Artikel 25: Succession to the throne

Artikel 25

On the death of the King, the title to the Throne shall pass by hereditary succession to the Kings legitimate descendants in order of seniority, the same rule governing succession by the issue of descendants who predecease the King. If the King has no descendants, the title to the Throne shall pass in the same way to the legitimate descendants of the Kings parent and then of his grandparent who are in the line of succession but are not further removed from the deceased King than the third degree of consanguinity.

In andere talen:

English

On the death of the King, the title to the Throne shall pass by hereditary succession to the Kings legitimate descendants in order of seniority, the same rule governing succession by the issue of descendants who predecease the King. If the King has no descendants, the title to the Throne shall pass in the same way to the legitimate descendants of the Kings parent and then of his grandparent who are in the line of succession but are not further removed from the deceased King than the third degree of consanguinity.

Français

A la mort du Roi, la royauté se transmet par voie de succession héréditaire à ses descendants légitimes, l'enfant aîné ayant la priorité, avec representation selon la même règle. A défaut de propres descendants, la royauté se transmet de cette manière aux descendants légitimes en premier lieu de son parent et ensuite de son grand-parent dans la ligne de succession, pour autant que le degré de parenté avec le Roi défunt ne soit pas plus éloigné que le troisième.

Deutsch

Beim Tode des Königs geht die Königswürde durch Erbfolge auf seine gesetzlichen Nachkommen über, wobei das älteste Kind Vorrang hat, für dessen Nachfolge dieselbe Regel gilt. Hat der verstorbene König keine eigenen Nachkommen, geht die Königswürde in gleicher Weise auf die gesetzlichen Nachkommen zunächst des elterlichen Zweiges, dann des großelterlichen Zweiges innerhalb der Erbfolgelinie über, sofern der verstorbene König mit ihnen nicht entfernter blutsverwandt war als im dritten Grade.

Español

La corona se transmitirá a la muerte del Rey mediante sucesión hereditaria a sus descendientes legítimos, teniendo prioridad el hijo o la hija mayor, con representación conforme a la misma regla. A falta de descendientes propios, la corona se transmitirá del mismo modo a los descendientes legítimos del padre en primer lugar, y en segundo lugar del abuelo, en la línea de sucesión, con tal de que el grado de parentesco consanguíneo con relación al Rey difunto no sea superior al tercero.

Explanation

Please note: Only the Dutch-language version of the Constitution has legal effect. 

The Crown passes to the King’s legitimate children, whether sons or daughters. The eldest child and then that child’s children come first. Next come the King’s second child and their children, then the third child and their children, and so on.

If no child or descendant can succeed in this way, the King’s eldest sibling comes next, followed by that sibling’s children according to the same rules. Then come the second sibling, the third sibling, and so on.

If there is still no successor, the King’s eldest uncle or aunt comes next, followed by the next eldest. Their children cannot succeed, however, because they are relatives in the fourth degree.

Article 30 sets out what happens if there is no successor.