In the same week that Princess Amalia visited Madrid to open the tulip garden she gifted the city—where she even spoke a few words in Spanish—the Dutch Royal Family is celebrating the 18th birthday of the youngest member of the palace this Thursday. Princess Ariane, the youngest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima and part of the same generation as Infanta Sofía, comes of age as one of the most low-profile royals in Europe.
© RVD - Frank RuiterTo mark her coming of age, her father, the King, has awarded her the Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands and named her a Dame of the Order of the Golden Lion. She’s also been granted her coat of arms, as stated in the royal decree dated March 21, 2025. Queen Wilhelmina was the first woman to receive this honor in 1898, and all heads of state’s children have received it since.
Maybe because she’s the youngest, Ariane has led a much more private life than her sisters—21-year-old Amalia and 19-year-old Alexia—who, now being adults, have taken part in major official events and state visits. Only a few summer or Christmas family portraits have showcased Ariane, demonstrating her shared sense of style with her mother.
© RVD - Frank RuiterLike her middle sister—and like Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía—Ariane also chose to study the International Baccalaureate abroad. She enrolled in the United World Colleges network, but instead of going to Wales like the daughters of King Felipe and Queen Letizia, she attended UWC Adriatic in Trieste, Italy.
She is currently preparing for final exams, graduation, and an uncertain future. If she follows in her sisters’ footsteps, university will be next. Since September 2022, Princess Amalia has been studying Politics, Psychology, Law, and Economics at the University of Amsterdam. After taking a gap year, Princess Alexia started a Civil Engineering degree at University College London last year.
© RVD - Frank Ruiter.The health issue she faces
After spending two years studying in Italy, Ariane has enjoyed a relatively private teenage life, away from the spotlight. But this past February, all eyes turned to her when Queen Máxima publicly shared, for the first time, a health issue her daughter is dealing with.
During a talk for Safer Internet Day, focused on the amount of time kids and teens spend online, Queen Máxima said: "It’s become an integral part of their lives, and often, without realizing it, they’re just a few clicks away from harmful content, addictive algorithms, and inappropriate ads."
Speaking about her youngest daughter, she revealed, “She has vision problems due to the time she spends in front of a screen.” Specifically, Princess Ariane struggles with focusing her eyesight.
Who Is Princess Ariane?
Born on April 10, 2007, Ariane Wilhelmina Máxima Inés is Princess of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau, and third in line to the Dutch throne. She was baptized on October 20, 2007, in The Hague. Her godparents include Valeria Delger, a close friend of Queen Máxima; her maternal aunt Inés Zorreguieta; Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg; Tijo Baron Collot d’Escury; and Anton Friling, both longtime friends of King Willem-Alexander.
Ariane spent most of her childhood at the De Horsten estate in Wassenaar. In January 2019, she moved with her parents and sisters to Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague after it underwent a major renovation.
In her spare time, Ariane enjoys playing hockey and tennis, as well as playing the guitar, dancing, and singing.
