The Dutch King had a secret life in which he flew as a co-pilot for 21 yrs

The King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander has revealed that for more than two decades he has, alongside his royal duties, held down a part-time second job.
 

According to a report of Sky News, King Willem-Alexander said that he recently ended his role as a regular “guest pilot” after 21 years on KLM’s fleet of Fokker 70 planes and before that on Dutch carrier Martinair. He described his casual flights as a "hobby." 

In an interview with De Telegraaf newspaper, he said that he was seldom recognized in uniform, particularly after the September 11 terrorist attacks, when safety protocols were introduced to limit access to cockpits. The King would greet passengers over the intercom.
 

“The advantage is that I can always say that I wish everyone a heartfelt welcome in the name of the captain and the crew .So I don’t have to say my own name. But most of the people don’t listen anyway”, he added.
 

 The Dutch King will now train himself to fly Boeing 737 passenger jets as KLM is phasing out the smaller Fokker 70 plane used on short-haul flights. "I really wanted to continue as a guest pilot for KLM and therefore it could actually only be on a plane such as the 737 which means short trips. Any bigger aircraft than this (737) always means staying overnight, meaning I cannot get back in time to The Netherlands in case of an emergency.” King Willem-Alexander further added.

Willem-Alexander became king in 2013 after his mother, Queen Beatrix, abdicated at age 75. He became the Netherlands’ first king in 123 years after three successive queens.