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Princess Máxima: Concern for daughter Alexia

Princess Máxima (center) with her eldest daughter Amalia (left) and second-born Alexia (right).
Photo: Getty Images

family problems

As the middle of the three children, Alexia does not stand up easily and has to fight for attention.

Summer holidays! The very word makes children's hearts beat faster. Small, bold princesses are no different. And so Amalia (8), Alexia (7) and Ariane (5) celebrated the great event equally with their parents.

On the estate of Prince Willem-Alexander (45) and Princess Máxima (41) in Wassenaar they hopped happily across the meadow before they went on a bike ride with their parents.

Even the proud mom finds it wonderful: Finally, time for the family and her sweet girl-shamrock. But the joy is not quite unclouded. Princess Maxima worries a bit about Alexia.

Because: Unlike her sisters Alexia is considered shy and reserved. A problem that has many children born in the midst of siblings.

The Hamburg-based psychologist Michael Thiel explains: "These so-called 'sandwich children' are often not as self-sufficient as the firstborn and not as cute as the baby s nest, and they have to fight hard, especially the parents' attention."

So when Alexia sulks, that means, "Hello, I'm still here!" The counsel of the psychologist: "You have to show these children that they too are special, promote their talents and just do something special with them alone."

Willem-Alexander knows this from his brother Friso (43), who was also a shy person as a second-born. So he and Máxima will use the holidays and take special care of Alexia, who can swim well, is good at judo and plays the piano. And she will surely shine: "At last mom and dad have time only for me!"

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