Dutch king commissions research into royal role in colonialism

Three-year investigation for King Willem-Alexander will span period from late 16th century until present

King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has commissioned independent research into the role of the royal family in the country's colonial past, the Dutch government's information service (RVD) has announced.

Three Dutch historians and a human rights expert will carry out the investigation, which is set to take three years and will span the period from the late 16th century until the post-colonial" present, the RVD said, without elaborating on the details.