Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Catharina-Amalia |
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Catharina-Amalia in 2024
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| Born | 7 December 2003 The Hague, Netherlands |
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| House | Orange-Nassau (official) Amsberg (agnatic) |
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| Father | Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands | ||||
| Mother | Máxima Zorreguieta | ||||
| Religion | Protestant | ||||
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Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange (born 7 December 2003) is the future queen of the Netherlands. This country includes parts in Europe and the Caribbean, like Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten.
Princess Catharina-Amalia is the oldest child of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. She has two younger sisters, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane. She became the next in line to the throne when her father became king on 30 April 2013.
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Early Life of Princess Amalia
Princess Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria of the Netherlands was born on 7 December 2003 in The Hague. She was the first child of the then Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima. When she was born, 101 salute shots were fired in different parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
On 12 June 2004, Catharina-Amalia was baptised in The Hague. Her godparents include her uncle Prince Constantijn and Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. Her maternal grandparents were also there for her baptism.
Princess Catharina-Amalia has two younger sisters: Princess Alexia (born in 2005) and Princess Ariane (born in 2007). The family lived at Villa Eikenhorst in Wassenaar for many years. In 2019, they moved to Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague.
Her birthdays are often celebrated with a concert in The Hague. On 30 April 2013, her grandmother, Queen Beatrix, stepped down from the throne. Her father became king, and Catharina-Amalia became the Princess of Orange. This made her the first to hold this title in her own right.
Education and Studies
In December 2007, Catharina-Amalia started primary school at Bloemcamp Primary School in Wassenaar. After that, she went to Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague. She was part of the student council there. She also took part in Model United Nations conferences. She finished school with excellent grades in 2021. After high school, Catharina-Amalia took a year off to gain experience. During this time, she volunteered and interned at different organizations.
Catharina-Amalia studied at the University of Amsterdam. She pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Politics, Psychology, Law, and Economics (PPLE). After starting university, she moved back to the royal palace for safety reasons. In 2023, she lived in Madrid, Spain, for a while. She continued her studies online there for her safety. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in PPLE in July 2025. She is also planning to join a training program at the University of Amsterdam to study Dutch Law.
Princess Catharina-Amalia speaks Dutch, English, and Spanish. Spanish is her mother's first language. She also took classes to learn Mandarin Chinese.
Public Engagements
Catharina-Amalia and her sisters attend the yearly Koningsdag (King's Day) celebrations. In June 2010, she was a bridesmaid at the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. For her 18th birthday in 2021, a special book about her life was published. This book, called "Amalia," was written by Claudia de Breij.
On 8 December 2021, the day after her 18th birthday, Catharina-Amalia took her seat in the Advisory Division of the Council of State. This is an important advisory body in the Netherlands. On the same day, she gave her first public speech at a Council of State meeting. Her family held a birthday party for her, but her father later said it was not right because of rules during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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On 17 June 2022, she attended the 18th birthday celebration of Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway with her parents. This was her first official event outside the Netherlands. It was also the first time she was allowed to wear a tiara. In September 2022, she attended Prinsjesdag with her parents. This is a day when the King outlines government plans. In December 2022, she visited different parts of the Dutch military.
In early 2023, Catharina-Amalia went on her first official royal tour with her parents. They visited several islands in the Dutch Caribbean, including Aruba and Curaçao. In April 2023, she attended the King's Day concert in Rotterdam with her sister Princess Ariane. On 5 May 2023, she went with her grandmother to a reception at Buckingham Palace. This was before the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in the United Kingdom. In June 2023, she attended a state dinner for the wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan. In October 2023, she made her first solo official trip abroad. She attended Prince Christian of Denmark's 18th birthday celebration. In April 2024, she attended her first state dinner, honoring King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain.
In June 2025, Catharina-Amalia had surgery after she fell from a horse and broke her arm.
Public Image and Allowance
Princess Catharina-Amalia has sometimes faced unkind comments about her body in magazines and online. Many people have shown their support for her, saying that such comments are not acceptable.
When she turned 18, Catharina-Amalia became eligible for an annual allowance from the Dutch state. This money is for her personal use and for staff and other expenses. After finishing high school, she chose not to use this allowance until she completed her studies. In May 2024, she announced that she would start using the part of her allowance meant for staff and expenses from January 2025. This decision was made even though she is still studying.
Titles and Honors
Titles
- 7 December 2003 - 30 April 2013: Her Royal Highness Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange Nassau
- 30 April 2013 - present: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Orange
Honors
Princess Catharina-Amalia has received several honors.
National Honors
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands (since 7 December 2021).
Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau (since 7 December 2021).
Foreign Honors
Oman:
Member 1st Class of the Order of the Renaissance (since 15 April 2025)
Portugal:
Grand Cross of the Order of Christ (since 10 December 2024)
Spain:
Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (since 10 April 2024)
Places and Things Named After Her
Several places and things have been named in honor of Princess Catharina-Amalia.
Geographic Locations
Netherlands: Princess Amalia Wind Farm is a wind farm located off the coast of IJmuiden.
Structures
Curaçao: The Princess Amalia Bridge is in Willemstad.
Other
- Netherlands: Prinses Amalia is a Douglas C-47 Skytrain airplane. It used to belong to her great-grandfather, Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld.
- Netherlands: Vox Amalia is a special ship used for dredging, built by Van Oord.
- Netherlands: Regiment Huzaren Prinses Catharina-Amalia is a regiment in the Royal Netherlands Army.
- Curaçao: Amalia Waltz is a dance music piece.
Coat of Arms
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See also
In Spanish: Catalina Amalia de Orange para niños
- List of current heirs apparent
