The double life of the King of the Netherlands: co-pilot with KLM for almost 30 years

For almost 30 years, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands has led a singular double life: sovereign in The Hague, but also king in the Netherlands. KLM line co-pilot, without informing the passengers. A passion for aviation, which he sees as a «hobby» and a way of keeping his feet... and hands... in the cockpit.

Most recently, the monarch made his «last» flight on Boeing 737 and began a reconversion to the new Airbus A321neo in service with KLM, which is relayed as a turning point in his life as a pilot. The Royal House of the Netherlands put the spotlight back on his flying career on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the granting of his flying license, prompting new portraits and reminders of his double life in the Dutch press.

A sovereign on his sleeve since the 1980s

Willem-Alexander obtained his pilot's license at the age of 18, and in 2025 celebrated 40 years of flying. Even before his accession to the throne in 2013, he had accumulated flying hours on both civilian and military aircraft, notably in the Dutch Air Force Reserve.

From the 1990s, he flew for airlines such as Martinair, then KLM, initially as a «guest pilot» to maintain his qualification. This activity continued after his accession to the throne: the Royal Household confirms that he continues to fly airliners at regular intervals. «King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands is much more than just an aviation enthusiast; he continues to fly airliners with complete discretion».

While Willem-Alexander insists on the «normal» nature of this activity, it remains unique in the European monarchical landscape. It illustrates a personality attached to both technological modernity and a certain pragmatism, capable of moving from audiences in the palace to a KLM cockpit with equal ease. The Dutch press underlines the singularity of a head of state who continues to accumulate flying hours like any professional pilot.

The double life revealed in 2017

For a long time, his presence in the cockpit remained a well-kept secret. In 2017, Willem-Alexander himself revealed in an interview with the daily newspaper De Telegraaf that he has been working as a co-pilot for KLM for 21 years, on around two flights a month. Passengers are generally unaware of the royal identity of their co-pilot. Some may recognize his voice during announcements, but most are unaware that there is a monarch behind the cockpit door.

«I can relax completely during a flight. For me, flying is really a hobby that lets me leave my royal obligations on the ground,» he confides. He also explains that he insists on remaining co-pilot: this position allows him to learn from more experienced captains, while maintaining a certain discretion.

Co-pilot at KLM... and the government

The King mainly works as a co-pilot on single-aisle aircraft operating KLM's short- and medium-haul European routes. Any long-haul aircraft would involve night flights and overnight stays abroad, which he feels are incompatible with his responsibilities as head of state.

Willem-Alexander is also regularly at the controls of the Dutch government aircraft, a Boeing 737 with the registration number PH-GOV, as co-pilot on official or private trips with his family. «It is often he who pilots the plane that takes him on vacation or on state visits,» recalls the website Royal Stories.

Willem-Alexander on the right @Natasha Libbert/KLM