exciting new chapter

Princess Ariane begins surprising new chapter that follows in late royal’s footsteps

Her decision continues a pattern of independent choices among the three daughters of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima

UPDATED AUGUST 31, 2026 10:27 AM EDTAUG 31, 2026, 10:27 AM EDT

Princess Ariane of the Netherlands is officially entering an exciting new era. The 19-year-old royal began her studies at Delft University of Technology on Monday, August 31, choosing an ambitious discipline rarely associated with palace life, aerospace engineering.

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The Dutch royal family marked the milestone by releasing a new series of photographs showing Ariane exploring the university’s Faculty of Aerospace Engineering.

Princess Ariane marks the beginning of an exciting new academic chapter at one of the Netherlands’ leading technical universities.

Smiling beneath suspended aircraft and posing beside aviation technology, the youngest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima appeared ready to embrace life as an ordinary student.

For her introduction to campus, Ariane selected an appropriately relaxed look consisting of a crisp white button-down shirt and colorful striped trousers. She completed the youthful ensemble with blue shoes and a spacious brown suede shoulder bag, offering an understated take on first-day dressing.

The 19-year-old princess poses beneath a suspended aircraft inside TU Delft, where she will study aerospace engineering.

Her easygoing appearance may have been casual, but the course she has chosen is anything but. Aerospace Engineering at TU Delft is a highly selective program covering subjects such as aerodynamics, propulsion, materials, physics and orbital mechanics.

Nearly 4,300 prospective students reportedly applied for approximately 440 available places this year. Faculty dean Henri Werij confirmed that every candidate completed the same demanding selection process and stressed that the princess did not receive preferential treatment.

Princess Ariane smiles during a visit to the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology as she begins her university studies.

Ariane previously described her admission as “a tremendous opportunity” and said she was very happy to have secured a place. She first revealed her university plans while joining her family for King’s Day celebrations in Dokkum in April.

A meaningful family connection:

Although the degree represents an unexpected direction for the young royal, Ariane is not the first member of her family to pursue it.

Prince Friso, Princess Ariane’s late uncle, studied aerospace engineering at TU Delft decades before his niece began the same program.

Her late uncle Prince Friso studied aerospace engineering at the same university from 1988 until 1994. Ariane will also have a familiar face on campus. Friso and Princess Mabel’s daughter, Countess Zaria of Orange-Nassau, currently attends TU Delft, although her chosen field has not been publicly disclosed.

Aviation is also one of King Willem-Alexander’s longstanding interests. The Dutch monarch is a trained pilot who has discreetly flown commercial passenger services over the years, making his youngest daughter’s choice another intriguing connection between the royal family and the skies.

Princess Ariane, pictured with King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and her sisters, is carving out her own path with an ambitious degree in aerospace engineering at TU Delft.

There is even a fitting coincidence surrounding the princess’s name. Ariane shares it with the European family of launch vehicles used to carry satellites and other payloads into space, giving her new academic path an almost storybook quality.

From Italy to Delft:

The new chapter follows an international education for the princess. Ariane spent her first four years of secondary school at Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague before moving to Italy in 2023.

The Dutch princess completed her International Baccalaureate in Italy before taking a gap year and returning to the Netherlands for university.

She completed her International Baccalaureate at United World College Adriatic in 2025 and subsequently took a gap year before beginning university.

Her decision continues a pattern of independent choices among the three daughters of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. Princess Catharina-Amalia has pursued law in Amsterdam, while Princess Alexia selected an engineering-focused course in London.

Princess Ariane is the youngest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima and third in line to the Dutch throne.

Ariane, meanwhile, is setting herself apart with a program that could eventually lead to work involving aircraft, satellites, sustainable aviation or space technology.

Despite releasing photographs to commemorate the beginning of her course, the Royal House has emphasized that Ariane’s time at university will be treated as private. Further details concerning her student experience, including whether she will live in Delft, have therefore not been disclosed.

Princess Ariane is beginning a new chapter after being accepted into TU Delft’s highly selective aerospace engineering program.

For now, the new images offer a rare glimpse of the princess at the beginning of a demanding and deeply personal journey, one that brings her closer to a meaningful part of her family history while potentially preparing her for a future far beyond traditional royal duties.