GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- With the abdication of Her Majesty Queen Beatrix and the succession to the throne of His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange approximately five days away, the Prince will have to resign from official positions.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange is resigning from his official positions, with due regard for the terms of office and procedures of the organizations concerned.
In the year ahead Her Majesty the Queen and the Prince of Orange will decide as to the continuation of their honorary posts and their patronage of organizations.
In principle Princess Maxima will continue as Queen to hold her current honorary and other posts.
The Prince has asked the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to immediately relieve of his duties as an IOC member in the Netherlands. Under the Olympic Charter, this means that the Prince's resignation must be approved at the IOC's next session in Buenos Aires in September 2013 and will take effect at the end of 2013.
His resignation as Chairman of the United Nations Secretary General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB) will take place in consultation with the Secretary-General. He will also be resigning as Chairperson of the Water Advisory Committee, in consultation with the Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment.
In the process of creating awareness about the role of members of the Royal Family, the Sint Maarten Organizing Committee Inauguration (OCI) has been highlighting the changes that will take place.
For more information about the Royal Family, you can visit the Government website and download the inauguration booklet. The link is: www.sintmaartengov.org/government/specialcampaigns/pages/default.aspx