Female Heirs – Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange

With the introduction of absolute primogeniture in most European monarchies, there are now several Queens in waiting. With our series Female Heirs, we’ll be taking a look at those young women who will one day rule in their own right. Today we’ll be taking a look at Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange.

The current King of the Netherlands was born on 27 April 1967, and he became the Prince of Orange on 30 April 1980, when his mother Beatrix succeeded her mother as Queen. When he married Máxima Zorreguieta in 2002, she did not become Princess of Orange due to a recent change in the law, which limited the title to the heir apparent alone. On her wedding day, she was granted the titles Princess of the Netherlands and Princess of Orange-Nassau with ‘Her Royal Highness’ as the style of address.

They had three daughters together, Catharina-Amalia was born in 2003, Alexia was born in 2005 and Ariane was born in 2007. When Willem-Alexander succeeded his mother on 30 April 2013, his eldest child automatically became Princess of Orange as the title no longer differentiated between a male or female heir. Catharina-Amalia is the first woman to hold the title in her own right, despite the Netherlands having had three Queens regnant before her. Mary of Baux did hold the title as sovereign Prince of Orange from 1393 to 1417.

Catharina-Amalia was born on 7 December 2003 at 5.01 PM in the Bronovo Hospital in The Hague. She was baptised on 12 June 2004 with Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, Baroness Rengers-Deane, Prince Constantijn, Martin Zorreguieta, Herman Tjeenk Willink and Marc ter Haar as godparents.

Her full name is Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria. Catharina-Amalia and her sisters attend major functions, such as King’s Day and the press moments. Since becoming an adult, she has taken up more royal duties.

Catharina-Amalia’s first major function, as well as her sisters’, was their grandmother’s abdication and their father’s accession. Catharina-Amalia was just ten years old at the time. She has been attending school like a regular child since 2007.

She assumed her seat in the Council of State when she turned 18 in 2021 and has been attending the opening of parliament (Prinsjesdag) since 2022. She started studying at the University of Amsterdam in 2022, but her move to Amsterdam was interrupted by serious threats to her person.

It was later revealed that the Princess had spent a year living and studying in Madrid due to the threats. She has since returned to the Netherlands and even offered the city of Madrid a tulip garden in thanks for their hospitality.