Máxima-effect: meer vrouwen kiezen voor het leger

What is the Dutch “Máxima-effect”?

The Dutch coined Máxima-effect for a real, measurable jump in public interest whenever Queen Máxima visibly does something. She picks up a hobby, signs onto a cause, wears a designer, and within weeks the relevant institution sees a spike in calls, signups or sales. The Defence Ministry confirms the same pattern after Máxima trained as a reservist in 2026.

In this clip, Defence says applications, especially from women, jumped after the announcement. The internal nickname stuck. Máxima-effect sits next to Amalia-effect (named for her daughter, the crown princess) as the working Dutch shorthand for celebrity-royal pull on policy.