Ahoy! The Dutch royal family went nautical for their annual summer photocall on Friday. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima were joined by their daughters Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia, 13, Princess Alexia, 12, and Princess Ariane, ten, at Kaag Lakes in South Holland. The popular boating area served as the perfect backdrop for the Dutch royal family’s photo session.
The monarchs and their daughters were dressed down for the outing, coordinating in navy, white and blue ensembles. The Queen, 46, opted for a white and blue striped knit, which she paired with cropped denim jeans, while Ariana and Alexia twinned in white blouses. Meanwhile the Crown Princess stood out wearing white pants with her blue kimono-style top and her 50-year-old father sported a blue button down shirt, matching blazer and khaki trousers.
RELATED: The Dutch princesses show off their fall style
The family were all smiles as they cruised the lake in a black vessel that featured the national flag of the Netherlands. King Willem-Alexander steered the boat while his wife and children took in the surrounding sights. On land, the doting parents showed off their maternal and paternal skills, hugging their daughters. Earlier this year, the father-of-three admitted the he wants his oldest child, Amalia, to find herself before she takes the throne one day.
"I hadn't yet accepted, internalized that I would take over from my mother. I wanted to get to know myself better. You must first get to know yourself through and through. That's what I am constantly emphasizing with Amalia,” the Dutch King previously said. "I keep saying: know your own limits. Go everywhere. Make mistakes, as far as possible out of the eyes of the public. I did that, a lot. Festivals, parties everything and more — find your boundaries. It is a good thing to do, without doing it in the public domain."
MORE: ROYAL HIGHLIGHTS OF JUNE
The family’s July 7 photoshoot is one of two yearly photo opps that the royals partake in with the press. It was established in 2005 as part of a media code with the Dutch royal family. The royals pose for photos once in the summer and again at the beginning of their skiing holiday and in return the media respects their privacy outside of royal engagements.
