King of the Netherlands
King of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koning der Nederlanden) is the title of the Dutch head of state, which includes the constituent nations of the Netherlands, Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten. The king is also the president of the Council of State. Furthermore, the king is the head of the Royal House, which consists of a few direct relatives. Membership is specified by law. This is to be distinguished from the much larger Royal Family with all the relatives. Originally, the Dutch monarch acted as an absolute ruler. However, during the 19th century, the monarch's power was severely restricted. In theory, the Dutch monarch has many powers, but in practice, serves a ceremonial role. Terminology, title, and lineage In the Dutch constitution, the Head of State is referred to as the Koning. Before the constitutional reform in 1983, in many places, this was called the Kroon, which sometimes referred to the king as an individual and sometimes to the government. However, there are still some places where Koning or Koninklijk actually refers to the government. A Koninklijk besluit, a royal decree, is not a decision made by the king alone but by the government (which consists of the king and the