Princesses Catharina-Amalia, Alexia and Ariane, News 2 (June - December 2007)

[dazzling]

Thanks Henri M for the info. I think after 2 summer christening's an autum one would be great. Do you know when the godparents names will be released?

[Marengo]

Lovely place for a royal christening, especially considering the church has a royal history and HM attends church there. Apart from that, the building looks magnificent too :). I actually expected them to use the church of Wassenaar again, but this gives an extra touch IMHO.

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Lovely place for a royal christening, especially considering the church has a royal history and HM attends church there. Apart from that, the building looks magnificent too :). I actually expected them to use the church of Wassenaar again, but this gives an extra touch IMHO.

It is a bit of strange choice, that for the third child the more historic Kloosterkerk is used, while for the second one 'only' the local church of Wassenaar was used. (A very nice church by the way).

HRH Princess Catharina-Amalia: the Great- of Saint James' Church in The Hague

HRH Princess Alexia: the Village Church of Wassenaar

HRH Princess Ariane: the Cloister Church in The Hague

[Verde Esmeralda]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

It is a bit of strange choice, that for the third child the more historic Kloosterkerk is used, while for the second one 'only' the local church of Wassenaar was used. (A very nice church by the way).

Who is actually in charge of deciding which church will be used for these occasions? The Princes themselves, the Queen, ... ?

[sesa]

Originally Posted by Verde Esmeralda

Who is actually in charge of deciding which church will be used for these occasions? The Princes themselves, the Queen, ... ?

I would think it would be the parents choice on where to baptize their child, with the Queens permission if needed. But then again, I'm "thinking", and that is something that I should stop doing!

[Rebafan81]

I am happy they finally anounced the date but doesn't seem like a long time before the christening? Wasn't Ariene born before Isabella and Sofia but she is the last to be christened? How long did they wait for C-A and Alexia?

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by Verde Esmeralda

Who is actually in charge of deciding which church will be used for these occasions? The Princes themselves, the Queen, ... ?

It is exclusively up to the parents to choose the church.
It is kind of sad they did not choose the historic Great- or Our Lady's Church in Breda. The Barony of Breda is the eldest Nassau possession in today's Netherlands and has numerous historical links to the royal family.

A wedding or a baptism in the wonderful city of Breda with the monumental Great- or Our Lady's Church, the old Castle of Nassau and the City Hall would have proved fantastic images.

[Verde Esmeralda]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

It is exclusively up to the parents to choose the church.
It is kind of sad they did not choose the historic Great- or Our Lady's Church in Breda. The Barony of Breda is the eldest Nassau possession in today's Netherlands and has numerous historical links to the royal family.

A wedding or a baptism in the wonderful city of Breda with the monumental Great- or Our Lady's Church, the old Castle of Nassau and the City Hall would have proved fantastic images.

Indeed Henri, I've been to Breda and I saw the church you mention, it's just overwhelming. But they don't seem to bother in going further than The Hague for baptizing their girls

[Henri M.]

Well, the Oranges do bother about Breda.

The first Queen's Day in the reign of Queen Beatrix went to Breda and Veere, part of the eldest Nassau possessions in present Netherlands (the barony of Breda and the marquessate of Veere and Flushing).

The first city the Prince of Orange visited on his 'Joyeuse Entrée' with his official fiancée was Breda.

The Prince of Orange almost every year visits the Castle of Nassau in Breda (home to the Royal Military Academy), he opened the restorated Nassau Chapel in the Great Church and was guest of honour to open 600 Years Breda & the Orange-Nassaus.

HM The Queen, Marchioness of Veere and Flushing, drinks wine from the Golden Marquesses' Chalice on the steps of the gothic townhall of the old city of Veere. With this ancient custom Veere honours its Marquess.

HRH The Prince of Orange and ms Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti at the Castle of Nassau in Breda, 2001

HM The Queen, Baroness of Breda, in the Great- of Our Lady's Church in Breda (fantastic picture!)

HRH The Prince of Orange and HRH Prince Constantijn in a child's fungame (pillow fight) at Queen's Day 1982 in Breda

HM The Queen, Marchioness of Veere and Flushing, with HRH The Prince of Orange and HRH Prince Constantijn, on the balcony of Veere Townhall, Queen's Day 1982

HRH The Prince of Orange and ms Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti's first act during the official Joyeuse Entrée was to visit the amazing Princes' Chapel in Breda were many of the Prince's ancestors are interred

HM The Queen is welcomed outside the Castle of Nassau in Breda, to bring a visit to the Royal Military Academy

HRH The Prince of Orange unveiled the fabulous result of a complicated restoration of old mediaeval frescoes and paintings in the Nassau Chapel in Breda. On the foreground the marble mausoleum for his ancestors Lord Engelbrecht II of Nassau, Baron of Breda and his spouse Lady Cimburga, Margravine of Baden.


So it still has a lot of importance to the Queen and the Prince indeed. I think Breda is not chosen for major royal events because there is no palace and also not many top-class hotels available to accomodate many guests. In former times the Orange-Nassaus had a splendid court at the Castle of Nassau, but this is now the Royal Military Academy.

[monica17]

Originally Posted by Rebafan81

I am happy they finally anounced the date but doesn't seem like a long time before the christening? Wasn't Ariene born before Isabella and Sofia but she is the last to be christened? How long did they wait for C-A and Alexia?

Amalia was baptized in June 2004, 6 months after she was born. Alexia was baptized in November 2005, 5 months after she was born. Eloise was baptized at 6 months old. It's normal for the Dutch RF hold their baptisms at a later date than the other royal families. Countess Leonore was baptized at 4 months old, while the others kids in the Dutch RF (Luana, Zaria, and Claus-Casimir) took longer than six months, I think.

I was hoping Ariane would be baptized in September, coinciding with W-A's belated birthday celebration. But I guess they wanted to hold the events as separate.

[Marengo]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

It is exclusively up to the parents to choose the church.
It is kind of sad they did not choose the historic Great- or Our Lady's Church in Breda. The Barony of Breda is the eldest Nassau possession in today's Netherlands and has numerous historical links to the royal family.

A wedding or a baptism in the wonderful city of Breda with the monumental Great- or Our Lady's Church, the old Castle of Nassau and the City Hall would have proved fantastic images.

Isn't that a catholic church, Henri? I don't think it is possible to have a protestant ceremony in a catholic church, but I might be wrong. Personally I would like it if they 'spread' these things a bit more. The Bavo-church in Haarlem would be great or something in Groningen/Leeuwarden. But that obviously gives problems with receiving guests etc.
-
Apparently they didn't use the church in Wassenaar anymore because it was too small for all the guests ('De Pers').

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Isn't that a catholic church, Henri? I don't think it is possible to have a protestant ceremony in a catholic church, but I might be wrong. Personally I would like it if they 'spread' these things a bit more. The Bavo-church in Haarlem would be great or something in Groningen/Leeuwarden. But that obviously gives problems with receiving guests etc.
-
Apparently they didn't use the church in Wassenaar anymore because it was too small for all the guests ('De Pers').

It has not been Catholic since the Protestants pinched it from us...
And since it is,it really would have been an absolutely beautifull setting,a present day link to a glorious past.

[carlota]

any idea on why they chose the different churches for the baptisms? did something important in willem alexander's life happened there, or maybe they just liked them?

[lucien]

Originally Posted by carlota

any idea on why they chose the different churches for the baptisms? did something important in willem alexander's life happened there, or maybe they just liked them?

As Marengo mentioned before,HM attends services there on sundays,and the Prince of Orange was a long time member of a bible group originating in this church.It has a very special meaning to the RF.Also,this was the church where Frederik Hendrik married Amalia von Solms,where Princess Wilhelmina attended service aged 16 in 1896,so it does have an historic connotation to the House in more then one way.

[Henri M.]

A royal fan from Eindhoven (I do live in Eindhoven, but it is not me) has posted a princely thank you card on a local Eindhoven forum, see link:

Their Royal Highnesses
The Prince of Orange and
Princess Máxima of the Netherlands
express their heartfelt gratitude
for the friendly congratulations
they were pleased to receive
by the occasion of the birthday
of their daughter Alexia.

The card shows the intertwined W and M, topped with a the royal crown.

[Rebafan81]

Originally Posted by monica17

Amalia was baptized in June 2004, 6 months after she was born. Alexia was baptized in November 2005, 5 months after she was born. Eloise was baptized at 6 months old. It's normal for the Dutch RF hold their baptisms at a later date than the other royal families. Countess Leonore was baptized at 4 months old, while the others kids in the Dutch RF (Luana, Zaria, and Claus-Casimir) took longer than six months, I think.

I was hoping Ariane would be baptized in September, coinciding with W-A's belated birthday celebration. But I guess they wanted to hold the events as separate.

Thanks for taking time to answer my question, I am not very up to date with the Dutch royal family, although I can say that since the girls, I pay a lot more attention to them.
Thanks again

[maxima88]

Today a little cousin from me, got an inviting for the baptism of Princess Ariane..:w00t2::w00t2:... I told her to send a letter with congratulations and said that she would be really glad to attend the baptism.. today they called her and said that she was invited .... I'm a little bit jealous but for me it was not possible to go, because i'm going to live in spain for a while by the time she is baptised... but i feeel soo happy for her.. that i wanted to tell all of you....

[Princess Maxima]

Originally Posted by maxima88

Today a little cousin from me, got an inviting for the baptism of Princess Ariane..:w00t2::w00t2:... I told her to send a letter with congratulations and said that she would be really glad to attend the baptism.. today they called her and said that she was invited .... I'm a little bit jealous but for me it was not possible to go, because i'm going to live in spain for a while by the time she is baptised... but i feeel soo happy for her.. that i wanted to tell all of you....

wow that's great And why is she invited?

[Verde Esmeralda]

Maxima88, I am also tempted to ask you how your little cousin got to be invited...and please do shake her hand on my behalf...!

[mandyy]

Don't know if these were posted before
New photos of Amalia, Alexia and Ariane from http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/
Amalia
Alexia
Ariane