Surreal queens and cityscapes of tulips sum up a royal year

The Dutch Royal Family is a close family that keeps an extremely busy schedule. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima went into the eleventh year of their reign with a renewed dedication to their royal roles. 

Paleis Het Loo exhibits Andy Warhol’s Reigning Queens series

In October, Princess Beatrix opened a new exhibition at the Paleis het Loo. Princess Beatrix was able to see the new exhibition of Andy Warhol’s series, Reigning Queens. The colourful portraits feature: Queen Beatrix, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Margrethe II, and Queen Ntombi Tfwala. 

The Paleis het Loo is the only museum in Europe that currently owns the full collection from Warhol. Unfortunately the portraits will not be displayed after, as the fragile nature of the portraits requires storage. 

Princess Amalia shares that she lived in Spain for a year

It was revealed in April that the Princess of Orange had been living in Madrid for much of last year due to intense security concerns. In October 2022, it was revealed that threats from Dutch organised crime organisations forced the princess to move out of student accommodations.

In 2023, she spent most of the year living with the Spanish Royal Family and studying remotely to manage security concerns. 

The Dutch Royal Family catches Team NL in Paris

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima were some of the lucky ones to have front row seats for the Opening Ceremonies of the Paris Olympic Games after attending the Olympic gala before.

Princess Amalia and Princess Alexia then joined their parents in Paris for a few days to cheer on Team NL at the Olympics! 

King Willem-Alexander visits Denmark and Norway

In the autumn, the Dutch king carried out a whirlwind tour in Scandinavia when he visited Denmark and Norway to focus on Dutch relations with both nations, as well as developments in green hydrogen and maritime industry.

While there, he was able to meet with both the Danish and Norwegian royal families as well as don a pair of goggles for one of those photos that mark every royal year.

Dutch royal couple visits the United States of America

In June, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima carried out a working visit to the US where they visited New York and Georgia over the four day trip.

The visit focused both on the connections between the Netherlands and the US, as well as Dutch connections specifically with the states of Georgia and New York. 

Princess of Orange celebrates 21st birthday

On 7 December, Princess Amalia celebrated her 21st birthday. The Dutch royals released two casual portraits of the princess to mark the occasion on social media. While she celebrated her birthday privately, she joined her parents a few days later for the State Dinner during the Portuguese State Visit where she wore the Dutch Button Tiara in the star setting. 

While the birthday is certainly low-key for a royal birthday, it was perfect for the Princess of Orange. 

Prinsjesdag 2024

Prince’s Day is held on the third Tuesday of September each year. The Dutch Royal Family attends the event in formal attire while the Dutch monarch reads the government’s budget plans.

Princess Amalia and Princess Alexia joined their parents for Prince’s Day this year, with both princesses wearing dramatic gowns. Princess Alexia followed in her sister’s footsteps by borrowing one of her mother’s gowns. 

Princess Alexia begins civil engineering degree at University College, London

Princess Alexia is making her own way in the world after moving to London in the autumn to continue her education. She began her degree in civil engineering at University College, London and shared a photo from her arrival at UCL.

While she is considered a private citizen, she may return to the Netherlands periodically to join her parents for formal events. 

King’s Day 2024

King’s Day is celebrated in April in the Netherlands and it is the public day of celebration for the Dutch monarch. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima were joined by all three of their daughters for the day, Princess Amalia, Princess Alexia, and Princess Ariane.

This year they marked the holiday in Emmen, the first time the municipality has hosted the sovereign’s birthday celebrations in over twenty years. 

Spanish State Visit

While the Dutch Royal Family welcomes many visiting heads of state each year for state visits, King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain’s State Visit in April was undoubtedly the most special.

The Dutch and Spanish Royal Families are quite close, with Princess Amalia living with the Spanish royals last year. The Princess of Orange attended her first State Dinner to welcome the Spanish King and Queen.