The Dutch royal family may be one of the youngest monarchies in Europe, but they certainly do know how to stay in the spotlight!
While the Royal House of the Netherlands has only existed for nine generations (a far cry from Denmark’s 10th-century origins), they’ve certainly cemented themselves in the hearts and minds of their almost 18 million constituents.
Scroll on for everything you need to know about the Royal House of the Netherlands…
Does Holland have a royal family?
Yes, Holland (also known as the Netherlands) has a royal family.
Currently, Holland has a King – Willem-Alexander, the great (x7) grandson of William I who proclaimed himself King of the Netherlands (and subsequent Grand Duke of Luxembourg) in 1815, thus establishing the Dutch royal family.
Who is in the House of Orange-Nassau?
There are currently ten members of the Royal House of the Netherlands, also known as the House of Orange-Nassau.
This number includes King Willem-Alexander, his wife Queen Maxima, and their three daughters Catherina-Amalia, Alexia, and Ariane.
Princess Beatrix (formerly known as Queen Beatrix), her son Prince Constantijn, and sister-in-law Princess Laurentien are members of the royal family alongside Princess Margriet and her husband Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven (the sister and brother-in-law of the former Queen).
Notably, members of the Royal House cease to be members of the royal family if they lose their Dutch nationality, are deprived of their membership by royal decree, or marry without the consent of Parliament.
What is the line of succession to the Netherlands monarchy?
After his mother Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands abdicated from the throne in 2013 at the age of 74, Willem-Alexander (the then Prince of Orange) ascended to the throne.
According to the rules of the Constitution, the eldest child of the monarch regardless of gender takes precedence in the line of succession.
Thus, the succession to the Royal House of the Netherlands is as follows:
- Princess Catharina-Amalia
- Princess Alexia
- Princess Ariarne
If none of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima’s three daughters produce heirs, or tragically pass away, the line of succession will then open up to Prince Constantijn (the only living sibling of King Willem-Alexander and his children and so forth.
In the incredibly rare event that no heirs can be found within the House of Orange-Nassau, a successor will be appointed (and agreed upon) by both houses in the Dutch parliament.
How is Queen Elizabeth related to the Dutch royal family?
Like many of the monarchies in Europe, the Dutch royal family is distantly related to the British royal family.
The majority of these monarchies are linked genetically through common ancestors such as King Christian IX of Denmark or Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (which made Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom third cousins).
However, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and the late Queen Elizabeth II were not linked as closely prior to her September 2022 passing and were thought to be fifth cousins, twice removed.
King Willem is a descendant of Frederik William, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, a son of Princess Carolina of Orange-Nassau. In turn, through her paternal grandmother (the late Queen Mother) Queen Elizabeth II was also a descendant of the 18th-century princess.
Is the Dutch royal family popular?
According to the data gathering platform Statista, approval ratings for the Dutch royal family have taken a dip in recent years.
Despite being King for more than a decade, King Willem-Alexander is the least popular, with an approval score of 6.5 out of 10.
In comparison, roughly 64 percent of the Netherlands said they were “satisfied” with Queen Maxima who has an approval rating of 7.3.
Heir apparent Catherina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, is currently sitting on a seven out of ten approval rating, but given she is only 20 years old and has yet to pick up royal duties due to her studies, we are sure this number will eventually improve.
Market researcher Ipsos has also noted that prior to the pandemic, approval for the royals was at an all-time high, however after a series of scandals during the pandemic, their approval rating plummeted, with only 46 percent of Netherlands residents saying they “had confidence” in the King as recently as April 2023.
Does the Dutch royal family have any power?
Like many of the royal families of Europe (with the exception of the Vatican City State), the Dutch royal family is a Constitutional Monarchy that has almost zero political power. They do however possess significant social and cultural influence.
Notably, the reigning monarch serves in the symbolic role as President of the Council of State, a historical role within the Dutch Parliament.
The reigning monarch is also the Head of State, where as part of this role they “unify, represent and encourage the people.”
