King Willem-Alexander

In 2002, he married Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti at the ‘Nieuwe Kerk’ in Amsterdam. Máxima worked as an investment banker in New York before marrying him.

The royal couple has three daughters, namely, Princess of Orange Catharina-Amalia, (born on 7 December 2003), Princess Alexia (born on 26 June 2005), and Princess Ariane (born on 10 April 2007). Catharina-Amalia is next in the line of succession to the royal throne.

On June 21, 2005, a media code issued by the ‘Netherlands Government Information Service’ (RVD) laid down regulations for the protection of the royal family’s privacy. In spite of the media code, several photographs were taken by the media, including one by ‘Associated Press’ staff photographer Natacha Pisarenko. The photo showed the king and his family enjoying a vacation in Argentina.

Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand was born on April 27, 1967, at the ‘Utrecht University Hospital,’ now the ‘Universal Medical Center,’ in Utrecht, Netherlands. The oldest child of Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus, Willem-Alexander is also the first grandchild of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard.

The first Dutch royal baby after the birth of Prince Alexander in 1851, Willem was baptised on September 2, 1967, at ‘St. Jacob’s Church,’ Hague. He has two brothers, Prince Friso and Prince Constantijn.

As a child, Willem-Alexander lived in ‘Drakensteyn Castle’ in Lage Vuursche until 1981. Following this, he and his family moved to the ‘Huis ten Bosch’ in The Hague.

After his grandmother abdicated the throne in 1980, his mother became the queen of Netherlands. Willem-Alexander, thus, became the prince of Orange.

He also held the title of ‘Jonkheer of Amsberg’ before becoming the king of Netherlands. He attended the ‘Nieuwe Baarnse Elementary School’ in Barn from 1973 to 1979.

From 1985 to 1987, Willem-Alexander took a break from his formal education to participate in military services in the ‘Royal Netherlands Navy.’ He was trained at the ‘Royal Netherlands Naval College.’

He was an ensign at the ‘HNLMS Tromp’ and the ‘HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen’ before being trained at the ‘HNLMS Van Kinsbergen’ to become a lieutenant of junior grade.

He continued getting promoted in the ‘Royal Netherlands Navy.’ With time, he became a lieutenant commander (1995), a commander (1997), a captain at sea (2001), and a commodore (2005).

As a reservist in the ‘Royal Netherlands Army,’ he became a major (the ‘Grenadiers’ and the Rifles Guard Regiment’) in 1995. He was then promoted to the posts of lieutenant colonel (1997), colonel (2001), and brigadier general (2005).

He was made the squadron leader of the ‘Royal Netherlands Air Force’ in 1995, and in 10 years, he became the air commodore. He became a brigadier general for the ‘Royal Marechaussee’ in 2005.

Queen Beatrix announced her abdication on April 30, 2013 after she signed the instrument of abdication at the ‘Royal Palace of Amsterdam.’ Willem-Alexander was immediately sworn in as the new king of Netherlands.

The inauguration ceremony was held at the ‘Nieuwe Kerk,’ in front of the joint assembly of the ‘States General.’ He ascended to the throne at the age of 46, which makes him the second-youngest monarch of Europe, the youngest being Spain’s Felipe VI, who swore in as the monarch on June 19, 2004.

He is also the first male monarch of the Netherlands after the death of William III in 1890. William III was the great-great-grandfather of Willem-Alexander.

He was one of the four new monarchs who took to the throne in 2013, along with Pope Francis, the Emir Tamim bin Hamad of Qatar, and King Philippe of Belgium. As a king, he holds the responsibility of meeting the prime minister on a weekly basis, signing all the acts of the parliament and all royal decrees, and meetings state ministers and secretaries.

He also holds the power of appointing, dismissing, and swearing in the ministers and state secretaries. He is the main representative of his nation, at home and abroad.