Máxima and Willem-Alexander, the royal couple of the Netherlands, truly have a wonderfully charming family. Their three daughters bring lots of excitement and countless sweet moments. Here’s a small glimpse into their family album.
For a long time, the then-Crown Prince had a reputation as a partygoer. But young Willem-Alexander received a good education at a private school in Wales, went on to study history, and proved that there was much more to him than just wild partying.
From Partygoer to King of the Netherlands
King Willem-Alexander is the eldest son of Princess Beatrix. After more than three decades on the Dutch throne, she announced her abdication in 2013, paving the way for her son to become her successor.
Willem-Alexander’s Passions
In addition to his duties within the Dutch royal house, King Willem-Alexander trained as a pilot and even flew several missions for the African Medical & Research Foundation (AMREF), an organization providing medical services in parts of East Africa. Since 2001, he has held a commercial pilot’s license, allowing him to fly passenger planes. This even enables him to pilot government aircraft or personally fly his family on vacations—how practical!
The Controversial Background of Queen Máxima
In 2001, Willem-Alexander, then 49, caused a scandal at court when he announced his engagement to Argentinian Máxima Zorreguieta. Their marriage was not without controversy, as Máxima’s father had been part of the notorious Videla regime. However, Parliament approved the marriage under one condition: Máxima’s parents were not allowed to attend the wedding.
Three Children Complete Their Happiness
Máxima and Willem-Alexander accepted this condition and celebrated their wedding on February 2, 2002, in Amsterdam—civilly at City Hall and religiously at the Nieuwe Kerk. The couple initially lived at Noordeinde 66 in The Hague before moving in the spring of 2003 to Villa Eikenhorst in Wassenaar, just outside The Hague. Fittingly for starting a family, Princess Catharina-Amalia, usually simply called Amalia and the Princess of Orange, was born in December 2003, making her the heir to the throne after her father. Princess Alexia followed in June 2005, and Princess Ariane was born in April 2007. With their “house full of girls,” the royal family was complete. And it’s very likely that, just like in the three generations before King Willem-Alexander, a queen will once again sit on the Dutch throne in the next generation.
From Wassenaar to Huis ten Bosch
Since 2019, King Willem-Alexander has lived with Queen Máxima and their three lively daughters in the impressive Huis ten Bosch Palace near The Hague. The couple’s long and happy marriage and their family life with three daughters prove that all the initial worries about their marriage were completely unfounded.
