The 18th Birthday of Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange - 2021

[Alisa]

Here is a link of the Princess' speech with English subtitles.
She did a marvelous job!

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CXOZx66IYod/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

[Katymcwaity]

Her parents were bursting with pride! They know they’ve done an excellent job

 

[Blog Real]

Princess Catharina-Amália spoke very well. I really enjoyed hearing her little speech.

 

[wartenberg7]

Now is this already it about her 18th birthday...?

 

[SLV]

Yes, nothing more.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Now is this already it about her 18th birthday...?

Yes, there is a partial lockdown (between 5 o'clock in the evening and 5 o'clock in the morning). Even if a gala banquet was planned, it would have been canceled anyway.

 

[kathia_sophia]

I loved her speech! I bet she was nervous (I would be!), but she did very well. Her father looked so proud!


So many coming of age events! First, Princess Aiko, now Princess Catharina-Amalia, and next month Princess Ingrid Alexandra. I watched them grow over the years, I feel like a proud aunt!

 

[crm2317]

Princess Amalia spoke wonderfully today, she was confident and poised. You can see the emotion and pride so easily on her fathers face!

 

[An Ard Ri]

The Princess of Orange was wonderful,her parents must have been so proud.

 

[lucien]

Princess Amalia spoke wonderfully today, she was confident and poised. You can see the emotion and pride so easily on her fathers face!

Absolutely,plus I loved how she referred to her grandmother,Princess Beatrix.

 

[Marengo]

She was a bit nervous during the press conference afterwards, but few 18y/olds in that position wouldn't be. Afraid to make a mistake and feeling the pressure to do it well. What a lovely girl, her parents are visibly proud of her and with good reason.

Edit: apparently the King wore the same tie that he was wearing for Amalia's presentation to the pressin the Bronovo hospital in The Hague, a few hours after her birth.

 

[Muhler]

Considering that this a Amalia's first major public tam-tam with her being in focus, I think she did stellar.

I think she can go to bed tonight with a sigh of relief and a job well done.

I look forward to hearing about the comments and reactions from the Dutch press and people on the streets.

 

[Mbruno]

Here is a link of the Princess' speech with English subtitles.
She did a marvelous job!

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CXOZx66IYod/?utm_medium=copy_link

I understand that the King is the Chair (Voorzitter) of the Council of State (Raad van State), but is the King normally addressed in meetings of the Council as Voorzitter rather than Majesteit as Amalia did? I found that curious.

 

[principessa]

She did it very great.

Willem-Alexander and Maxima can be very proud of her oldest daughter. She will be a great queen for the Netherlands.

 

[CrownPrincessJava]

What an incredibly confident young woman! I loved the delivery of her speech - if only I was the same at 18. She has had incredible role models and it shows. Well done to King W-A and Queen Maxima. They are truly doing a great job of raising their daughters.

The King had tears in his eyes hearing her speak. You could feel how emotional King W-A was seeing his daughter step up in her role as Crown Princess. I suspect her grandmother was the same seeing it too - especially as it is clear Princess Beatrix has been her role model.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I suspect her grandmother was the same seeing it too - especially as it is clear Princess Beatrix has been her role model.

And who better to have as a royal role model than former queen Beatrix.

 

[Somebody]

She was still not officially confirmed?

No, 'confirmation' is not a practice in the Dutch protestant church. A confession of faith (as is the practice) is seen as something that should be done when you can truly take full responsibility, which is why it was traditionally done around Easter after turning 18. She turned 18 yesterday, so, it would have been very surprising if she had professed her faith as a minor (especially now we know from her book that she believes in something that she calls God but that's about it).

I understand that the King is the Chair (Voorzitter) of the Council of State (Raad van State), but is the King normally addressed in meetings of the Council as Voorzitter rather than Majesteit as Amalia did? I found that curious.

He normally doesn't attend these meetings but I am pretty sure he would be as that is his role in this council (and her speech would have been a shared product and heavily reviewed). He did when in the years after he graduated just like Amalia will do.

I liked the part that she clearly expressed that she knows where she is heading (the office she will one day occupy) and how she stated that she hopes that day is still far away but also is aware that the day she will be called to ascend the throne could be tomorrow.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I understand that the King is the Chair (Voorzitter) of the Council of State (Raad van State), but is the King normally addressed in meetings of the Council as Voorzitter rather than Majesteit as Amalia did? I found that curious.

It was a joke by Amalia: "Dank u wel, Voorzitter, als ik u voor één keer zo mag noemen, voor uw warme woorden. Het is een eer om door u ontvangen te mogen worden."

"Thank you, Chairman, if I can -for once- address you like that , for your warm words. It is a honour to be received by you."

By the way, Amalia used the formal u (like vous in French). Willem-Alexander said "Dear Amalia" and used the informal jij (like tu in French), much more informal than his mother, who said "the Prince of Orange" and used the formal u speaking to her own son.

The difference between 1985 and 2021 was notable.

The Vice-President said "Your Majesty" indeed: "Mag ik in de eerste plaats Uwe Majesteit hartelijk dankzeggen dat u zelf de Prinses van Oranje wilt binnenleiden in de Raad van State. U doet dat als onze Voorzitter, maar u bent natuurlijk ook de trotse vader van een meerderjarig geworden oudste dochter."

"Firstly, may I express heartfelt gratitude to Your Majesty, that you yourself wishes to give entrance to the Princess of Orange into the Council of State. You do this as our Chairman, but of course you are also the proud father of an eldest daughter whom reached the age of majority."

 

[Somebody]

Amalia repeated the word 'voorzitter' three times...

While Willem-Alexander had a short speech for 'Dear Amalia', when the chair/king introduced his daughter's speech he referred to her as 'the princess of Orange'.

 

[Blog Real]

Video:

 

[Somebody]

At the press conference Amalia stated that she has been able to witness both her grandmother's and father's reign and recognized in both the servitude and dedication to the office but stressed that each monarch gives the office his/her personal interpretation - which is what she hopes to do as well.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Thank you to the posters who have shared parts of the press conference. Is there a summary or a transcript of it?



Announcement of the Princess of Orange's new standard and orders:
https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/actue...rscheidingsvlag-ridder-grootkruis-en-huisorde

Transcript of the speech of the King at the Council of State:
https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/docum...an-de-prinses-van-oranje-in-de-raad-van-state

Transcript of the speech of the Princess of Orange at the Council of State:
https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/docum...-oranje-bij-haar-intrede-in-de-raad-van-state

Photos:
https://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/agenda/2021/12/08/binnengeleiding-prinses-van-oranje-in-raad-van-state

Video:

 

[Somebody]

The following 11 min video provides a good overview of both installation and press conference (with English subtitles):

 

[kalnel]

The more I see of Amalia, the more impressed I am. She carries herself with poise and confidence, but not any arrogance at all. Very likeable young woman.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

It is interesting there seems no such equivalent, where the King and the future King, have a seat in the highest advisory board to the Government as well the supreme Court of Administration. It places the future King uniquely close to the machinery of state, on a weekly base.

Even if no political influence is executed by the furure King, in the past 5 centuries the Council of State has been the ultimate top in the who-is-who pyramid. After all: Cabinets come and go, the Council of State remains. Queen Beatrix was a member for almost 6 decades (1956-2013) and as every piece of legislation is vetted by the Council, and as conflicts of citizens with the state are judged by the Coucil, it truly is a "high school for future Kings".

Not for nothing Mr Herman-Diederik Tjeenk Willink (the former vice-president of the Council whom was Willem-Alexander's "mentor") has been asked to become a godfather to Princess Amalia, 18 years ago. The former vice-president was at this special session as well, to witness his goddaughter.

 

[Somebody]

Amalia's full press conference:

Her favorite word: 'enorm' (meaning: enormously, immensely).

 

[Muhler]

Okay, review time. ?

How did she do in Dutch ears? And how was her behavior, choice of words and attitude in a Dutch context?

 

[Alisa]

Amalia's full press conference:

Her favorite word: 'enorm' (meaning: enormously, immensely).

I picked up on that a while back. Her cousin Eloise seems to be a fan of the word.

 

[An Ard Ri]

How did the Princess's 18th Birthday fair with the general public in the Netherlands?

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

The Royal House needs no enemies. They are their own useful idiots. For Princess Amalia's birthday there were more than 100 guests outside in the park of Huis ten Bosch, so wrote the newspaper De Telegraaf

That is far exceeding the maximum number of guests during the partial lockdown. The State Information Agency stated that 21 guests were invited but not all of them have attended.

In the meantime the King has informed the Prime Minister that "by hindsight it was not wise to organize it in this way, in the own park". It seems the idea was: it is outside. The Prime Minister has fully agreed with the King's assessment.

So despite the Greek debacle, neither the King, nor the Queen, nor the Princesses have had one milli-second of a feeling in their social and political antenna: "Wait a moment, it is Covid, isn't it?".