By Andreas Rogal withAP, EBU
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Queen Máxima, the 54-year-old Argentine-born wife of King Willem-Alexander, began training this week to join her country’s military reserves as the Dutch military ramps up recruitment.
“Máxima decided to join the reservists because security in the Netherlands can no longer be taken for granted,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement after the start of training on Wednesday.
The incoming Dutch coalition government, scheduled to take office later this month, has announced plans to increase the country’s military from about 80,000 to 122,000 soldiers amid geopolitical turmoil and Russia’s war in Ukraine, on Europe’s eastern edge.
The Royal Family of Orange said the Queen “like many others, wants to contribute to its security.”
Máxima is following in her daughter’s footsteps here. Crown Princess Amalia, heir to the Dutch throne, completed basic military training last month as a volunteer reservist in the army.
Defense spokesperson Klaas Meyer praised the Queen’s decision, saying it was her choice to join the military. “Of course we’re very proud that she’s doing this and we hope that other people will think, ‘Hey, this is something I can do.'”
The MoD said her training “includes all the practical and theoretical military elements required to become a reservist. These include physical resilience, self-defense, marksmanship, map reading and military law.”
Upon completion of their training, they will be given the rank of lieutenant colonel and will be “deployed wherever needed,” the Defense Ministry said.
Royal families across Europe have a long tradition of military service, but it is only recently that military service has become gender-neutral. Five years ago, Princess Elisabeth, heir to the Belgian throne, signed on to attend military school in Brussels for a year to help prepare for her royal duties.
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