The Princess of Orange, Princesses Alexia and Ariane, News Part 1 (May 2013-Jan 2019)

[Iolanthe]

Thank you all for your information and thoughts about gynmasium/atheneum in the Netherlands!
I am not sure that I share the opinion of gynmasium of a per se somewhat harder school, but it's interesting that this seems to be the usual impression.

Originally Posted by Marengo

The Telegraaf, which revealed the news earlier, now checked the website of the school in Changshu. It seems that after the news was made public, the school posted a message in Dutch on their website, saying:
’de aanmelding voor de schooljaren 2018-2020 is gesloten' (the application for the school year 2018-2020 has been closed).

I couldn't find this message on the general UWC or UWC Changshu site, but it was indeed posted on the Dutch UWC website UWC Nederland - Aanmelden tweejarig*UWC IBDP (The UWC Nederland picks about 25 Dutch students each year for the whole UWC program (which consists of 17 schools/colleges worldwide)).

Interestingly UWC Nederland wouldn't comment on any questions from the media about their program (https://www.metronieuws.nl/nieuws/binnenland/2018/02/amalia-naar-china-op-zijn-minst-dubieus)

Originally Posted by Marengo

Furthermore, what does it say about our education system if it is not good enough for our own crown princess? From her 18th birthday she will receive 1,5 million euros per year from the Dutch state. Attending a few public events would be nice. As China is not next-door, I wonder if we will see the princess as King's Day in the next years.

Personally I feel that it wouldn't say anything about the education system in this case (I feel different about Ingrid Alexandres school change e.g.), because it just seems like a gread opportunity for a (more or less anonymous) experience abroad, that a school in the Netherlands obviously can't offer.
I am however not certain what to think about the PR China as a possible destination because of the political implications. I would have liked a school in a more democratic state for the daughter of the Dutch king. In this case maybe a school in Taiwan, if Amalia is interested in Chinese culture. Or at least the UWC school in Hong Kong.
But then maybe I am nit-picking here (as I myself went to the PR China for a short time and didn't see it as a policital act )

[Somebody]

The king has responded (very unusual!) and said he heard about the rumor on his way back to the Netherlands (from the Olympics) and that it was a completely fabricated story. He called his daughter on his stopover and both had a good laugh about it. He added that the princess of Orange very much enjoys her current school.

[Marengo]

Well, that will teach us never to take anything of Evert Santegoeds seriously again. Or the Telegraaf for that matter .

[Muhler]

Well, it wouldn't be a bad idea though, once she gets older and attend the university.

But how can they get it so wrong?
I'd like to learn about the explanations from the editors-in-chief, their ears must be glowing!

[HereditaryPrincess]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Well, it wouldn't be a bad idea though, once she gets older and attend the university.

But how can they get it so wrong?
I'd like to learn about the explanations from the editors-in-chief, their ears must be glowing!

I agree, it was a believable story, but I must admit that I did have a good chuckle when I learnt that WA had responded (and interesting to see that he had, since so far royals seem to have only responded to stories in the press if they are very critical).

[gerry]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Well, it wouldn't be a bad idea though, once she gets older and attend the university.

But how can they get it so wrong?
I'd like to learn about the explanations from the editors-in-chief, their ears must be glowing!

Maybe their ears are glowing from the increased attention; however in Dutch there is a saying 'Telegraafjournalistiek' i.e. not to be taken seriously because of the unserious reputation of the newspaper

[Iolanthe]

So we know for sure now, good! It surprises me too, that the story could get so big when it's not true at all. But as you already said, it can teach us (me for sure) all the gossip stories to easily, only because they sound believable (and like a good idea I would like to be true)

But I loved Willem-Alexanders response. Very easy going and friendly, but still very clear.

Ik moet zeggen, ik kwam woensdag uit Korea. Ik landde in Parijs en ik zag het nieuws. Ik was heel verbaasd. Dus ik dacht – laat ik even Amalia bellen om te kijken of het waar is of niet, want misschien had ze iets geregeld. Ik kende het verhaal nog niet.
Zij heeft er heel hard om gelachen en het is absoluut niet waar.
Ik verwijs het weer terug naar de dikke duim, die dit creatief uit uitgezogen is. Een totaal onzinverhaal.

I have to say, I came from Korea on Wednesday. I landed in Paris and I saw the news. I was very surprised. So I thought - let me call Amalia to see if it's true or not, because maybe she had arranged something. I didn't know anything.

She laughed very hard about it and it is absolutely not true. I refer it back to the big thumb that this was creatively sucked out of. A total nonsense story.


Q: En waarom vindt u het belangrijk om dat nu even te zeggen?
A: Nou het lijkt me heel goed, omdat toch heel veel mensen (het) heel serieus namen. We kunnen niet altijd alles maar blijven ontkennen, maar op een gegeven moment is dat toch heel goed omdat een verhaal zo groot wordt, om even te zeggen (het is gewoon) even terug naar die dikke duim (waar het) daar moet het gewoon weer in. En dan is het afgesloten daarmee.

Q: And why do you (formal you) feel it's important to state that now?

A: Well it seems to me very good, because a lot of people took (it) very seriously. We can not always deny everything, but at a given moment it is very good (important?), because (when?) a story becomes so big, just to say (it's just) back to that big thumb (where it) came from. And then it is closed with that.

Q: Want Amalia had daar last van?
A: Nee, dat niet. (Maar) Zij moest er zelf heel hard om lachen, dus dat is prima. Maar uiteidelijk is het toch heel goed dat ze … (gewoon) Ze geniet van haar school, ze zit goed in haar vel, ze is blij daar. En ja, daar will ze ook gewoon me doorgaan.


Q: Because Amalia was bothered by that?

A: No, not really. (But) She had to laugh at it very hard herself, so that's fine. But in the end it is still very good that she ... (just) She enjoys her school, she feels great there, she is happy there. And yes, she just wants to continue with that.

[lucien]

Originally Posted by Iolanthe

So we know for sure now, good! It surprises me too, that the story could get so big when it's not true at all. But as you already said, it can teach us (me for sure) all the gossip stories to easily, only because they sound believable (and like a good idea I would like to be true)

But I loved Willem-Alexanders response. Very easy going and friendly, but still very clear.

Ik moet zeggen, ik kwam woensdag uit Korea. Ik landde in Parijs en ik zag het nieuws. Ik was heel verbaasd. Dus ik dacht – laat ik even Amalia bellen om te kijken of het waar is of niet, want misschien had ze iets geregeld. Ik kende het verhaal nog niet.
Zij heeft er heel hard om gelachen en het is absoluut niet waar.
Ik verwijs het weer terug naar de dikke duim, die dit creatief uit uitgezogen is. Een totaal onzinverhaal.

I have to say, I came from Korea on Wednesday. I landed in Paris and I saw the news. I was very surprised. So I thought - let me call Amalia to see if it's true or not, because maybe she had arranged something. I didn't know anything.

She laughed very hard about it and it is absolutely not true. I refer it back to the big thumb that this was creatively sucked out of. A total nonsense story.


Q: En waarom vindt u het belangrijk om dat nu even te zeggen?
A: Nou het lijkt me heel goed, omdat toch heel veel mensen (het) heel serieus namen. We kunnen niet altijd alles maar blijven ontkennen, maar op een gegeven moment is dat toch heel goed omdat een verhaal zo groot wordt, om even te zeggen (het is gewoon) even terug naar die dikke duim (waar het) daar moet het gewoon weer in. En dan is het afgesloten daarmee.

Q: And why do you (formal you) feel it's important to state that now?

A: Well it seems to me very good, because a lot of people took (it) very seriously. We can not always deny everything, but at a given moment it is very good (important?), because (when?) a story becomes so big, just to say (it's just) back to that big thumb (where it) came from. And then it is closed with that.

Q: Want Amalia had daar last van?
A: Nee, dat niet. (Maar) Zij moest er zelf heel hard om lachen, dus dat is prima. Maar uiteidelijk is het toch heel goed dat ze … (gewoon) Ze geniet van haar school, ze zit goed in haar vel, ze is blij daar. En ja, daar will ze ook gewoon me doorgaan.


Q: Because Amalia was bothered by that?

A: No, not really. (But) She had to laugh at it very hard herself, so that's fine. But in the end it is still very good that she ... (just) She enjoys her school, she feels great there, she is happy there. And yes, she just wants to continue with that.

[carina_a]

LOL at WA's response. Humour against rumour

[Duc_et_Pair]

What a beautiful picture of The Princess of Orange:

https://www.ad.nl/binnenland/koning-...5e1/118293712/

[Countessmeout]

Have to laugh at his response.

Love to see a personal response and not just a statement. Glad he and Amalia both seemed to have taken in good humor.

[W.Y.CII]

I can imagine W-A asks C-A Are you going to study in China? confusedly and C-A responds with Why do you suddenly ask that question? confusedly.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Yes I loved it that the King phoned his daughter first, excluding any possibility she actually might have made a decision he was not aware about. Haha.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

Yes I loved it that the King phoned his daughter first, excluding any possibility she actually might have made a decision he was not aware about. Haha.

As if she could decide to go to China on her own, especially being the heir to throne and a 14-year-old girl !

Just as a comparison, in Sweden for example, the Act of Succession says that the heir to the throne cannot travel overseas without the knowledge and consent of the King. I guess there is not a similar legal rule in the Netherlands.

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Iolanthe

That's more or less how it's described on the UWC Changshu website.
I am never sure what to think about IB programs. Six subjects doesn't seem much to me (at least compared to the Netherlands or Germany, the systems I am most familiar with), but it seems to work out as the IB diplomas are recognized almost everywhere and I'm not aware of much criticism of the concept.
And of course it's actually more about the quality of the subjects and not so much about the sheer amount...

IB follows the British model where students specialize in a smaller number of subjects that are studied in greater depth in the last two years of secondary school. In fact, in the UK itself, university-bound students normally only take 4 subjects at A-Levels (years 12 and 13, equivalent to years 11 and 12 in other countries) and the minimum requirement for university admission is only 3 A-Levels. The IB curriculum , in that sense, is actually broader in its range of subjects than A-Levels.

I believe that, in most states in Australia, taking five or six subjects is also the norm for most students in years 11 and 12 (please correct me if I am wrong). I don't find that specialist model "worse" in quality than an alternative generalist model because, first of all, a broader range of subjects are normally studied up to year 10, thus ensuring breadth in different subject areas and, second, by concentrating on fewer subjects in the last two years, it is possible, as I said before, to go much deeper than if one were otherwise taking 8 or 9 subjects. I know for a fact for example that A-Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics (or its Australian equivalents like Mathematical Methods plus Specialist Mathematics) are very advanced by secondary school standards covering topics that, in most countries, are only taught at the university level .

[Winnie]

Originally Posted by Duc_et_Pair

What a beautiful picture of The Princess of Orange:

https://www.ad.nl/binnenland/koning-...5e1/118293712/

Yes it is. I truly believe all three of the girls are very nice looking each quite different and seems to have quite different personalities also. Great in a family. Keeps things interesting.

[RoyalHighness 2002]

Catharina-Amalia isn't even old enough to apply to UWC yet, I applied this year and i'm one year older than her. This was the first time I could apply. So even if there had been no response from the King, the story was false from the beginning, unless the educational system is different in the Netherlands and they finish one year earlier.

[Lee-Z]

Originally Posted by Mbruno

As if she could decide to go to China on her own, especially being the heir to throne and a 14-year-old girl !

Just as a comparison, in Sweden for example, the Act of Succession says that the heir to the throne cannot travel overseas without the knowledge and consent of the King. I guess there is not a similar legal rule in the Netherlands.

There might well be (i don't know) but imo K.W-A's public reaction was not so much that of a King about his Heir, but that of a father with three teenage daughters with dad occassionally having a hard time keeping up with all the things his girls undertake

Just like the average dad with teenagers in the Netherlands

[SLV]

Originally Posted by Lee-Z

There might well be (i don't know) but imo K.W-A's public reaction was not so much that of a King about his Heir, but that of a father with three teenage daughters with dad occassionally having a hard time keeping up with all the things his girls undertake

Just like the average dad with teenagers in the Netherlands

Yes, I agree.
Never know what you are up to with two teenagers.

[Duc_et_Pair]

Originally Posted by RoyalHighness 2002

Catharina-Amalia isn't even old enough to apply to UWC yet, I applied this year and i'm one year older than her. This was the first time I could apply. So even if there had been no response from the King, the story was false from the beginning, unless the educational system is different in the Netherlands and they finish one year earlier.

Amalia has hopped over one class at primary school because she was such a good pupil. So she is younger than most classmates at 3 Gymnasium (usually 15 years).