Willem-Alexander (; Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand; born ) is
King of the Netherlands
King of The Netherlands (Dutch language, Dutch: ''Koning der Nederlanden'') is the title of the Dutch head of state. The king serves as the Head of state, head of state of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which includes the constituent nations of ...
, having acceded to the throne following
his mother
''His Mother'' is a 1912 American silent film produced by Kalem Company. It was directed by Sidney Olcott with Gene Gauntier and Jack J. Clark in the leading roles. It was one of more than a dozen films produced by the Kalem Company filmed in Ir ...
's
abdication
Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societ ...
in 2013.
Willem-Alexander was born in
Utrecht
Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...
as the oldest child of
Princess Beatrix
Beatrix (Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard, ; born 31 January 1938) is a member of the Dutch royal house who reigned as Queen of the Netherlands from 1980 until her abdication in 2013.
Beatrix is the eldest daughter of Queen Juliana and her husban ...
and diplomat
Claus van Amsberg
Prince Claus of the Netherlands, Jonkheer van Amsberg (born Klaus-Georg Wilhelm Otto Friedrich Gerd von Amsberg; 6 September 1926 – 6 October 2002) was Prince consort of the Netherlands from 30 April 1980 until his death in 2002 as the husband ...
. He became
Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange (or Princess of Orange if the holder is female) is a title originally associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France and subsequently held by sovereigns in the Netherlands.
The title ...
as
heir apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
upon his mother's accession as Queen on , and succeeded her following her
abdication
Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societ ...
on . He went to public primary and secondary schools in the Netherlands, an international sixth-form college in
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
, served in the
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Royal Netherlands Navy ( nl, Koninklijke Marine, links=no) is the naval force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
During the 17th century, the navy of the Dutch Republic (1581–1795) was one of the most powerful naval forces in the world an ...
, and studied history at
Leiden University
Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; nl, Universiteit Leiden) is a Public university, public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. The university was founded as a Protestant university in 1575 by William the Silent, William, Prince o ...
. He married
Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti Máxima may refer to
* ''Máxima'' (magazine)
* Máxima FM, Spanish radio station
* Queen Máxima of the Netherlands
Máxima (born Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti; 17 May 1971) is Queen of the Netherlands as the wife of King Willem-Alexander.
A ...
in 2002 and they have three daughters:
Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange
Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange (Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria; born 7 December 2003) is the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the constituent countries of Aruba, Curaçao, the Net ...
(born 2003),
Princess Alexia (born 2005), and
Princess Ariane
Princess Ariane of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau (Ariane Wilhelmina Máxima Inés; born 10 April 2007) is the third and youngest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. Princess Ariane is a member of the Dutch Royal Hous ...
(born 2007).
Willem-Alexander is interested in sports and international
water management
Water resources are natural resources of water that are potentially useful for humans, for example as a source of drinking water supply or irrigation water. 97% of the water on the Earth is salt water and only three percent is fresh water; slight ...
issues. Until his accession to the throne, he was a member of the
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...
(1998–2013), chairman of the Advisory Committee on Water to the Dutch
Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment
, type = Department
, logo = Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat Logo.png
, logo_width = 250x250px
, logo_alt = Logo of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management
, image = Rijksgeb ...
(2004–2013), and chairman of the
Secretary-General of the United Nations
The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
The role of the secretary-g ...
'
Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (2006–2013).
Early life and education
![Prinsen Willem Alexander en Johan Friso op de tribune bij de WK Sprint](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Prinsen_Willem_Alexander_en_Johan_Friso_op_de_tribune_bij_de_WK_Sprint.jpg)
Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand was born on at the
Utrecht University Hospital (now known as the
University Medical Center Utrecht
The University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU; Dutch: ''Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht'') is the main hospital of the city of Utrecht, Netherlands. It is affiliated with the Utrecht University. Since the foundation of the university in 1636 an ...
) in
Utrecht
Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...
,
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. He is the first child of
Princess Beatrix
Beatrix (Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard, ; born 31 January 1938) is a member of the Dutch royal house who reigned as Queen of the Netherlands from 1980 until her abdication in 2013.
Beatrix is the eldest daughter of Queen Juliana and her husban ...
and
Prince Claus
Prince Claus of the Netherlands, Jonkheer van Amsberg (born Klaus-Georg Wilhelm Otto Friedrich Gerd von Amsberg; 6 September 1926 – 6 October 2002) was Prince consort of the Netherlands from 30 April 1980 until his death in 2002 as the husband ...
, and the first grandchild of
Queen Juliana
Juliana (; Juliana Louise Emma Marie Wilhelmina; 30 April 1909 – 20 March 2004) was Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until her abdication in 1980.
Juliana was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. S ...
and
Prince Bernhard
, house = Lippe
, father = Prince Bernhard of Lippe
, mother = Armgard von Cramm
, birth_date =
, birth_name = Count Bernhard of Biesterfeld
, birth_place = Jena, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Germany
, death_date = ...
. He was the first male Dutch royal baby since the birth of
Prince Alexander in 1851, and the first immediate male heir since Alexander's death in 1884.
From birth, Willem-Alexander has held the titles Prince of the Netherlands ( nl, Prins der Nederlanden), Prince of
Orange-Nassau (Dutch: ''Prins van Oranje-Nassau''), and
Jonkheer
(female equivalent: ; french: Écuyer; en, Squire) is an honorific in the Low Countries denoting the lowest rank within the nobility. In the Netherlands, this in general concerns a prefix used by the untitled nobility. In Belgium, this is the ...
of
Amsberg
Amsberg (german: von Amsberg, nl, van Amsberg) is the name of a German nobility, German noble family from Mecklenburg. A great-grandson of a blacksmith, parish pastor August Amsberg (1747–1820) started calling himself "von Amsberg" in 1795 an ...
(Dutch: ''Jonkheer van Amsberg''). He was baptised as a member of the
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church (, abbreviated NHK) was the largest Christian denomination in the Netherlands from the onset of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century until 1930. It was the original denomination of the Dutch Royal Family and ...
on in Saint Jacob's Church in
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
. His godparents are his maternal grandfather
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
, house = Lippe
, father = Prince Bernhard of Lippe
, mother = Armgard von Cramm
, birth_date =
, birth_name = Count Bernhard of Biesterfeld
, birth_place = Jena, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, Germany
, death_date = ...
, his paternal grandmother
Gösta Freiin von dem Bussche-Haddenhausen,
Prince Ferdinand von Bismarck, former Prime Minister
Jelle Zijlstra
Jelle Zijlstra (; 27 August 1918 – 23 December 2001) was a Dutch politician of the defunct Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP) now the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and economist who served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 N ...
,
Jonkvrouw
(female equivalent: ; french: Écuyer; en, Squire) is an honorific in the Low Countries denoting the lowest rank within the nobility. In the Netherlands, this in general concerns a prefix used by the untitled nobility. In Belgium, this is the ...
Renée
Röell, and Queen
Margrethe II of Denmark
Margrethe II (; Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid, born 16 April 1940) is Queen of Denmark. Having reigned as Denmark's monarch for over 50 years, she is Europe's longest-serving current head of state and the world's only incumbent femal ...
.
He had two younger brothers:
Prince Friso (1968–2013) and
Prince Constantijn (born in 1969). He lived with his family at the castle
Drakensteyn
Drakensteyn Castle (Dutch: ''Drakensteyn'', sometimes ''Drakesteijn'' or ''Drakestein'') is a small castle at 8 Slotlaan in the hamlet of Lage Vuursche, in the municipality of Baarn, Netherlands. It is the private residence of Princess Beatrix of ...
in the hamlet
Lage Vuursche
Lage Vuursche () is a village in the municipality of Baarn in the Netherlands. It lies about west of Soest, surrounded by woods, in the province of Utrecht.
In 2001 the village of Lage Vuursche had 139 inhabitants. The built-up area of the town ...
near
Baarn
Baarn () is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, near Hilversum in the province of Utrecht.
The municipality of Baarn
The municipality of Baarn consists of the following towns: Baarn, Eembrugge, Lage Vuursche.
The town of Baarn
Ba ...
from his birth until 1981, when they moved to the larger palace
Huis ten Bosch
Huis ten Bosch ( nl, Paleis Huis ten Bosch, ; English: "House in the Woods") is a royal palace in The Hague, Netherlands. It is one of three official residences of the Dutch monarch; the two others being the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague and ...
in The Hague. His mother, Beatrix, became Queen of the Netherlands in 1980, after his grandmother Juliana abdicated. He then received the title of
Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange (or Princess of Orange if the holder is female) is a title originally associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France and subsequently held by sovereigns in the Netherlands.
The title ...
as
heir apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
to the throne of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands
, national_anthem = )
, image_map = Kingdom of the Netherlands (orthographic projection).svg
, map_width = 250px
, image_map2 = File:KonDerNed-10-10-10.png
, map_caption2 = Map of the four constituent countries shown to scale
, capital = ...
at the age of 13.
Willem-Alexander attended local state primary school Nieuwe Baarnse Elementary School in
Baarn
Baarn () is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, near Hilversum in the province of Utrecht.
The municipality of Baarn
The municipality of Baarn consists of the following towns: Baarn, Eembrugge, Lage Vuursche.
The town of Baarn
Ba ...
from 1973 to 1979. He went to two different state secondary schools: the Baarns Lyceum in Baarn from 1979 to 1981 and the Eerste Vrijzinnig Christelijk Lyceum in
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
from 1981 to 1983, and the private sixth-form college
United World College of the Atlantic
Atlantic College (formally the United World College of the Atlantic; alternatively styled UWC Atlantic College, UWCAC, or UWCA) is an independent boarding school in the Vale of Glamorgan in south Wales. Founded in 1962, it was the first of th ...
in
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
, the
UK (1983 to 1985), from which he received his
International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB Dip ...
.
After his military service from 1985 to 1987, Willem-Alexander studied
History
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
at
Leiden University
Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; nl, Universiteit Leiden) is a Public university, public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. The university was founded as a Protestant university in 1575 by William the Silent, William, Prince o ...
from 1987 onwards and received his
MA degree
Degree may refer to:
As a unit of measurement
* Degree (angle), a unit of angle measurement
** Degree of geographical latitude
** Degree of geographical longitude
* Degree symbol (°), a notation used in science, engineering, and mathematics
...
() in 1993. His final thesis was on the Dutch response to France's
decision under
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government ...
to leave the
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
's integrated command structure.
Willem-Alexander speaks
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
,
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
,
French and
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
(his father's native language, despite never getting German language lessons from him) fluently in addition to his native
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
.
Military training and career
![Prins Willem-Alexander als LTZ3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Prins_Willem-Alexander_als_LTZ3.jpg)
Between secondary school and his university education, Willem-Alexander performed military service in the
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Royal Netherlands Navy ( nl, Koninklijke Marine, links=no) is the naval force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
During the 17th century, the navy of the Dutch Republic (1581–1795) was one of the most powerful naval forces in the world an ...
from August 1985 until January 1987. He received his training at the
Royal Netherlands Naval College
The Royal Naval College was the service academy of the Royal Netherlands Navy. From 2005 it is part of the ("Royal naval institute" or KIM) as part of the ("Netherlands defence academy") in Den Helder. It offers a program of four or five year ...
and the frigates
HNLMS ''Tromp'' and
HNLMS ''Abraham Crijnssen'', where he was an
ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
. In 1988 he received additional training at the ship
HNLMS ''Van Kinsbergen'' and became a
lieutenant (junior grade)
Lieutenant junior grade is a junior commissioned officer rank used in a number of navies.
United States
Lieutenant (junior grade), commonly abbreviated as LTJG or, historically, Lt. (j.g.) (as well as variants of both abbreviations), ...
().
As a
reservist
A reservist is a person who is a member of a military reserve force. They are otherwise civilians, and in peacetime have careers outside the military. Reservists usually go for training on an annual basis to refresh their skills. This person is ...
for the Royal Netherlands Navy, Willem-Alexander was promoted to
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...
in 1995,
Commander
Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain.
...
in 1997,
Captain at Sea
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The rank is equal to the army rank of colonel and air force rank of group captain.
Equivalent ranks worldwide include ...
in 2001, and
Commodore
Commodore may refer to:
Ranks
* Commodore (rank), a naval rank
** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom
** Commodore (United States)
** Commodore (Canada)
** Commodore (Finland)
** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore''
* Air commodore ...
in 2005. As a reservist for the
Royal Netherlands Army
The Royal Netherlands Army ( nl, Koninklijke Landmacht) is the land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised – making the Dutc ...
, he was made a
Major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
(
Grenadiers' and Rifles Guard Regiment) in 1995, and was promoted to
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
in 1997,
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
in 2001, and
Brigadier General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
in 2005. As a reservist for the
Royal Netherlands Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = ''Parade March of the Royal Netherlands Air Force''
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment ...
, he was made
Squadron Leader
Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...
in 1995 and promoted to
Air Commodore in 2005. As a reservist for the
Royal Marechaussee
The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee ( nl, Koninklijke Marechaussee, abbreviated to KMar) is the national gendarmerie force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, performing military and civilian police duties. It is also one of the two national pol ...
, he was made
Brigadier General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
in 2005.
Before his investiture as king in 2013, Willem-Alexander was honourably discharged from the armed forces. The government declared that the
head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
cannot be a serving member of the armed forces, since the government itself holds supreme command over the armed forces. As king, Willem-Alexander may choose to wear a military uniform with
royal insignia
The royal insignia ( nl, koninklijk distinctief) is the military insignia specially designed for Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands for use on his military uniforms after his investiture as King of the Netherlands in 2013. The insignia consi ...
, but not with his former rank insignia.
Activities and social interests
![Willem-Alexander and Máxima at the White House](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Willem-Alexander_and_M%C3%A1xima_at_the_White_House.jpg)
Since 1985, when he became 18 years old, Willem-Alexander has been a member of the
Council of State of the Netherlands
The Council of State ( nl, ) is a constitutionally established advisory body in the Netherlands to the government and States General that officially consists of members of the royal family and Crown-appointed members generally having political ...
. This is the highest council of the
Dutch government
The politics of the Netherlands take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democracy, a constitutional monarchy, and a decentralised unitary state.''Civil service systems in Western Europe'' edited by A. J. G. M. Bekk ...
and is chaired by the head of state (then Queen Beatrix).
Willem-Alexander is interested in
water management
Water resources are natural resources of water that are potentially useful for humans, for example as a source of drinking water supply or irrigation water. 97% of the water on the Earth is salt water and only three percent is fresh water; slight ...
and sports issues. He was an honorary member of the World Commission on Water for the 21st century and patron of the Global Water Partnership, a body established by the
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
, the UN, and the Swedish Ministry of Development. He was appointed as the Chairperson of the United Nations Secretary General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation on .
On 10 October 2010, Willem-Alexander and Máxima went to the
Netherlands Antilles
nl, In vrijheid verenigd"Unified by freedom"
, national_anthem =
, common_languages = Dutch English Papiamento
, demonym = Netherlands Antillean
, capital = Willemstad
, year_start = 1954
, year_end = 2010
, date_start = 15 December
, ...
' capital,
Willemstad
Willemstad ( , ; ; en, William I of the Netherlands, William Town, italic=yes) is the capital city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that forms a Countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, constituent country of the Kingdo ...
, to attend and represent
his mother, the Queen, at the
Antillean Dissolution ceremony.
He was a patron of the Dutch Olympic Games Committee until 1998 when he was made a member of the
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...
(IOC). After becoming King, he relinquished his membership and received the Gold
Olympic Order
The Olympic Order, established in 1975, is the highest award of the Olympic Movement. It is awarded for particularly distinguished contributions to the Olympic Movement, i.e. recognition of efforts worthy of merit in the cause of sport. Traditi ...
at the
125th IOC Session. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics ( nl, Olympische Zomerspelen 1928), officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad ( nl, Spelen van de IXe Olympiade) and commonly known as Amsterdam 1928, was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from ...
held in Amsterdam, he had expressed support to bid for the
2028 Summer Olympics
The 2028 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad, also known as Los Angeles 2028 or LA28) is an upcoming international multi-sport event scheduled to take place from July 14 to July 30, 2028, in and around Los Angeles, Cali ...
.
He was a member of the supervisory board of (the Dutch central bank), a member of the Advisory Council of ECP (the information society forum for government, business and civil society), patron of Veterans' Day and held several other patronages and posts.
Reign
On , Beatrix announced her intention of abdicating. On the morning of , Beatrix signed the instrument of abdication at the (Moses Hall) at the
Royal Palace of Amsterdam
The Royal Palace of Amsterdam in Amsterdam (Dutch: ''Koninklijk Paleis van Amsterdam'' or ) is one of three palaces in the Netherlands which are at the disposal of the monarch by Act of Parliament. It is situated on the west side of Dam Square i ...
. Later that afternoon, Willem-Alexander was inaugurated as king in front of the joint assembly of the
States General The word States-General, or Estates-General, may refer to:
Currently in use
* Estates-General on the Situation and Future of the French Language in Quebec, the name of a commission set up by the government of Quebec on June 29, 2000
* States Gener ...
in a ceremony held at the
Nieuwe Kerk.
As king, Willem-Alexander has weekly meetings with the prime minister and speaks regularly with ministers and state secretaries. He also signs all new Acts of Parliament and royal decrees. He represents the kingdom at home and abroad. At the State Opening of Parliament, he delivers the Speech from the Throne, which announces the plans of the government for the parliamentary year. The Constitution requires that the king appoint, dismiss and swear in all government ministers and state secretaries. As king, he is also the President of the
Council of State
A Council of State is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head o ...
, an advisory body that reviews proposed legislation. In modern practice, the monarch seldom chairs council meetings.
At his accession at age 46, he was Europe's youngest monarch. On the inauguration of Spain's
Felipe VI
Felipe VI (;,
* eu, Felipe VI.a,
* ca, Felip VI,
* gl, Filipe VI, . Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia; born 30 January 1968) is King of Spain. He is the son of former King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía, and h ...
on , he became, and remains, Europe's second-youngest monarch. He is also the first male monarch of the Netherlands since the death of his great-great-grandfather
William III in 1890. Willem-Alexander was one of four new monarchs to take the throne in 2013 along with
Pope Francis
Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...
, the
Emir Tamim bin Hamad of Qatar, and
King Philippe of Belgium.
Other activities
![Ellen van Dijk, Time Trial Olympic Summer Games 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Ellen_van_Dijk%2C_Time_Trial_Olympic_Summer_Games_2012.jpg)
Willem-Alexander is an avid pilot and has said that if he had not been a royal, he would have liked to be an airline pilot so he could fly internationally on large-sized aircraft such as the
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a large, long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2022.
After introducing the 707 in October 1958, Pan Am wanted a jet times its size, t ...
. During the reign of his mother, he regularly flew the Dutch royal aircraft on trips. However, in May 2017, Willem-Alexander revealed that he had served as a first officer on
KLM
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, legally ''Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V.'' (literal translation: Royal Aviation Company Plc.), is the flag carrier airline of the Netherlands. KLM is headquartered in Amstelveen, with its hub at nearby Amste ...
flights for 21 years, flying
KLM Cityhopper's
Fokker 70
The Fokker 70 is a narrow-body, twin-engined, medium-range, turbofan regional airliner designed and produced by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.
It was developed during the early 1990s as a smaller version of the newly-developed Fokker ...
s twice a month, even after his accession to the throne. Following KLM's phased retirement of the Fokker 70, he began training to fly
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Renton Factory in Washington.
Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the twinjet retains the 707 fuselage width and six abreast seating with two un ...
s. Willem-Alexander was rarely recognized while in the KLM uniform and wearing the KLM cap, though a few passengers recognized his voice, even though he never gave his name and only welcomed passengers on behalf of the captain and crew.
Using the name "W. A.
van Buren", one of the least-known titles of the
House of Orange-Nassau, he participated in the 1986 Frisian
Elfstedentocht
The ''Elfstedentocht'' (; West Frisian: ''Alvestêdetocht'' , English: ''Eleven cities tour'') is a long-distance tour skating event on natural ice, almost long, which is held both as a speed skating competition (with 300 contestants) and a lei ...
, a distance
ice skating
Ice skating is the self-propulsion and gliding of a person across an ice surface, using metal-bladed ice skates. People skate for various reasons, including recreation (fun), exercise, competitive sports, and commuting. Ice skating may be per ...
tour. He ran the
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon (currently branded TCS New York City Marathon after its headline sponsor) is an annual marathon () that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is the largest marathon in the world, with 53,627 finishe ...
under the same pseudonym in 1992. Willem-Alexander completed both events.
Marriage and children
![Willemmaxima trouwen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Willemmaxima_trouwen.jpg)
On 2 February 2002, he married
Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti Máxima may refer to
* ''Máxima'' (magazine)
* Máxima FM, Spanish radio station
* Queen Máxima of the Netherlands
Máxima (born Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti; 17 May 1971) is Queen of the Netherlands as the wife of King Willem-Alexander.
A ...
at the
Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. The marriage triggered significant controversy due to the role the bride's father,
Jorge Zorreguieta
Jorge Horacio Zorreguieta Stefanini (28 January 1928 – 8 August 2017) was an Argentine politician who served as Secretary of Agriculture in the regime of General Jorge Rafael Videla. Zorreguieta was the father of Queen Máxima of the Netherl ...
, had in the
Argentinian military dictatorship. The couple have three daughters:
The Princess of Orange,
Princess Alexia, and
Princess Ariane
Princess Ariane of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau (Ariane Wilhelmina Máxima Inés; born 10 April 2007) is the third and youngest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. Princess Ariane is a member of the Dutch Royal Hous ...
.
Privacy and the press
In an attempt to strike a balance between privacy for the royal family and availability to the press, the
Netherlands Government Information Service
The Netherlands Government Information Service (''Dutch:'' Rijksvoorlichtingsdienst, abbrev.: RVD) is a Dutch government agency. The RVD is the official information service of the Dutch government and is the spokesbody for the prime minister, the ...
(RVD) instituted a media code on which essentially states that:
* Photographs of the members of the royal house while performing their duties are always permitted.
* For other occasions (like holidays or vacations), the RVD will arrange a photo-op on condition that the press leave the family alone for the rest of the activity.
During a ski vacation in
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, several photographs were taken of the prince and his family during the private part of their holiday, including one by
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...
staff photographer Natacha Pisarenko, in spite of the media code, and after a photo opportunity had been provided earlier. The Associated Press decided to publish some of the photos, which were subsequently republished by several Dutch media. Willem-Alexander and the RVD jointly filed
suit against the Associated Press on , and the trial started on at the
district court in Amsterdam. On , the district court ruled in favour of the prince and RVD, citing that the couple has a right to privacy, that the pictures in question add nothing to any public debate, and that they are not of any particular value to society since they are not photographs of his family "at work". Associated Press was sentenced to stop further publication of the photographs, on pain of a fine per violation with a maximum.
Properties
From 2003 until 2019, Willem-Alexander and his family lived in Villa Eikenhorst on the De Horsten Estate in
Wassenaar
Wassenaar (; population: in ) is a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality and Dorp (town), town located in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, on the western coast of the Netherlands.
An affluent suburb of The ...
.
After his mother abdicated and became Princess Beatrix once again, she moved to the castle of
Drakensteyn
Drakensteyn Castle (Dutch: ''Drakensteyn'', sometimes ''Drakesteijn'' or ''Drakestein'') is a small castle at 8 Slotlaan in the hamlet of Lage Vuursche, in the municipality of Baarn, Netherlands. It is the private residence of Princess Beatrix of ...
, after which the King and his family moved to the newly renovated monarch's palace of
Huis ten Bosch
Huis ten Bosch ( nl, Paleis Huis ten Bosch, ; English: "House in the Woods") is a royal palace in The Hague, Netherlands. It is one of three official residences of the Dutch monarch; the two others being the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague and ...
in The Hague in 2019.
Willem-Alexander has a villa near
Kranidi
Kranidi ( el, , Katharevousa: ) is a town and a former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Ermionida, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The municipal u ...
, Greece.
Villa in Machangulo
On 10 July 2008, the Prince of Orange and Princess Maxima announced that they had invested in a development project on the
Mozambican peninsula of
Machangulo The southern perimeter of Maputo Bay from space: Machangulo peninsula and Inhaca Island are at right and top right respectively.
The Machangulo peninsula is situated in the southernmost part of Mozambique adjacent to Inhaca and Portuguese Isla ...
. The development project was aimed at building an ecologically responsible vacation resort, including a hotel and several luxury holiday homes for investors. The project was to invest heavily in the local economy of the peninsula (building schools and a local clinic) with an eye both towards responsible sustainability and maintaining a local staff. After contacting Mozambican President
Armando Guebuza
Armando Emílio Guebuza (born 20 January 1943) is a Mozambican politician who was the third President of Mozambique from 2005 to 2015.
Career
Guebuza, born at Murrupula in Nampula Province, joined the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) at ...
to verify that the Mozambican government had no objections, the couple decided to invest in two villas. In 2009, controversy erupted in parliament and the press about the project and the prince's involvement. Politician
Alexander Pechtold
Alexander Pechtold (born 16 December 1965) is a retired Dutch politician and art historian. He is a member of Democrats 66.
Pechtold studied Archaeology and History of Dutch Art at the Leiden University obtaining a Master of Arts degree. Pecht ...
questioned the morality of building such a resort in a poor country like Mozambique. After public and parliamentary controversy, the royal couple announced that they had decided to sell the property in Machangulo once their house was completed. In January 2012, it was confirmed that the villa had been sold.
Titles, styles, honours and arms
Titles and styles
* : ''His Royal Highness'' Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Jonkheer van Amsberg
* : ''His Royal Highness'' The Prince of Orange
* present: ''His Majesty'' The King of the Netherlands
Willem-Alexander is the first Dutch king since
Willem III ( 1890). Willem-Alexander had earlier indicated that when he became king, he would take the name ''Willem IV'', but it was announced in January 2013 that his regnal name would be ''Willem-Alexander''.
Military ranks
![Royal guest Wedding Victoria](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Royal_guest_Wedding_Victoria.jpg)
Royal Netherlands Navy – conscripted
*
![Nl-marine-vloot-luitenant ter zee der 3e klasse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Nl-marine-vloot-luitenant_ter_zee_der_3e_klasse.svg)
Lieutenant at sea, third class (
Ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
) (August 1985January 1987)
*
![Nl-marine-vloot-luitenant ter zee der 2e klasse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Nl-marine-vloot-luitenant_ter_zee_der_2e_klasse.svg)
Lieutenant at sea, second class (
Sub-lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is usually a junior officer rank, used in armies, navies and air forces.
In most armies, sub-lieutenant is the lowest officer rank. However, in Brazil, it is the highest non-commissioned rank, and in Spain, it is the second high ...
) (watch officer, 1988)
Royal Netherlands Navy – reserve
*
![Nl-marine-vloot-luitenant ter zee der 2e klasse oudste categorie](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Nl-marine-vloot-luitenant_ter_zee_der_2e_klasse_oudste_categorie.svg)
Lieutenant at sea, second class (senior grade) (
Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
) (1988–1995)
*
![Nl-marine-vloot-luitenant ter zee der 1e klasse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Nl-marine-vloot-luitenant_ter_zee_der_1e_klasse.svg)
Lieutenant at sea, first class (
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...
) (1995–1997)
*
![Nl-marine-vloot-kapitein luitenant ter zee](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Nl-marine-vloot-kapitein_luitenant_ter_zee.svg)
Captain-lieutenant at sea (
Commander
Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain.
...
) (1997–2001)
*
Captain at Sea
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The rank is equal to the army rank of colonel and air force rank of group captain.
Equivalent ranks worldwide include ...
(2001–2005)
*
Commodore
Commodore may refer to:
Ranks
* Commodore (rank), a naval rank
** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom
** Commodore (United States)
** Commodore (Canada)
** Commodore (Finland)
** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore''
* Air commodore ...
(2005–2013)
Royal Netherlands Air Force – reserve
*
Squadron Leader
Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...
(1995–2005)
*
Air Commodore (2005–2013)
Royal Netherlands Army – reserve
*
Major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
,
Grenadiers' and Rifles Guard Regiment (1995–1997)
*
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
(1997–2001)
*
Colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
(2001–2005)
*
Brigadier General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
(2005–2013)
Royal Marechaussee
The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee ( nl, Koninklijke Marechaussee, abbreviated to KMar) is the national gendarmerie force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, performing military and civilian police duties. It is also one of the two national pol ...
– reserve
*
Brigadier General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
(2005–2013)
King's Insignia, all services
*
Royal insignia as King (2013–present)
Qualifications
*
Military Pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they ar ...
Honours
National
*
![NLD Military Order of William - Grand Cross BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/NLD_Military_Order_of_William_-_Grand_Cross_BAR.png)
Grand Master of the
Military William Order
The Military William Order, or often named Military Order of William (Dutch: , abbreviation: MWO), is the oldest and highest honour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is named after St. William of Gellone (755–814), the first Prince of Oran ...
*
![Order of the Netherlands Lion ribbon - Knight Grand Cross](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Order_of_the_Netherlands_Lion_ribbon_-_Knight_Grand_Cross.svg)
Grand Master and Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of the Netherlands Lion
The Order of the Netherlands Lion, also known as the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands ( nl, De Orde van de Nederlandse Leeuw, french: L'Ordre du Lion Néerlandais) is a Dutch order of chivalry founded by King William I of the Netherlands on ...
*
![Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Knight Grand Cross](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Order_of_Orange-Nassau_ribbon_-_Knight_Grand_Cross.svg)
Grand Master of the
Order of Orange-Nassau
The Order of Orange-Nassau ( nl, Orde van Oranje-Nassau, links=no) is a civil and military Dutch order of chivalry founded on 4 April 1892 by the queen regent, Emma of the Netherlands.
The order is a chivalric order open to "everyone who has ...
*
![Ordre du Lion d'Or de la Maison de Nassau ribbon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Ordre_du_Lion_d%27Or_de_la_Maison_de_Nassau_ribbon.svg)
Co-Grand Master and Knight of the
Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau
The Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau (french: Ordre du Lion d'Or de la Maison de Nassau, nl, Huisorde van de Gouden Leeuw van Nassau) is a chivalric order shared by the two branches of the House of Nassau (the Ottonian and Walramian ...
*
![NED Huisorde van Oranje A1 BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/NED_Huisorde_van_Oranje_A1_BAR.png)
Grand Master and Grand Cross of the
Order of the House of Orange
The Order of the House of Orange (Dutch: ''Huisorde van Oranje''), sometimes referred to as the House Order of Orange, is a dynastic order of the House of Orange-Nassau, the royal family of the Netherlands similar to the Royal Victorian Order in ...
*
![NED Kroonorde A1 BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/NED_Kroonorde_A1_BAR.png)
Grand Master of the
Order of the Crown
*
![Order of the House of Orange - Ribbon bar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Order_of_the_House_of_Orange_-_Ribbon_bar.svg)
Grand Master of the
Order for Loyalty and Merit
*
![Order of St John (UK) ribbon -vector](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Order_of_St_John_%28UK%29_ribbon_-vector.svg)
Honorary Commander of the
Order of Saint John in the Netherlands
*
![Order of the Golden Ark](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Order_of_the_Golden_Ark.png)
Grand Master of the
Order of the Golden Ark
The Most Excellent Order of the Golden Ark ( nl, Orde van de Gouden Ark) is a Dutch order of merit established in 1971 by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. It is awarded to people for major contributions to nature conservation. Although not ...
*
![Baton Elfstedenkruis](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Baton_Elfstedenkruis.jpg)
Recipient of the
Eleven Cities Cross
*
![Officer's cross for long service](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Officer%27s_cross_for_long_service.png)
Recipient of the
*
![Queen Beatrix Investiture Medal 1980](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Queen_Beatrix_Investiture_Medal_1980.gif)
Recipient of the
Queen Beatrix Inauguration Medal
*
![Royal Wedding Medal 2002](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Royal_Wedding_Medal_2002.gif)
Recipient of the
Wedding Medal of Prince Willem-Alexander to Maxima Zorruigeta
Foreign
*: Collar of the
Order of the Liberator General San Martín
The Order of the Liberator General San Martín ( es, Orden del Libertador General San Martín) is the highest decoration in Argentina. It is awarded to foreign politicians or military, deemed worthy of the highest recognition from Argentina. It is ...
*: Grand Star of the
Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
The Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (german: Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich) is a state decoration of the Republic of Austria. It is divided into 15 classes and is the highest award in the A ...
*:
** Grand Cordon of the
Order of Leopold (2016)
** Grand Cross of the
Order of the Crown (1993)
*: Grand Cross of the
Order of the Southern Cross
Emperor Pedro I of Brazil founded the National Order of the Southern Cross ( pt, Ordem Nacional do Cruzeiro do Sul) as a Brazilian order of chivalry on 1 December 1822. The order aimed to commemorate the independence of Brazil (7 September 18 ...
*: Member 1st Class of the
Family Order of Laila Utama
The Most Esteemed Family Order of Laila Utama ( ms, Darjah Kerabat Laila Utama Yang Amat Dihormati) is an order of Brunei. It was established on 1 March 1954 by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. The order carries the post-nominal letters "DK" as ...
*: Member 1st Class of the Amílcar Cabral Order ()
*: Grand Cross of the
Order of the Merit
*: Knight of the
Order of the Elephant
The Order of the Elephant ( da, Elefantordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry and is Denmark's highest-ranked honour. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional ...
()
*: Collar with Star of the
Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
The Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana ( et, Maarjamaa Risti teenetemärk, sometimes translated as the Order of the Cross of St. Mary's Land) was instituted by the President of Estonia, Lennart Meri, on 16 May 1995 to honour the independence of ...
()
*:
** Grand Cross of the
Order of the Legion of Honour ()
** Grand Cross of the
National Order of Merit
*:
** Grand Cross First class of the
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...
** Grand Cross Special Class of the
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...
()
* : Grand Cross of the
Order of the Redeemer
The Order of the Redeemer ( el, Τάγμα του Σωτήρος, translit=Tágma tou Sotíros), also known as the Order of the Saviour, is an order of merit of Greece. The Order of the Redeemer is the oldest and highest decoration awarded by the ...
(31 October 2022)
*:
Star of Mahaputera 1st Class
*: Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ( it, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi.
The highest-ranking ...
*: Grand Cordon with Collar of the
Order of the Chrysanthemum
is Japan's highest order. The Grand Cordon of the Order was established in 1876 by Emperor Meiji of Japan; the Collar of the Order was added on 4 January 1888. Unlike its European counterparts, the order may be conferred posthumously.
Apart f ...
()
*: Commander Grand Cross with Chain 1st Class of the
Order of the Three Stars
Order of the Three Stars ( lv, Triju Zvaigžņu ordenis) is the highest civilian order awarded for meritorious service to Latvia
Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvija ...
()
*: Grand Cross with Golden Chain of the
Order of Vytautas the Great
The Order of Vytautas the Great is the Lithuanian Presidential Award.''Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucija. 84 straipsnis''. Priimta 1992 It may be conferred on the heads of Lithuania and foreign states, as well as their citizens, for distinguished ...
()
*:
** Grand Cross of the
Order of Adolphe of Nassau
The Order of Civil and Military Merit of Adolph of Nassau (french: Ordre de Mérite civil et militaire d’Adolphe de Nassau) is an order of merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for meritorious service to the Grand Duke, the Grand-Ducal House ...
** Grand Cross of the
Order of the Oak Crown
The Order of the Oak Crown (french: Ordre de la Couronne de chêne, german: Eichenlaubkronenorden, lb, Eechelaafkrounenuerden) is an order of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
History
The Order of the Oak Crown was established in 1841 by Gran ...
*: Sash of the
Order of the Aztec Eagle
The Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle ( es, Orden Mexicana del Águila Azteca) forms part of the Mexican Honours System and is the highest Mexican order awarded to foreigners in the country.
History
It was created by decree on December 29, 193 ...
(2009)
*: Grand Cross with Collar of the
Order of St. Olav (1996) (2021)
*: Member Special Class of the
Order of Oman
The Order of Oman (''Wisam al-Oman'') is the second highest order of Oman.
History
The Order of Oman was instituted in 1970 by Sultan Qaboss in two divisions, civil and military. He added in 1982 a Special Class, "The Most Honourable Order of ...
*: Knight of the
Order of the White Eagle
*: Grand Collar of the
Order of Prince Henry
The Order of Prince Henry ( pt, Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique) is a Portuguese order of knighthood created on 2 June 1960, to commemorate the quincentenary of the death of the Portuguese prince Henry the Navigator, one of the main initiators of ...
()
*: Knight Grand Cross of the
Order of Isabella the Catholic
The Order of Isabella the Catholic ( es, Orden de Isabel la Católica) is a Spanish civil order and honor granted to persons and institutions in recognition of extraordinary services to the homeland or the promotion of international relations a ...
*: Knight with Collar of the
Royal Order of the Seraphim
The Royal Order of the Seraphim ( sv, Kungliga Serafimerorden; ''Seraphim'' being a category of angels) is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the P ...
() (2022)
*: Knight Grand Cordon of the
Order of Chula Chom Klao
The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao ( th, เครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์จุลจอมเกล้า; ) was established on 16 November 1873 by King Chulalongkorn, Rama V of The Thailand, Kingdom of ...
*: Grand Cross of the Order of Union
*: Stranger Knight of the
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George C ...
()
*: Grand Cross of the
Order of the Liberator
The Order of the Liberator was the highest distinction of Venezuela and was appointed for services to the country, outstanding merit and benefits made to the community. For Venezuelans the order ranks first in the order of precedence from other or ...
Awards
*
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...
: Recipient of the
Gold Olympic Order ()
Honorary appointment
*
Aide-de-camp to Her Majesty The Queen (until 2013)
Arms
Ancestry
Through his father, a member of the
House of Amsberg
Amsberg (german: von Amsberg, nl, van Amsberg) is the name of a German noble family from Mecklenburg. A great-grandson of a blacksmith, parish pastor August Amsberg (1747–1820) started calling himself "von Amsberg" in 1795 and the family's r ...
, he is descended from families of the lower
German nobility
The German nobility (german: deutscher Adel) and royalty were status groups of the medieval society in Central Europe, which enjoyed certain privileges relative to other people under the laws and customs in the German-speaking area, until the b ...
, and through his mother, from several royal German–Dutch families such as the
House of Lippe
The House of Lippe (german: Haus Lippe) is the former reigning house of a number of small Germany, German states, two of which existed until the German Revolution of 1918–19, the Principality of Lippe and the Schaumburg-Lippe, Principality of S ...
,
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
The Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1701, when Frederick William and Adolphus Frederick II divided the Duchy of Mecklenburg between Schwerin and Strelitz. Ruled by the successors of the Nikloting Hous ...
, the
House of Orange-Nassau,
Waldeck and Pyrmont
The County of Waldeck (later the Principality of Waldeck and Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont) was a state of the Holy Roman Empire and its successors from the late 12th century until 1929. In 1349 the county gained Imperial immediacy and in 1 ...
, and the
House of Hohenzollern
The House of Hohenzollern (, also , german: Haus Hohenzollern, , ro, Casa de Hohenzollern) is a German royal (and from 1871 to 1918, imperial) dynasty whose members were variously princes, Prince-elector, electors, kings and emperors of Hohenzol ...
. He is descended from the first king of the Netherlands,
William I of the Netherlands
William I (Willem Frederik, Prince of Orange-Nassau; 24 August 1772 – 12 December 1843) was a Prince of Orange, the King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg.
He was the son of the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, who we ...
, who was also a ruler in Luxembourg and several German states, and all subsequent Dutch monarchs.
Through his mother, Willem-Alexander also descends from
Paul I of Russia
Paul I (russian: Па́вел I Петро́вич ; – ) was Emperor of Russia from 1796 until his assassination. Officially, he was the only son of Peter III of Russia, Peter III and Catherine the Great, although Catherine hinted that he w ...
and thus from German princess
Catherine the Great
, en, Catherine Alexeievna Romanova, link=yes
, house =
, father = Christian August, Prince of Anhalt-Zerbst
, mother = Joanna Elisabeth of Holstein-Gottorp
, birth_date =
, birth_name = Princess Sophie of Anhal ...
and Swedish King
Gustav I
Gustav I, born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family and later known as Gustav Vasa (12 May 1496 – 29 September 1560), was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death in 1560, previously self-recognised Protector of the Realm ('' Riksföre ...
. Through his father, he is also descended from several Dutch–Flemish families who left the
Low Countries
The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
during Spanish rule, such as the
Berenbergs. His paternal great-great-grandfather Gabriel von Amsberg, a major-general of Mecklenburg, was recognized as noble as late as 1891, the family having adopted the "
von
The term ''von'' () is used in German language surnames either as a nobiliary particle indicating a noble patrilineality, or as a simple preposition used by commoners that means ''of'' or ''from''.
Nobility directories like the ''Almanach de ...
" in 1795.
Willem-Alexander is a descendant of King
George II George II or 2 may refer to:
People
* George II of Antioch (seventh century AD)
* George II of Armenia (late ninth century)
* George II of Abkhazia (916–960)
* Patriarch George II of Alexandria (1021–1051)
* George II of Georgia (1072–1089) ...
and, more relevant for his succession rights, of his granddaughter
Princess Augusta of Great Britain
Princess Augusta Frederica of Great Britain (31 July 1737 – 23 March 1813) was a British princess, granddaughter of George II and the only elder sibling of George III. She was Duchess of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Princess of Brunswick-Wolfenbü ...
. Under the
British Act of Settlement, King Willem-Alexander temporarily forfeited his (distant) succession rights to the
throne of the United Kingdom by marrying a Roman Catholic. This right has since been restored in 2015 under the
Succession to the Crown Act 2013.
References
External links
* (English)
Official website(Dutch)
*
{{Thai sort key not needed
1967 births
Amsberg
Collars of the Order of the Liberator General San Martin
Dutch aviators
Dutch monarchs
Dutch people of German descent
Extra Knights Companion of the Garter
Grand Collars of the Order of Prince Henry
Grand Crosses Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Grand Crosses with Golden Chain of the Order of Vytautas the Great
House of Orange-Nassau
International Olympic Committee members
Jonkheers of Amsberg
Knights Grand Cordon of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
Knights Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Leiden University alumni
Living people
Members of the Council of State (Netherlands)
People educated at a United World College
People educated at Atlantic College
People from Utrecht (city)
People from Wassenaar
Princes of Orange-Nassau
Princes of Orange
Protestant Church Christians from the Netherlands
Protestant monarchs
Recipients of the Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
Recipients of the Cross of Recognition
Recipients of the Olympic Order
Recipients of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
Royal Netherlands Navy officers