Princesses Catharina-Amalia, Alexia and Ariane, News 1 (September 2005 - June 2007)

[acdc1]

I wish they would release it, but then again, a surprise would be nice, too. It will be fun to see how Ariane's grown since we last saw her. Maybe they will release it on Alexia's birthday, she will be two months old by then.

[monica17]

Does anyone know how the education of Amalia will proceed? As of now, being only 3, I think she attends a day care center. But is there any sort of tradition in terms of her education? I read that at the age of 18, she should be ready to assume some official duties (correct me if I'm wrong). And that the Dutch monarch wields considerable power compared to other monarchs in Europe. I also read that those born in the Dutch RF receive their university education in the Netherlands, is that a tradition or can they also study abroad?

[Marengo]

She will start attending primary school when she is 4 years old I believe, untill 12. After that she will go to secondairy school. Depending on the level she will be doing that will continue untill her 16th, 17th or 18th year. I assume she will go to the 'VWO' (as the rest of her family), so it will take untill her 18th year. After that she can go to university.

Information on Dutch school education can be found here.

[Kelly]

Have they announced a baptism date yet? Or is it unnecessary to announce as she is only the third child?

[Empress]

They will announce it eventually. There is generally anywhere from a 4-6 month wait after the baby is born, before it is christened in the DRF.

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by monica17

Does anyone know how the education of Amalia will proceed? As of now, being only 3, I think she attends a day care center. But is there any sort of tradition in terms of her education? I read that at the age of 18, she should be ready to assume some official duties (correct me if I'm wrong). And that the Dutch monarch wields considerable power compared to other monarchs in Europe. I also read that those born in the Dutch RF receive their university education in the Netherlands, is that a tradition or can they also study abroad?

'De Horsten' (The Eyries) is a private property of the royal family since 1838, sized 415 hectare. The estate is located in the municipality of Wassenaar (near The Hague) one of the wealthiest municipalities in the Netherlands, in fact a suburban enclave of millionaires.

In Wassenaar there is an international school (the American School of The Hague). Princess Catharina-Amalia can develop herself into an internationally oriented person by attending international school.

But of course the parents can also opt for a Dutch school :

The closest to the princely villa is a small school with 180 pupils, located in the green and lavish surroundings of Wassenaar-South: the Kievit School (named after the Peewit or Lapwing, a bird). I think this will be Princess Catharina-Amalia's future school. Great old building with a tatched roof.

Saint Bonifacius School (Roman Catholic Education)

Herenweg School (Protestant Education)

Montessori School (Education via the orthopedagogic learning system by Maria Montessori)

Nutsschool (independent education organized by the private Maatschappij tot Nut van het Algemeen /the private Society of Public Welfare)

[carlota]

Originally Posted by Kelly

Have they announced a baptism date yet? Or is it unnecessary to announce as she is only the third child?

they will most certainly announce it, after all ariane is the fourth in line to the throne. catharina-amalia and alexia were christened after 5 months of being born, so i'd expect ariane's birthday to happen some time around beginning-middle september.

[Vanesa]

Thank you for posting this! I find it very useful. I don't know how do you find all these little "info jewels", people! I'm so stupid in computer skills...

Vanesa.

[Marengo]

As secondairy school she can always go to the 'Rijnlands Lyceum' in Wassenaar, according to the cliche all the children of Wassenaars nouveau riche (and of the few old money that is living there) are going there. If WA and Maxima want their daughters to get in touch with more normal people they can send her to the Adelbert College. But by then I expect that the family will be living in neighbouring The Hague, so hopefully she will go to a less elitarian school.

As I am fromthe area of Wassenaar I know several people who went to the international american school. Apart from the usual diplomatic children they had loads of stories to share about there school collegues who had an emigrated eastern european mobster as a father. They usually attnded school with bodyguards too.

[princess olga]

Originally Posted by fee

This is quite funny actually, why is everyone discussing Amalias "bloodline"?
(Though one can get a little kick out of the fact that the national anthem reads: Willem of Orange I am of german blood )
Anyway, no royal "bloodline" is 100% dutch or british or whatever, since the marriage policies in earlier times requested 100% royal blood, all royals are truely "european" but hardly as "national" as most of their subjects.
...

Well, <if> we talk about bloodlines here, most of Amalia's father's ancestors are actually indeed German! From Queen Wilhelmina's mother Emma, to her husband Hendrik, to her son in law Bernhard, whose own son in law, Claus, was also German. Not that I mind it a bit, but the Dutch royals are more German than anything strictly speaking. (And the British, well, funny you mention them because the Windsor's ancestry couldn't be more German in fact! Thank goodness for Diana's true-blue Englishness there I suppose.)

[monica17]

Many thanks, Henri M. and Marengo, for your (prompt and detailed) answers regarding the possibilities about Amalia's education.... I can't wait for Amalia to start primary school, at age 4 (that's soon). Your country has the most darling little princesses (and other royal kids), IMHO. And it's certainly fascinating to see how the Dutch educational system is and to know some of the schools there, too (although I know some people who have gone to the Institute of Social Studies in your country).

[Kelly]

That would be great. Two celebrations in September would mean many more pictures! (of course if that were the case)

[Aurora810]

Originally Posted by carlota

they will most certainly announce it, after all ariane is the fourth in line to the throne. catharina-amalia and alexia were christened after 5 months of being born, so i'd expect ariane's birthday to happen some time around beginning-middle september.

I'm sure you meant christening not birthday. Yep, I think September will be a busy month for the Dutch RF.

[Henri M.]

Prince Willem-Alexander
Prince Friso
Prince Constantijn
lived until 1982 at the romantic estate Drakensteyn in Baarn, a rural municipality in the centre of the Netherlands. They did attend primary school at the Nieuwe Baarnsche School.

[LadyK]

Have Maxima and WA ever talked about whether they will send their girls to a public school?

And Amalia will have to have her own special "teacher's assistant" (aka security guard)?

And when Amalia goes to school, will she be called (in the classroom) Princess Amalia, or will she just be refered to as Amalia Von Oranje? (like William Wales)

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by LadyK

Have Maxima and WA ever talked about whether they will send their girls to a public school?

And Amalia will have to have her own special "teacher's assistant" (aka security guard)?

And when Amalia goes to school, will she be called (in the classroom) Princess Amalia, or will she just be refered to as Amalia Von Oranje? (like William Wales)

No. For so far the Prince and Princess have not spoken about their daughter's education.

Yes, the Princess will have security 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, also on her school, like her father and uncles also have had when they did attend school. The royal domain is protected by the Royal Marechaussee. The royals themselves are protected by bodyguards from the DKDB, the Royal- and Diplomatic Protection Department. They always ride in front and behind the royal car, see picture: an armoured Audi from the DKDB, two Fords with staff escorting the royals (aides, secretary, etc.) and the car with the royal(s) in it. This must have been a formal event because such a number of motors opening and closing the cortège is not every day's routine.

When the Princess will attend school, she will be 'Amalia van Oranje' indeed, like her father was 'Willem-Alexander van Oranje' during his schooltime.

Only when something is formal or outsiders it is 'Princess Catharina-Amalia'. When her father has assumed the kingship and she will become The Princess of Orange, or when she has reached the age of 18, receive her own dotation, have a seat in the Council of State and start to assemble her own staff, things will change rapidly. The young lady will change into a fulltime Her Royal Highness.

[ahtikavalentine]

Wow! Be a royal is a dificult thing!! A lot of people watching you, and you don't even know who they are!

[prinsesbeagle]

She will go to a 'public school' (I mean public in the way it is meant in the UK and US; a school where all kids can attend, regardless of their parents income; you don't have to pay the school money to attend).

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by prinsesbeagle

She will go to a 'public school' (I mean public in the way it is meant in the UK and US; a school where all kids can attend, regardless of their parents income; you don't have to pay the school money to attend).

All schools are public schools in the meaning that all parents can choose their own schools. There are no strictly private primary schools with private teachers paid by the parents, etc..

There however is a division in general schools (provided by municipalities) and non-general schools (provided by a Catholic, Protestant, etc. board).

Some two-thirds of all Dutch children attend non-general schools, the vast majority of which are Roman-Catholic or Protestant. But there are also Jewish, Islamic, Hindu and non-denominational schools. Some schools use various methods such as the Montessori, Jena Plan, Dalton or Freinet systems of education.

The Prince of Orange and his brothers have attended non-general schools for primary and secondary education, all of Protestant signature.

[lucien]

During a press meeting in Bratislava this morning,Queen Beatrix refered to the condition of wee Princess Ariane earlyer this month,she discribed her condition at the time as "griezelig" ,meaning as much as very worrysome,and that the family had only been told about the true nature afterwards.

HM added that;Thank God,everything is fine now".
Thank God indeed.