The threats surrounding Amalia, a look back on the ‘corona holiday’ to Greece and his love for flying: in the podcast Through the eyes of the King Willem-Alexander was quite candid. The conversations can be read in book form from today. What does the king say?
About the threat to Amalia
Princess Amalia has been threatened for over a year. No statements are made about the nature of this, but it means, for example, that Amalia cannot live in a student house.
These threats logically also have a great impact on the rest of the family, says Willem-Alexander in conversation with Edwin Evers. “As parents it really eats at you. The uncertainty, the lack of freedom, that is not how you want to raise your children and what you want to pass on to your children.”
According to Willem-Alexander, Amalia can talk about it well, “but it doesn’t give her any joy in life or anything. That’s why it has to be over as quickly as possible.”
About his biggest hobby
In addition to his duties as king, Willem-Alexander is also occasionally active as a pilot. “That is important to me as a person,” he says. He flies two or three times a month. “You have to keep up with it.”
The king sees flying as a hobby, which he takes very seriously. “You are responsible for an airplane. You cannot take your problems from home with you, you have to focus on flying. You have to shut everything down and be busy with something.”
“It’s also very serious, I really enjoy it. It’s a serious profession, so you can’t do it for fun on the side.”
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First images of podcast that Willem-Alexander makes with Edwin Evers
Biggest error of judgment
Many people remember it well: during the corona period, when the whole of the Netherlands was asked to stay at home, the royal family went on holiday to Greece. There was a lot of criticism and eventually the holiday was cut short. “It is the biggest error of judgment I have ever made,” Willem-Alexander now says.
The king explains that every planned activity of the royal family was then put under the magnifying glass. Also the holiday in Greece. Traveling to certain countries was possible during that period.
“For many Dutch people there was no autumn holiday abroad. They were locked up at home,” he says. “They felt abandoned. That had nothing to do with the fact that I went to Greece or not. But it did have to do with the fact that many people in the Netherlands could do nothing and I happily went abroad. That was wrong mine.”
Go Ajax
It is well known that the king is a football fan. But he shared for the first time which team he is for in the podcast. “I have to be neutral in all areas of my life, except football.”
The preference for Ajax was created by Johan Cruijff: the football icon promised at half-time that he would wave to the then prince if he scored a goal. When he did that, the young Willem-Alexander was so impressed that he became an Ajax fan.
With daughter Amalia. Photo: ANP
When is the throne for Amalia?
The podcast looks back on the past ten years, but also looks ahead. How does Willem-Alexander see the future? For example, is he thinking about abdicating the throne?
No, is his answer. He explains that abdicating the throne is the result of various factors, such as his health. “I give Amalia a long preparation time. With time for herself, time to start a family or whatever she wants to do.”
In consultation, father and daughter will ultimately decide when Amalia will take over the throne. “But that’s in the distant future.”
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2023-11-28 04:00:00
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