Tuesday, 27 April 2027 · Lelystad
King's Day 2027

Royal House

The Royal House

The Netherlands has been a kingdom since 1815. The head of state comes from the House of Orange-Nassau. On King’s Day you can see almost the whole family.

The royal family standing in a street in Doetinchem, with crowds behind
The royal family on King’s Day 2025 in Doetinchem. Photo: Erikt · Wikimedia Commons · CC0

The King and his family

King Willem-Alexander laughing during King’s Day in Emmen

King of the Netherlands

King Willem-Alexander

Born 27 April 1967, Utrecht

Willem-Alexander has been king since 30 April 2013. He is the eldest son of Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus (1926–2002). He studied history in Leiden and, as crown prince, worked for many years on water and water management. On 27 April 2027 he turns 60.

Photo: Richard Broekhuijzen · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0

Queen Máxima with a flower wreath in her hair during King’s Day in Emmen

Queen of the Netherlands

Queen Máxima

Born 17 May 1971, Buenos Aires

Máxima grew up in Argentina and studied economics. She then worked in banking in New York and Brussels. On 2 February 2002 she married Willem-Alexander in Amsterdam. At the United Nations she works to give people access to bank accounts, loans and insurance that they cannot use today.

Photo: Richard Broekhuijzen · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0

Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, during King’s Day in Emmen

Princess of Orange

Catharina-Amalia

Born 7 December 2003, The Hague

Amalia is the eldest daughter of the King and Queen and heir to the throne. As Princess of Orange she will one day become queen. Since her eighteenth birthday she has been a member of the Council of State.

Photo: Richard Broekhuijzen · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Princess Alexia in a green dress in the garden of Huis ten Bosch Palace

Princess of the Netherlands

Princess Alexia

Born 26 June 2005, The Hague

Alexia is the second daughter of the King and Queen. She completed her secondary education at UWC Atlantic College in Wales.

Photo: © RVD · Koninklijk Huis · RVD-voorwaarden

Princess Ariane laughing during King’s Day in Emmen

Princess of the Netherlands

Princess Ariane

Born 10 April 2007, The Hague

Ariane is the youngest daughter of the King and Queen. She completed her secondary education at a United World College in Italy.

Photo: Richard Broekhuijzen · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0

Portrait of Princess Beatrix

Queen from 1980 to 2013

Princess Beatrix

Born 31 January 1938, Baarn

Beatrix was queen for 33 years. On 30 April 2013 she abdicated in favour of her son. She still often joins the family on King’s Day.

Photo: RVD Koninklijk Huis · Wikimedia Commons · CC0

Royal House or royal family?

These terms do not mean the same thing.

  • The Royal House is a small group with an official position. Who belongs to it is laid down by law. At present it consists of the King, the Queen, the three princesses, Princess Beatrix, Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien, and Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven.
  • The royal family is larger. It also includes, for example, the children of Prince Constantijn and the family of Princess Margriet.
  • The King’s immediate family (Koninklijk Gezin) consists of the King, the Queen and their three daughters.
The King and Queen on a stage in Emmen, surrounded by crowds
King’s Day 2024 in Emmen. Photo: Richard Broekhuijzen · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0

The House of Orange-Nassau

The family descends from William of Orange (1533–1584), leader of the revolt against Spain, who is also known as the Father of the Nation. In 1815 the Netherlands became a kingdom and his descendant William I became its first king. Willem-Alexander is the seventh monarch since 1815, after three kings and three queens.

Sources