how the Dutch Royal Family will celebrate the festive season – Royal Central - Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
The Dutch royal December is already quite busy with the Sinterklaas celebrations in early December, but the Dutch Royal Family also celebrate the traditional Christmas.
As Queen Máxima is from Argentina, the family have sometimes spent their Christmas break in her home country. King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, and their three daughters, Princesses Amalia, Alexia, and Ariane, spent several festive seasons at Villa La Angostura while also visiting local attractions in the area.
However, Queen Máxima’s father passed away in 2017, her sister Inés died in 2018, and her mother was spotted in The Netherlands in 2019 when The Princess of Orange performed in her very own musical.
One cannot help but wonder if the Dutch royals will also have their very own Christmas breakfast or brunch and the traditional “gourmetten” – where each person has their own little pan of food cooking on a grill – in the evening. There is no set tradition for opening Christmas presents as the Dutch have usually already exchanged gifts on Sinterklaas, but presents during Christmas are becoming more common. Both the 25th and 26th are considered to be official holidays in The Netherlands, known as “First” and “Second” Christmas Day.
King Willem-Alexander’s Christmas speech will be broadcast on Christmas Day around 1 P.M local time, but it will be pre-recorded. We should also expect a new Christmas portrait of the family to be released.
This will also be a time for the family to be together again – Princess Ariane is currently studying overseas as she completes her secondary education so this will be a chance for her to be with her parents and sisters again.