On April 26, 2025, Princess Alexia accompanied her parents and sister to Doetinchem, where the Dutch royals made a public appearance in honor of King’s Day – and once again, it was Alexia who drew attention with her facial expressions.
On April 24, 2025, the Dutch royal family, led by King Willem-Alexander, 58, chose to prioritize celebrating King’s Day in the Netherlands over attending the funeral of Pope Francis, †88, at the Vatican. No official reason was given for this decision, which made the public appearance of the royals on Saturday, April 26, in Doetinchem, Gelderland Province, all the more anticipated.
While Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, 53, and Princess Amalia, 21, were enthusiastically celebrated by the crowd, one person (again) stood out: Princess Alexia, 19. The middle daughter of the royal couple often maintains a neutral expression, while her family members beam broadly, and she frequently appears introspective when the others engage warmly with the public. A royal expert has now attempted an explanation – and defends Alexia.
Could Princess Alexia’s Resemblance to Her Mother Máxima Be Her Downfall?
Royal expert Josine Droogendijk closely analyzed Alexia’s appearance on King’s Day. In the daily newspaper Algemeen Dagblad, she assessed, according to Dana Press, the 19-year-old’s gestures and expressions. She observed: “Of course, for a while all eyes were on Alexia. Now you can see that Alexia continues to walk behind her sister. That may be different at home, but she seems to enjoy standing in her sister’s shadow.”
This refers to Alexia’s role within the royal family: as the second-born, she must — at least during official events — defer to her older sister Amalia. During King’s Day, Alexia also drew attention at times with “somewhat awkward steps,” as Dana Press noted.
Droogendijk was also asked for an explanation regarding Alexia’s seemingly poor mood. She concluded: “I think it comes from the fact that she looks very much like Máxima, who is always smiling.” In her opinion, Alexia often appears to be in a worse mood than she actually is, simply because her mother is constantly radiating joy, making the contrast between their expressions particularly stark. Droogendijk emphasized: “But just because someone looks like someone else doesn’t mean they are alike in character.”
Alexia Defended in the Media: “Just Let Her Be Herself”
Even during King’s Day 2024, Princess Alexia drew attention for her reserved demeanor, which was at times interpreted as disinterest or even arrogance. These images have persisted and remain controversial, particularly in the Dutch media. On the TV show Shownieuws, hosts Bart Ettekoven and Sandra Schuurhof, 53, discussed the 19-year-old’s appearance in April 2025.
While Ettekoven remarked that Alexia seemed as if she were listening to a podcast with one ear and not fully present, Schuurhof defended her. Having been there in person, the journalist painted a very different picture of Alexia than what might be conveyed through photographs. “It’s not that bad,” Schuurhof said, “I thought she did great.” She also attempted to explain Alexia’s perspective: “She’s studying in London and is completely immersed in her own world. Then she suddenly comes back for a day or two and is thrust into this popstar-like situation where she thinks: Oh my God, what do all these people want from me?”
Many Dutch citizens are growing tired of the constant criticism of Alexia’s facial expressions. Hilmar Mulder, editor-in-chief of the magazine Libelle, wrote on X: “Yet again, the same whining that Alexia doesn’t look ‘happy enough.’ It’s so predictable. Men with serious looks are fine, but women are supposed to smile? Come on. She’s a young woman with her own personality, not a prop. Just let her be herself.”
