Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange
Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange (Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria; born 7 December 2003) is the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the constituent countries of Aruba, Curacao, the Netherlands, and Sint Maarten.
Catharina-Amaila is the eldest child of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. She has two younger sisters, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane. She became heir apparent when her father ascended the throne on 30 April 2013.
Birth
Princess Catharina-Amaila Beatrix Carmen Victoria was born at 17:01 CET on 7 December 2003 in the HMC Bronovo in The Hague, the first child of the then Prince Willem-Alexander (now king) and Princess Maxima. Upon the public announcement of her birth, 101 salute shots were fired at four places in the Kingdom of the Netherlands: Den Helder and The Hague in the Netherlands, Willemstad in Curacao, and Oranjestad in Aruba.
On 12 June 2004,Catharina-Amalia was baptized by the Rev. Carel ter Linden in the Great Church in The Hague. Her godparents are her uncle Prince Constantijn, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, the (then) vice-president of the Council of State of the Netherlands Herman Tjeenk Willink, friend of her mother Samantha Deane, her uncle Martin Zorreguieta, and friend of her father Marc ter Harr.
Catharina-Amalia's maternal grandparents, Jorge Zorreguieta and Maria Carmen Cerruti Carricart, were prohibited from attending her parents' wedding in 2002 due to Zorreguieta's involvement in the regime of General Jorge Rafael Videla, but were present at her baptism, which was a private rather than a state affair.
Early Life and Education
Princess Catharina-Amalia has two younger sisters: Princess Alexia (born 2005) and Princess Ariane (born 2007). The family spent the princess' formative years at Villa Eikenhorst on the De Horsten estate in Wassenaar. In 2019 they moved to Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague. Since September 2022 she lives in a student house with her friends in Amsterdam in order to attend her new studies.
In December 2007, Catharina-Amalia started attending Bloemcamp Primary School, a public primary school in Wassenaar. After graduating from primary school, she attended the Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague, where her aunt Princess Laurentien attended. She participated in the student council and attended both Model United Nations of the International School of The Hague and The Hague International Model United National conferences.
She graduated in 2021 with distinction. Upon graduation, she announced that she would take a gap year and refused to accept her right to $1.6 million a year in income for the time period, adding that it would make her "uncomfortable as long as I do not do anything for it in return." The Princess spent her gap year in an internship at the Orange Fund and volunteered at other organizations. Since 5 September 2022 Catharina-Amalia is studying at the University of Amsterdam for a BSc degree in Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics (PPLE). She was placed under heightened security and moved out of her student flat after a threat was identified.
Her birthdays are traditionally celebrated with a concert at the Kloosterkerk in The Hague, which is attended by ambassadors and members of the royal household and the Council of State of the Netherlands. She speaks Dutch, English, and Spanish. Additionally, she took classes in the Mandarin Chinese language.
On her seventh birthday, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain once owned by her great-grandfather, Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld, was named after Catharina-Amalia by Peter Hartman. The princess herself was prevented from attending the naming ceremony owing to school obligations.
Catharina-Amalia's paternal grandmother, Queen Beatrix, abdicated on 30 April 2013 and her father ascended the throne. Catharina-Amalia, as the new heir apparent, assumed the title of Princess of Orange, becoming the first to do so in her own right. On 8 December 2021, Princess Catharina-Amalia assumed her seat in the Advisory Division of the Council of State when she reached the age of majority at 18 the day before.
Public Life
The Princess of Orange with her sisters attended the annual Koningsdag. On the occasion of her 18th birthday in 2021, a biography of Catharina-Amalia was published. Similar books were published on the 18th birthday of Princess Beatrix in 1956 and Prince Willem-Alexander in 1985. The book titled "Amalia" is written by Dutch entertainer Claudia de Breij. On 8 December 2021, Catharine-Amalia gave her first public speech at the Council of State meeting in Kneuterdijk Palace, The Hague. On 17 June 2022, together with her parents, she was among the royal guests invited to the celebrations of the 18th birthday of Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway. This was Catharina-Amalia's first public engagement outside of The Netherlands and the first occasion to which she was allowed to wear a tiara. On 20 September 2022, together with her parents, Catharina-Amalia attended Prinsjesdag (English: Little Prince's Day), where the king addressed a joint session of the States General of the Netherlands to outline government policy for the upcoming parliamentary session. In December 2022, the Princess visited the three branches of Dutch military: Air Force, Army and Navy.
The Princess, with other Dutch teenagers, also received an invitation letters for military service from the Dutch government in 2020.
In January and February 2023, Catharina-Amalia went on a tour of the Dutch Caribbean with her parents.
They visited Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. It was her first official royal tour.
Titles and Styles and Honors
7 December 2003-30 April 2013 Her Royal Highness Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau
30 April 2013 Her Royal Highness The Princess of Orange, Princess of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau
Honours
Netherlands
-Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands (7 December 2021)
-Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau (7 December 2021)
House: Orange-Nassau (official) Amsberg (agnatic)
Religion: Protestant Church in the Netherlands
