The health of the King went downhill fast in 1888. In May the family moved from The Hague to their palace in the quiet of Apeldoorn. The king could no longer rule the country. The government voted that Queen Emma would be Regent, and she took the oath to rule for her husband on 20 November in The Hague. She ruled in his place for only three days; William died on 23rd November 1890. He was 73 years old. From that day, at 10 years old, Wilhelmina officially became the Queen. Emma became Queen-regent for her daughter until 1898.