THE HAGUE, 19/09/00 - Today's Princes Day is expected to be a festivity as always. Like every year on the Third Tuesday in September, orange-decorated crowds will be packing the streets of The Hague to accompany Queen Beatrix in her golden coach on her way from the Noordeinde Palace to the Knight's Hall (Ridderzaal).

On the stroke of one o'clock, the Queen's extravagantly decorated golden coach will set off for a 15-minute tour through the streets of The Hague. The royal carriage was a present of the city of Amsterdam to Beatrix' grandmother, the then Queen Wilhelmina, on her investiture in 1898.

Amidst gun salutes and escorted by elaborately dressed guards, standard-bearers, cavalry, and musicians, the Queen is led to the Knight's Hall, where she will hear the national anthem before delivering her speech from the throne. This outline of the government's policies for the coming year is written by the cabinet, but usually amended by the Queen herself on several points.

Three hurrahs from the 75 Upper and 150 Lower House members will conclude the ceremony in the Knight's Hall. The Queen will then return to her Noordeinde Palace, and the parliamentarians to the Lower House where Finance Minister Gerrit Zalm will take the 2001 National Budget out of its suitcase. The general debate on the budget will take place tomorrow.