Confidence in Dutch King hurt by pandemic vacation, party

Confidence in Willem-Alexander as King continued to decline after a big dip last year. Less than half (47%) of Netherlands residents have confidence in his functioning, and less than half are satisfied with the way he governed in recent years, according to the NOS King's Day survey for 2022, conducted by the research agency Ipsos.

Respondents blamed "wrong choices" the King made for declining confidence. Many mentioned the Royal Family's vacation in Greece and a birthday party for Princess Amalia when the rest of the Netherlands was in lockdown. The subsidy issue with the Het Loo nature reserve, which the King closes to the public every year, presumably to go hunting, is also an annoyance for many.

The declining confidence in Willem-Alexander is also reflected in the score he receives - a 6.7 out of ten. Still more than a passing grade but significantly lower than the 7.7 he received in 2020. Netherlands residents experience the King as less compassionate, less involved, and less human than in previous years.

With a score of 7.6, appreciation for Queen Maxima remained the same as last year but still lower than the 8.0 she received in 2020 and the years before. Almost 70 percent of Netherlands residents are satisfied with her functioning in her role next to the head of state.

Support for the monarchy remained the same as last year at 58 percent. But that is much lower than the almost 75 percent support the monarchy had in 2020. Like last year, a quarter of Netherlands residents think a republic government is more appropriate for the Netherlands. Strikingly, support for a republic is gradually growing in the over-55 age group, which traditionally mostly supported the monarchy.

Over 40 percent of Netherlands residents worry that the monarchy costs too much. Almost 70 percent think the Royals should be more open about how they spend the money they receive.