Princess Amalia steals the spotlight as Dutch royals reveal why they didn't go to the funeral of Pope Francis

The Dutch royals enjoyed a day out in the sunshine for a national celebration despite questions about why no one from their family had attended the funeral of Pope Francis which was taking part in Rome at the same time.

The Dutch Royal Family sent no representative to the funeral which was attended by world leaders. Instead. they spent the day in Doetinchem meeting locals, community groups, and business owners for a fun filled day in the sun on Konigsdag, or King’s Day.

King’s Day is a national holiday in the Netherlands and marks the birthday of the monarch. As Willem-Alexander was turning 58 on April 27, a Sunday, it had already been decided to hold the festivities on April 26 instead. When that clashed with the funeral of the Pope, the Dutch royals decided to postpone their celebrations by an hour so that they wouldn’t start while the funeral was still on.

As the events got under way, the King of the Netherlands had spoken of Pope Francis, saying that for many people ”Catholics and non-Catholics, he was a source of inspiration.”

However, the focus remained on joining in the celebrations. And it was the heir to the throne who stole the spotlight.

Princess Catharina-Amalia turned to a favourite silhouette to make a style statement. 

The heir to the Dutch throne chose a light blue Ralph Lauren cocktail dress for Koningsdag. In line with several of her recent looks from other royal events, the dress features cape sleeves for a strong silhouette. 

She paired the dramatic cocktail dress with a pair of Stuart Weitzman sandals and a white handbag from Mango. 

Princess Amalia has stepped into her royal role in the last year with several events under her belt now. On King’s Say, she looked confident and happy to be greeting crowds in Doetinchem. Given that she has faced several challenges over the last few years, including threats of kidnapping, the heir to the Dutch throne has made major strides. 

Queen Maxima made her own bold choices with a custom couture ensemble from favourite designer Natan. The navy skirt and top were accented by a coordinating Philip Treacy cocktail hat and Gianvito Rossi pumps. 

Princess Alexia wore Maje separates with a Massimo Dutti coat and Sézane pumps.