A former monarch, an incumbent monarch and a future monarch in one photo: that’s rare. For the tenth anniversary of the throne of King Willem-Alexander (56), the Dutch palace has now shared just such a picture. It shows the regent together with his mother, former Queen Beatrix (85), and daughter and heir to the throne Princess Catharina-Amalia (19).
The special photo is intended to embody the past and future of the monarchy and symbolizes a special moment in the history of the Dutch monarchy. “Right at this moment ten years ago, Queen Beatrix signed the certificate of abdication,” the photo reads. “From that moment the Prince of Orange became King of the Netherlands. From that moment Princess Amalia became Princess of Orange and first in line to the throne.”
The three-generation portrait was taken in December 2022 at the Noordeinde Palace in The Hague. It shows Princess Beatrix in a dark green suit sitting on a chair, her son and granddaughter standing next to the former monarch.
Willem-Alexander was crowned the new King of the Netherlands in a ceremony in Amsterdam’s Nieuwe Kerk on 30 April 2013, after Queen Beatrix announced her abdication after 33 years on the throne in January of the same year.
Princess Amalia, Willem-Alexander’s eldest daughter with Queen Máxima (51), was just nine years old at the time. On her 18th birthday on December 7, 2021, she entered the State Council in accordance with the constitution and has regularly taken on public duties ever since. In February 2023 she completed her first official trip abroad. She has been studying at the University of Amsterdam since autumn 2022.
