The series that tells the story of Maxima of the Netherlands is preparing a major cast change for its third season. After two seasons in which Delfina Chaves played the queen and Martijn Lakemeier portrayed King Willem-Alexander, the fiction will jump forward in time and feature new leads.
The new Maxima will be Natali Anna, a 37-year-old actress whose selection was recently confirmed and who has already begun filming. The actress herself shared on social media the first images dressed as the monarch, alongside the actor who will portray the king and the girls who will play their daughters.
The change is not the result of an isolated production decision: the story will advance by roughly 15 years and will focus on a completely different phase of the royal couple’s life.
Who is Natali Anna, the new Maxima
Natali Anna is 37 years old and has a distinctive family history that directly connects her to the character she will play: her mother is American and her father is Argentine. The actress grew up in Spain and, before landing the role, already had professional experience in various projects.
She trained as an actress in Spain and built her career across theater, audiovisual, and film productions. The role of Maxima, however, represents a significant leap in her career: it will be her major international lead role.
One of the aspects that drew the most attention from Dutch media is that Anna will be able to portray the character in Spanish, English, and Dutch, three languages that are part of Maxima’s story. Additionally, the Argentine accent isn’t unfamiliar to her: she explains that she has known it since childhood through her father.
Natali Anna’s Argentine Connection
The actress acknowledged that, before getting the role, she knew Maxima but didn’t know much about her story.
That changed during the preparation for the character. As she began researching the queen, Anna said she was particularly impressed by her personality, her work ethic, and the way she managed to adapt to a completely different culture.
She also highlighted her ambitious and athletic nature and, above all, the way Maxima managed to secure a place in Dutch society and win the affection of its residents.
The actress’s personal history also helps her connect with one of the central aspects of the character: the experience of living between cultures and adapting to a country that is not one’s own.
“I Try Not to Judge Her”: How Natali Anna Prepares the Character
One of the most interesting aspects of her early statements as the new lead has to do with how she plans to approach Maxima.
Anna explained that, as an actress, she tries not to judge the queen, but to understand her decisions and put herself in her place.
“As an actress I try not to pass judgment on her,” she stated, according to Dutch media.
That approach will be especially important in a season that will show Maxima in a much more complex stage of her life, shaped by royal duties, motherhood, and the demands of public exposure.
Her Father Was Moved When He Learned She Would Portray Maxima
The choice of Natali Anna also had a special impact within her family.
The actress revealed that her father cried when he learned she had won the role. For him, beyond pride in his daughter’s career, there was a particular component: Natali would portray an Argentine woman who became queen of the Netherlands.
“He is very proud that I portray an Argentine,” the actress said in conversations with Dutch media.
Natali Anna and Ruben Brinkman Will Be the New King and Queen
Maxima’s change will be accompanied by a complete renewal of the lead couple.
The Dutch actor Ruben Brinkman will be the new King Willem-Alexander, taking the place left by Martijn Lakemeier. The actor himself acknowledged that it’s “big shoes to fill” in following his predecessor, though he clarified that he does not seek to imitate the king, but to build his own interpretation of the character.
There will also be new actresses to portray the couple’s three daughters.
Rosa van Leeuwen will play Princess Amalia, while Fiene Mooij will portray Alexia and Charlotte Kampinga will be Ariane. The new season will show the girls older and grant them a much more prominent role in the story.
What the Third Season of Maxima Will Cover
The third season will jump roughly 15 years forward from the previous storyline. The second installment traced the period from Maxima and Willem-Alexander’s wedding to his ascension to the throne in 2013.
Now, the fiction will move toward the early years of Willem-Alexander’s reign, with Maxima already established as queen consort and the couple raising their three daughters.
The plot will thus focus on a new challenge for both: how to balance the duties of the Crown with family life, as their daughters grow under the constant gaze of the public.
The production also hinted that this stage will be marked by personal losses, national tragedies, and the increasing pressures of public and family life.
When Will the Third Season of Maxima Premiere
The new season of the series is scheduled to premiere in 2028 on Videoland. Filming will begin in this new phase with Natali Anna and Ruben Brinkman as the leads.
Thus, after two seasons in which Delfina Chaves became the face of Maxima for Argentine audiences, the series is preparing to present a more mature version of the queen.
And Natali Anna’s choice has a detail that makes her arrival at the role even more distinctive: although she wasn’t a well-known actress in Argentina, her own family history — with an Argentine father and a childhood shaped by diverse cultures — has several points in common with the woman she will now have to portray.
