Princess Ariane of the Netherlands has revealed her major next steps after finishing her gap year.
The youngest daughter of Queen Maxima and King Willem Alexander, attended the annual Koningsdag – King’s Day – celebrations in Dokkum on Monday.
During the celebrations, which mark her father’s 59th birthday, Ariane shared what her future plans are after her year out from studying.
The 19-year-old revealed she will study aerospace engineering at the prestigious TU Delft, the oldest public technical university in the Netherlands.
In an interview with NOS, Ariane said: “I am very happy that I have been admitted. I am very happy; it is an enormous opportunity.”
The young royal previously completed her International Baccalaureate at the UWC Adriatic in Italy, before taking a gap year like her older sisters.
Princess Amalia, 22, this month started as a military work student with the Royal Air Force, while Princess Alexia, 20, is studying for a bachelor’s in civil engineering at UCL in London.
Ariane previously attended high school at Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague, and even cycled to school from the Paleis Huis ten Bosch.
A very meaningful programme
According to the faculty’s website, the three-year programme will be taught in English and starts in September.
Princess Ariane could learn how to design an aircraft that can fly on hydrogen, or how to optimise satellites, helicopters, aircraft and wind turbines to protect the future of sustainable airspace.
The degree offers plenty of career opportunities, from working at engineering firms to government agencies, or going on to further study.
© Andreas Rentz/Getty ImagesThough it may seem an unusual choice, Ariane is following in the footsteps of both her father and her uncle with her choice and location of study.
Her late uncle, Prince Friso, specialised in the aerospace industry after studying mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. Meanwhile, her father, King Willem-Alexander, is very passionate about aviation and flew commercial planes for KLM incognito for two decades.
The royals’ biggest day of the year
King’s Day, which was celebrated on Monday, is the Dutch royals’ biggest day of the year. The national holiday celebrates the birth of the monarch, and sees crowds flock to the streets to meet the royal family.
© Getty ImagesThe royals were dressed in an array of bright ensembles to walk through Dokkum during the morning.
One particularly notable moment saw the King, Queen and Princess Ariane take to an ice rink for a spot of skating, while still wearing their official celebration outfits.
King Charles extended his “heartfelt congratulations and warmest good wishes” to the Dutch royals on social media in an official statement ahead of his state visit to the US.
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