- Máxima
- Willem-Alexander
The Groom: Willem-Alexander
Crown
Prince Willem-Alexander was born at the Academic Hospital in Utrecht, on
April 27th, 1967 as the first child of then Crown Princess Beatrix and
Prince Claus. He has two brothers, Johan Friso (1968) and Constantijn
(1969).
The young prince spent his childhood at Castle Drakensteyn in Lage Vuursche. He visited the Nieuw Baarnse School in Baarn and started high school at the Baarns Lyceum. In 1980 his mother became Queen, meaning the family moved to The Hague. His switched to the Eerste Christelijk Vrijzinnig Lyceum in The Hague, but obviously had difficulties adjusting to his new life. He soon went to Atlantic College in Wales where he finished his education in 1985 with an International Baccalaureate.
From 1985 until 1987 the Prince fulfilled his military service in the Royal Navy. He was assigned to HMS Tromp and HMS Abraham Crijnssen. He also has a Royal Airforce pilot license.
In 1987 Willem-Alexander started studying history at Leiden University, which he finished in 1995 with a master's thesis on the decision of De Gaulle to leave NATO.
The Prince is a member of the International Olympic Committee and very engaged in sports. During the last eight years his preparation for his kingship contained visits to provinces, lessons in state law and much more. Since the last years his main interest is water management. The prince is president of several non governmental institutions.
Willem-Alexander has a passion for sports and flying. To remain qualified for flying he is a regular pilot of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and also flies the Government plane.