As most of the country will be partying on the streets of the Netherlands, biertje in hand and wearing flashy orange clothing, we here at DutchReview would like to say a big gefeliciteerd! Happy birthday, King Willem!
The King, who will no doubt celebrate his big day with grace and style has, like all of us mere citizens, managed to have some hilarious moments during his life.
Read on for our King Willy highlights! 👑
That time he was King of the swingers (toilet swingers that is!)
Yes, that is the King of the Netherlands swinging/throwing/hurling a bright orange toilet!
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Back in 2012, when King’s Day was Queen’s Day in celebration of the late Queen Juliana’s birthday, King Willem sportingly took part in a toilet throwing contest, in which he flushed the competition away and walked away with a little toilet trophy.🚽
That time the Prins of Pils enjoyed a cold one with Putin
Willem-Alexander en Maxima met Poetin aan het bier. De wereld is gek. pic.twitter.com/TZoc3pvIzY (via @JeroenPauw1)
— Simon Fousert (@simonfousert) February 10, 2014
Yes, that is Putin. King Willem is not renowned for his startling intelligence but instead for his playful personality.
The Dutch king often trumps his other royal family members in popularity polls — until 2021, when his popularity began to plummet.
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Back in his student years in Leiden, the King was nicknamed the ‘Prins of Pils’ a.k.a ‘Prince of Beer,’ as he was, on more than one occasion, seen showing his love for the alcoholic beverage. 🍻
Some reports claim that the young Prins of Pils even managed to drive a car into one of the canals of the student city of Leiden. I mean, who hasn’t drunkenly messed up on this scale?!
That time the Dutch King found his Queen
King Willem married the lovely (now) Queen Maxima on February 2, 2002. What King Willem lacks in quick wit, intelligence, and beauty, Queen Maxima delivers! 👸🏼
Queen Maxima hails from Argentina, and as flawless as she is now, she wasn’t when she married this Dutchman.
Her father was a Minister of Agriculture during Argentina’s brutal dictatorship. Many in the government opposed this particular connection, and the marriage wasn’t welcomed by all.
READ MORE | Queen Máxima of the Netherlands: how an Argentinian became a Dutch royal
In the end, the then Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok decided wisely and let the marriage go forth, but didn’t allow for her father to be present.
Maxima then captured the hearts of almost every Dutchie when she let some tears run when Argentinian music was played at her wedding:
That time he told the press to buzz off — as a child
One sure example of King behaviour however, actually happened when he was a child.
At just nine years old, the young royal boldly told the Dutch press to, well, buzz off.
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Or in his own words, “Alle Nederlandse pers opgerot“. Pop off, king. 💅
What do you think of our loyal King Willem? Tell us in the comments below!
