By Sandra Birungi
Prince Willem-Alexander is going to take the reigns of Netherlands after his mother, Queen Beatrix leaves power making him Netherlands’ first king since the death of his great-great grand father, Willem III died in 1890.
Prince Willem-Alexander is 45 years old and is father of three young daughters, Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, Princess Alexia of the Netherlands, Princess Ariane of the Netherlands.
He is married to Princess Máxima of the Netherlands who has helped in increasing his popularity after she wiped away a tear during their wedding back in 2002.
Prince Alexander is an International Olympic Committee member who served in the Royal Netherlands Navy from August 1985 to January 1987. He is also an honorary member of the World Commission on Water for the 21st century and patron of the Global Water Partnership, a body established by the World Bank, the UN, and the Swedish Ministry of Development. He was appointed as the Chairperson of the United Nations Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation on 12 December 2006
“He’s known as `Mister Water,’ isn’t he? He seems like a reliable person, just like his mother,” said Desiree Hoving, an Amsterdam resident. “I don’t really have an emotional response to him, but I do think it’s nice that Maxima is going to be queen.”
“He and Princess Maxima are fully prepared for their future roles,” Queen Beatrix said. “They will serve our nation with dedication, faithfully preserve the constitution and bring all their talents to the monarchy.”
Prince Alexander was also a patron of the Dutch Olympic Games Committee until 1998 when he was made a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Prince and his wife are known for cheering on Netherlands’ players during the Olympic games in Beijing.
