Prince’s Day is one of the most significant occasions in the Dutch royal calendar, and while the crowds filled the streets to celebrate, it was the three young princesses who captured everyone’s attention. Heir to the throne Princess Catharina-Amalia appeared on the balcony of Noordeinde Palace with her sisters, Princesses Alexia and Ariane, alongside their proud parents as the nation marked the ceremonial opening of parliament.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima greeted the public with beaming smiles. The King wore a traditional morning suit, while the Queen looked elegant in a soft grey ensemble with a draped neckline, paired with a dramatic hat and coordinating clutch. Each September, the King addresses the nation with a speech from the throne, laying out the government’s agenda for the coming year. The grand procession through The Hague in a golden carriage is always a highlight, and this year’s turnout was especially large as well-wishers gathered for a glimpse of the royals.
Princess Catharina-Amalia exuded the poise of a future queen in a pale-yellow Taller Marmo dress, featuring a striking caped shoulder. She styled it with a disc-shaped fascinator and pristine white gloves. The Princess has made capes something of a trademark, having worn a lavender sequined Tadashi Shoji gown with a flowing cape last December, and a midnight-blue design for a Spanish state banquet earlier this year.
Her younger sister Ariane, 18, made her Prince’s Day debut in style. Fresh from her graduation at UWC Adriatic and now enjoying a gap year, she selected a navy satin Victoria Beckham dress, teamed with a netted hat, sapphire earrings, and leather gloves. Interestingly, Queen Letizia of Spain wore the very same design in olive green for a Buckingham Palace reception ahead of King Charles III’s coronation in 2023.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old Princess Alexia, recently named on Tatler’s best-dressed list, opted for a dramatic plum cape dress by Solace London, a brand also loved by the Princess of Wales. She accessorized her look with matching gloves, delicate gold jewelry, a floral hairpiece, and a chic aubergine Zara clutch, proving her flair for mixing high fashion with the high street.
The royal sisters have enjoyed a string of public outings together this summer. In August, they joined their parents at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, where they turned heads yet again with their effortless elegance. Queen Máxima embraced Grecian-inspired style with a Zeus & Dione skirt, Gianvito Rossi sandals, and a Marina Raphael bag, paired with striking sapphire jewelry.
Catharina-Amalia channeled cool sophistication in a leather Mango trench over a Reformation waistcoat-and-trouser set, complete with Céline sunglasses and a Cartier watch, likely a graduation gift after completing her degree in Amsterdam this July. Alexia went for a Sandro co-ord, while Ariane kept it fresh and casual in a blue Max Mara shirt, Céline sunglasses, and Adidas trainers.
