April 19 — International Bicycle Day. Clear, convenient, and accessible. In the Netherlands, children and the elderly, workers and monarchs all ride bicycles. For the Dutch, the bicycle is not just a means of transport — it is a symbol of the nation’s love of freedom and pragmatism.
Members of the royal family, like all Dutch people, behave modestly and ride bicycles. Interestingly, the bicycle came to the Netherlands thanks to Queen Wilhelmina. She first encountered this mode of transport during her Austrian holidays in 1897. At that time, bicycles were used exclusively by European monarchs. But Wilhelmina’s enthusiasm was not well received by her mother, who considered cycling too dangerous for the heir to the throne. Wilhelmina only returned to the hobby after her mother’s death in 1934. The Queen was not shy about riding through the streets of The Hague, setting an example for ordinary Dutch citizens.
Of course, the Dutch did not invent the bicycle. But they proved to other European countries that this mode of transport is modern, useful, and eco-friendly. And while some other countries are only now catching on, the Dutch continue to build a society that is convenient for everyone — where everyone works for the common good, and everyone pedals together in harmony!
