Van Halen drummer Alex Van Halen has broken his silence following a public exchange with former bandmate Sammy Hagar. He shared his first post since the two traded comments, as seen on Instagram.
The post focused on Alex Van Halen being honored as a Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion, an award described as the highest civilian honor given by the Netherlands. The caption detailed the ceremony and Alex’s reflections on his career.
The caption of Alex Van Halen’s new post read: “Alex is Knighted! Alex Van Halen is now a Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion. He received the honor from Mayor Hubert Bruls in the chapel of Radboud University in Nijmegen on Tuesday September 1, 2026. The honor is the highest civilian award given by The Netherlands.”
Alex also shared his thoughts on the recognition, reflecting on his and his brother’s early days before achieving success.
“We grew up together in a small house with a small room, and at first, no one in Los Angeles took any notice of us,” Alex said. “But through music, we broke out and conquered the world.”
The post comes after Alex Van Halen called Sammy Hagar “a complete idiot” in a recent interview. Hagar responded to the comment through a social media reply. Alex’s latest post appeared to sidestep the controversy entirely, instead centering on his recent honor.
The ceremony in Nijmegen carried personal significance beyond the honor itself. Alex and his brother Eddie spent much of their childhood in Nijmegen before the family relocated to Los Angeles in 1962. The knighthood marked a full-circle moment in the drummer’s homeland.
The title bestowed on Alex, Knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion, ranks among the country’s most prestigious civilian distinctions. The honor is traditionally reserved for individuals who have made major contributions in fields such as the arts. It reflects the lasting international impact of Alex’s decades-long career in music.
The tension between Alex and Sammy Hagar did not emerge overnight. Their feud traces back to Hagar’s memoir, in which the singer detailed aspects of Eddie Van Halen’s struggles with alcoholism and erratic behavior. Alex reportedly felt the portrayal was unfair to his late brother’s legacy.
Alex made his frustration with the book clear in blunt terms. “I don’t know what he wrote, and I don’t want to know,” he said. He then added his now-widely circulated assessment of his former bandmate.
Alex appears intent on letting the honor speak for itself by steering his return to social media toward the knighthood rather than the ongoing dispute. The rift with Hagar, however, continues to simmer in the background.
