos ta un reino, we are one Kingdom.”
The expanded 120-word section represents a noticeably larger place for Caribbean Kingdom affairs in this year’s Throne Speech. Beyond the symbolic language of unity, the announcement of an annual four-country summit points toward a more structured approach to discussions among the Kingdom governments on economic, social and environmental issues.
Prinsjesdag 2026 is being held at the Koninklijke Schouwburg in The Hague, where King Willem-Alexander delivered the Throne Speech before the joint meeting of the States General. The Minister of Finance is scheduled to subsequently present the 2027 national budget and Miljoenennota to the House of Representatives.
