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Queen Máxima, the 54-year-old Argentine-born wife of King Willem-Alexander, has started training this week to become a reserve member of her adopted homeland’s army as the Dutch military seeks to boost recruitment.
“Because the security of the Netherlands can no longer be taken for granted, Máxima has decided to become a reservist,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement after she began training on Wednesday.
Expected to be sworn in later this month, the incoming Dutch coalition government has announced plans to grow the nation’s militaryfrom some 80,000 to 122,000 staff amid geopolitical turmoil and Russia’s war in Ukraine on Europe’s eastern edge.
The Royal House of Orange stated that the queen, “like many others, wants to make a contribution to that security”.
Máxima is following her own daughter’s path here. Crown Princess Amalia, the heir to the Dutch throne, completed her basic military training as a volunteer reservist in the army last month.
Defence spokesperson Klaas Meijer praised the Queen’s decision, saying enlisting was her choice, “but we are of course very proud that she is doing this and hope that other people will think, ‘hey, this is something I could do.’”
The defence ministry says her training will comprise “all the practical and theoretical military components necessary to become a reservist. These include physical resilience, self-defence, marksmanship, map reading, and military law.”
Once she has completed training, she will be given the rank of lieutenant-colonel and will “deploy wherever needed”, the defence ministry said.
Royals across Europe have a long tradition of enlisting, but only recently also across genders. Five years ago, Princess Elisabeth, the heir to the Belgian throne, signed up to do a year in military school in Brussels to help her prepare for her royal duties.
Video editor • Jerry Fisayo-Bambi