King Willem-Alexander turned 53 on April 27 and instead of the usual country-wide festivities, he’ll be staying home with wife Queen Maxima and their three daughters. The Palace have released some gorgeous new portraits of the photogenic royals to mark the momentous occasion – and we can’t get over how grown-up the young ladies now are! Sixteen-year-old Amalia, Alexia, 14, and Ariane, 13, look incredibly elegant in their summery dresses and with long flowing locks - and amazing heels and wedges completing their outfits.
Heir to the throne Princess Amalia is as tall as mom Maxima, in her cheery yellow dress and matching strappy sandals. Her parents spoke of their pride for their eldest child when they marked her birthday last December, saying what a fantastic daughter she is. Middle child Alexia is known for her love of fashion as well as playing hockey and the guitar. In these latest portraits, her long auburn hair contrasts beautifully with her white belted dress and she’s also nearly as tall as her mom! Youngest daughter Ariane is cute in a powder blue lace dress with her blonde hair also loose around her shoulders.
King’s Day, or Koningsdag, in the Netherlands is usually a massive deal for Dutch people, when the birthday of their king is celebrated with street parties and flea markets. People traditionally wear orange and tune their TV sets to King Willem-Alexander’s speech. This year will be a strange, but no doubt memorable one, as families stay in lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 .