Belgian Princess Mathilde, wife of Prince Filip, was voted most professional European princess according to a poll conducted by the Belgian TV show Royalty, although her not very good Dutch constantly reminds the Flemish that she is supposed to represent all Belgians. The English Duchess Kate, wife of Prince William, was voted most glamorous, although her sister Pippa could arguably be more glamourous, but she’s not a princess — a technicality.
Our own Argentinian-Dutch Princess Máxima was voted the most photogenic of the European princesses, but Belgian viewers had a problem with her switching emotions on and off, depending on the occasion. I’m wondering, what else is she supposed to do? Mathilde has no range whatsoever last time I saw her on television. Máxima’s Dutch is way better than Mathilde’s Dutch will ever be, while also speaking Spanish, English and more. And she smiles more.
Both Mathilde and Kate became royalty in their own country, while Máxima went from working abroad away from her native Argentina to princess in a country she probably never even considered living in. It would be nice if she dressed a bit less stuffy and more her age, but what do I know.
(Link: Dutchnews.nl, photo from 2006 by the Netherlands Government Information Service, used with permission)
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