King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of The Netherlands proudly shared a photo of their second child, Princess Alexia, on Monday, as she left for the UK to start college.
The image, taken by the king, shows the 16-year-old royal wearing a red and black checked jacket with ripped pale blue jeans and white trainers as she held two large bags and a face covering outside the royal family’s home, Huis ten Bosch Palace, in The Hague.
Princess Alexia will study for her International Baccalaureate at the UWC Atlantic College in Llantwit Major, Wales, for the next two years. She finished the fourth grade of the Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague in the summer.
She will also be joined at the college by the heir to the Spanish throne, Princess Leonor, 15, who is the eldest daughter of King Felipe and Queen Letizia.
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima are also parents to Princess Catharina-Amalia, 17, and Princess Ariane, 14. The family of five have reportedly just returned from a holiday in Greece.
The Dutch royals took part in their annual summer photoshoot in July before heading off on their break.
UWC Atlantic College is set in the 12th century St Donat’s Castle on the southern Welsh coast and campus facilities include a library, woodland, an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, and classrooms within historic buildings.
It was founded in 1962 by German educationalist Kurt Hahn, who also set up Gordonstoun boarding school in Scotland, famously attended by Prince Charles.
Notable alumni include King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Princess Raiyah bint Al-Hussein of Jordan. Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, 19, also graduated from the college in May 2020.
