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Arms of Beatrix of the Netherlands
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| Notes |
As the Monarch, Beatrix uses the Greater Coat of Arms of the Realm, (or "Grote Rijkswapen"). The components of the coats of arms were regulated by Queen Wilhelmina in a royal decree of 10 July 1907 and were affirmed by Queen Juliana in a royal decree of 23 April 1980.
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| Helm |
Dutch royal crown
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| Escutcheon |
Azure, billetty Or a lion with a coronet Or armed and langued Gules holding in his dexter paw a sword Argent hilted Or and in the sinister paw seven arrows Argent pointed and bound together Or.
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| Supporters |
Two lions rampant Or armed and langued Gules
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| Motto |
JE MAINTIENDRAI
Mediaeval French: I will maintain
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| Other elements |
The monarch places this coat of arms on a mantle Gules lined with Ermine. Above the mantle is a pavilion Gules again topped with the royal crown.
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| Banner |
Upon her succesion to the throne, Beatrix adopted the Royal Standard of the Netherlands, which is a square orange flag, divided in four quarters by a nassau-blue cross. All quarters show a white and blue bugle-horn, taken from the coat of arms of the Principality of Orange. In the centre of the flag is the (small) coat of arms of the Kingdom, which originates from the arms of the House of Nassau, surmounted by a royal crown and surrounded by the insignia of the Grand Cross of the Military William Order.
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| Symbolism |
The seven arrows stand for the Seven Provinces of the Union of Utrecht.
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| Previous versions |
Prior to her accession to the throne, Beatrix as a princess bore the following arms: quarterly, 1 and 3, Azure, billetty Or a lion with a coronet Or armed and langued Gules holding in his dexter paw a sword Argent hilted Or and in the sinister paw seven arrows Argent pointed and bound together Or (royal arms of the Netherlands, i.e. that of her mother, Queen Juliana), 2 and 4, Or, a horn azure, langued gules (arms of the former Principality of Orange), on an inescutcheon argent, a rose gules, seeded vert (arms of the House of Lippe-Biesterfeld, i.e. that of her late father, Prince Bernhard).
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