It is a special Budget Day for Alexia: this year she will be present for the first time at the reading of the speech from the throne. Will she wave with her parents and sister on the balcony of Noordeinde Palace? And will we see her in a hat for the first time?
A few months ago, Alexia turned eighteen and that means that she can be seen more and more often at official events. The princess had her first working visit at the beginning of this month. In Rotterdam she named Van Oord’s ship Vox Alexia.
During Budget Day, Alexia will be seen for the first time, next to her parents and sister Amalia. That reports the Government Information Service (RVD). It is not mandatory for the princesses to attend, but it is customary for princes and princesses to make their Budget Day debut at the age of eighteen. Willem-Alexander was also there for the first time at that age and Amalia lived there last year her first Budget Day.
Alexia will ride with the royal procession to the Royal Theater on Tuesday, where the speech from the throne will be read. Because the Binnenhof is currently being renovated, the annual tradition will take place in the Royal Theater in The Hague until at least 2026.
Alexia will not ride in the Glass Carriage with her parents and Amalia, because it is intended for the (future) head of state. The princess will take a seat in another carriage, the Gala glass sedan, together with her uncle Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien. It is the oldest royal carriage, built in 1836. Previously, Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven used the Gala glass sedan during Budget Day. Since 2013, Constantijn and Laurentien have been in the carriage every year.
The princess does not sit on a throne, but sits in the hall. After the speech from the throne, the royal family leaves for Noordeinde Palace. Traditionally, the balcony scene takes place here, in which the members of the royal family wave to the audience. Since Amalia was seen on the balcony last year, it is likely that Alexia will also be there.
Like her older sister, Alexia will not be given any tasks during Budget Day. So it involves riding along with the royal procession and waving from the balcony of Noordeinde Palace. By the way, it is not the case that Alexia, nor Amalia, have to be there every year from now on. Willem-Alexander has also missed a Budget Day because of his studies and military service.
Many people are looking forward to the outfit of the princess, who is known for being fashion conscious. Budget Day is all about the speech from the throne and the presentation of the million-dollar bill and national budget, but the opportunity is also used to make a (fashion) statement.
During the third Tuesday in September, most women traditionally wear a headdress. Maxima usually wears a headgear on Budget Day and Crown Princess Amalia was seen wearing a hat for the very first time last year. Perhaps in addition to a first Budget Day, it will also be a first in headgear for Alexia.
