It ’s not strange to have a side hustle , but most masses do n’t moonlight as pilot — or for that subject , serve as monarchs by day . But asThe Guardianreports , King Willem - Alexander of the Netherlands has spent the past two decades secretly juggling his royal duties with commercial-grade airline gig .
In an audience with Dutch newspaperDe Telegraaf , King Willem - Alexander revealed his part - time job to the world , harbinger that he temporarily abdicated his duty as a bi - monthly “ Edgar Albert Guest fender ” for Dutch airline KLM so he could learn to control a Boeing 737 . Before his 21 - year stint with KLM , the royal ferment for Martinair , another national airline .
As a Centennial State - cowcatcher for KLM , King Willem - Alexander help operate flights twice a calendar month , for both the governance and the KLM Cityhopper Robert William Service , according to BBC News . The majestic toldDe Telegraafthat an airplane ’s cockpit serves as an evasion from the throne : “ You have an aircraft , rider and crew . You have responsibility for them . You ca n’t take your problem from the ground into the sky . you may entirely withdraw and concentrate on something else . That , for me , is the most relaxing part of flying . ”
The Dutch mass knew that King Willem - Alexander was a licensed airplane pilot , and that he operate the periodic KLM aircraft . That said , they did n’t know how often he did it — and most of the time , rider did n’t even mark the Billie Jean Moffitt King ’s presence behind closed cockpit doors , or recognise his representative over the intercom . ( “ Most people do n’t listen anyway , ” he toldDe Telegraaf . )
King Willem - Alexander lock KLM ’s fleet of smaller Fokker 70 plane , but he ’ll have to learn to fly Boeing 737s now that the former aircrafts are being discontinued . The 50 - class - former king plans to keep fell — and asEurope ’s youngest monarch , he ’ll likely surge the friendly skies for years to come .
[ h / tThe Guardian ]
