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posted by cmn32480 on Friday May 19 2017, @01:33PM   Printer-friendly
from the subject-to-interpretation dept.

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has revealed to a Dutch newspaper that he has flown as a co-pilot for the airline KLM about twice per month for the last 21 years. His flying hobby will require retraining to fly Boeing 737s, as the airline is phasing out its Fokker 70s. The King says he was not recognized often, especially after 9/11 as passengers now have less contact with the cockpit.

Japan's Princess Mako will reportedly lose royal status due to marrying a commoner, as Japan's current imperial law requires. The move is "expected to reignite debate" over the nation's imperial succession law and is "raising fresh questions about the status of women in the imperial family". Emperor Akihito, who is 83, has recently hinted that he wants to step down, which would require a legislative change or a one-time exemption. [This bill is expected to be introduced on Friday.] Only males can currently become Emperor, and there are only four heirs left to the Chrysanthemum Throne. However, the restriction on female succession dates back to an 1889 Meiji government law, and was retained in the 1947 postwar Constitution. Japan has had six Empress regnants in the past, the most recent reigning from 1762 to 1771. The sons of female royal family members are also not currently in the line of succession, as only the male offspring of the male line can succeed the throne.

MonarchyNews is subjects.


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  • (Score: 2) by Gaaark on Friday May 19 2017, @04:11PM (5 children)

    by Gaaark (41) on Friday May 19 2017, @04:11PM (#512234) Journal

    I really wanted to see this thing as a huge passenger carrying bi-plane.

    Really, really.

    That would have been soooooo cool.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @04:31PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @04:31PM (#512242)

    ...What?

    • (Score: 2) by deadstick on Saturday May 20 2017, @02:09AM

      by deadstick (5110) on Saturday May 20 2017, @02:09AM (#512480)

      He's thinking of some of the airplanes Fokker built for Germany in WW1. Monoplanes, biplanes, triplanes...

  • (Score: 2) by mhajicek on Friday May 19 2017, @04:42PM

    by mhajicek (51) on Friday May 19 2017, @04:42PM (#512247)

    And the pilot was Roy Fokker.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @08:08PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 19 2017, @08:08PM (#512345)

    Wasn't the Fokker a tri-plane?