The Princess of Orange, News and Events Part 2 (Jan 2024 - present)

[Somebody]

i can detect some argentinian accent, but some words sound castillian to me. it is hard to tell as the videos weren't long enough, but i would say it is a mix between both, which i guess is normal as someone who learnt it as a second language with an argentinian mom but having lived in spain.

She didn't learn Spanish as a second language; she grew up bilingual (or maybe even trilingual with English as the third language in the package) - with her father speaking Dutch and her mother speaking Spanish.

 

[doro]

I wish her a speedy recovery!

 

[Adda]

She didn't learn Spanish as a second language; she grew up bilingual (or maybe even trilingual with English as the third language in the package) - with her father speaking Dutch and her mother speaking Spanish.

Well, she doesn't speak like a native, at all.

 

[Somebody]

Many children growing up bilingual develop a preference for the language of their peers, so it is not unlikely that at some point she stopped speaking Spanish (while her mother still spoke Spanish to her) and mainly spoke Dutch for several years (accept for conversations with her Argentinian family I suppose) before picking up Spanish again.

King Willem-Alexander is proud of his eldest daughter: "I was really impressed with how brave/tough/cool ("stoer" in Dutch) she was under immense pain."

 

[Adda]

Her Spanish struck me as odd, both in pronunciation and grammar. It doesn't sound Argentinian (porteño) or Spanish (madrileño).
She made a grammatical error that if you're truly bilingual, you simply wouldn't make. No-one would ever say something like "Estoy contentas" no matter how nervous you were. That's not because she was nervous to say 3 small sentences, it's because she's not bilingual.

If you speak both languages at home from a young age, you'll be perfectly bilingual, that is the case with Albert of Monaco who speaks English and French equally well. Amalia sounds like someone who started learning the language as an adult, and as a second language, not simultaneously with her mother tongue.

It's not a big deal, but it's worth a mention because it was always advertised that she spoke Spanish as well as Dutch, and it turns out she simply doesn't.

 

[Marengo]

If that is the case she must be a very untalented linguist, as indeed she has been speaking the language all her life with her mother and her maternal family, who do not speak Dutch.

 

[Adda]

Luckily for her, she can afford to be an untalented linguist and remain very "contentas" indeed, to her fan's delight.

 

[Somebody]

Willem-Alexander recently discussed this issue. It is a fact that Máxima spoke Spanish with her daughters - so they did start to learn the language from a very early age (they didn't start as adults) - at the same time as Dutch. However, according to the king his daughters soon preferred speaking Dutch among themselves (as I said, not uncommon that children prefer the language their peers speak) - especially as they knew that their mother would understand them any way. So, while they grew up in a trilingual household (English was spoken as well); the main language they used actively was Dutch. Only when needed they would switch to either Spanish or English.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

I hope this rather nasty fall won't sour CA on riding in the future.

I wonder if it was a new mount? And if she was trying to jump when she had the accident?

 

[maria-olivia]

Her Aunt Margriet broke also her Arm and I don't know how is her recovery.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Queen Máxima must have gotten an awful shock when she received that phone call!

 

[Marengo]

I wonder if it was a new mount? And if she was trying to jump when she had the accident?

According to the press it was her own horse, Moijito.

 

[yukari]

Willem-Alexander recently discussed this issue. It is a fact that Máxima spoke Spanish with her daughters - so they did start to learn the language from a very early age (they didn't start as adults) - at the same time as Dutch. However, according to the king his daughters soon preferred speaking Dutch among themselves (as I said, not uncommon that children prefer the language their peers speak) - especially as they knew that their mother would understand them any way. So, while they grew up in a trilingual household (English was spoken as well); the main language they used actively was Dutch. Only when needed they would switch to either Spanish or English.

If that is the case she must be a very untalented linguist, as indeed she has been speaking the language all her life with her mother and her maternal family, who do not speak Dutch.

I can relate to C-A. I grow up in trilingual household (my parents' mother tongues + English) and I can admit I master none. Often when I argue with my brother (verbal or written in our whatsapp group) we just use three languages in one sentence.

Anyway, does every native speaker have perfect grammar? I know an adult native English speaker who said "she was sat" while it should be "she sat" (context: she chose the seat at her own volition, nobody made her sit there).

 

[carlota]

She didn't learn Spanish as a second language; she grew up bilingual (or maybe even trilingual with English as the third language in the package) - with her father speaking Dutch and her mother speaking Spanish.

Raising bilingual children is complex so unless one is a fly within their household there’s no way to know how this really works for them and how they’ve done it as the years passed. Maybe this is how they started but as amalia got older they speak more Dutch to have a common family language so her Spanish suffered / deteriorated. Having each parent speak one language may sound easy in writing but in practice it’s more complex and they may have evolved the method they used over time. Her Spanish is what it is - and there is nothing wrong with it, there’s plenty of royals who speak other languages with an accent.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Raising her daughters bilingual would have presented a problem for Maxima herself, whose Dutch is obviously detoriating. If she only spoke Spanish to her daughters, her adopted language would have suffered greatly.
In those circles for bilinguality its best to hire staff like nannies who will take care of this.

 

[kalnel]

Any word on how Amalia is doing?

 

[iceflower]

Any word on how Amalia is doing?

There's good news today, she'll attend an event together with her father on Wednesday, so she must feel well enough:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1934595675624202475

 

[Marengo]

Good news indeed and lovely to see her at an event with her father.

 

[Alondra]

I'm so glad to know Amalia is well and without further problems from her fall.

As to bilingualism. Amalia like her sisters have a mother speaking Spanish but it doesn't mean they naturally speak Spanish. Not at all. Their father speaks Dutch, their country speaks Dutch and their friends in school spoke Dutch.

Bilingualism begins with both parents speaking the same language to a child in a country speaking a different one. Even when parents speak the same language at home, the moment a child goes to childcare and school, that language will become their own. It takes huge effort to be bilingual, and royals usually prefer to get their kids to learn English.

Amalia lived a year in Madrid and frankly I don't think her Spanish is good.

 

[Alisa]

Glad to hear the Princess is well enough to attend the event on Wednesday with her father.

The King mentioned "it was clumsy of her". It's a tough but important lesson to learn not to be clumsy with horses. It's her arm this time but it could have easily been her spine.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

I am relieved to read that the princess is recovering well.

There is very, very little room for error with riding.

 

[Blog Real]

During today’s photoshoot, the Princess of Orange revealed that she is doing well in her studies. Princess Catherine-Amalia said that her thesis is about AI deepfakes in relation to European law. She has already submitted her thesis and is still waiting for the grade. This means that her Bachelor’s degree in Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics (PPLE) is almost complete. She also announced to the press that her next course of study will be a Bachelor’s degree in Dutch Law.
She also said she will have a new part-time job: she will be a military worker student at the Defense College. In this program, HBO and WO students work in defense and receive basic military training. Military worker students are also reservists.

Prinses Amalia blikt tijdens fotosessie terug op val van paard: 'Ik dacht: die arm doet het niet meer'

Prinses Amalia (21) verscheen maandag zonder mitella op het jaarlijkse fotomoment van de Oranjes bij Huis ten Bosch. De kroonprinses blikte tijdens het persmoment terug op de val van haar paard en vertelde aan de toegestroomde pers hoe het momenteel met haar gaat.

www.rtl.nl

Koninklijk gezin na uitstel alsnog samen op de foto bij Huis ten Bosch

Amalia kondigde aan verder te studeren en daarnaast aan een bijbaan als militair werkstudent bij Defensie te beginnen.

nos.nl

Announcement on the studies and military training of the Princess of Orange:

Her Royal Highness The Princess of Orange is almost completing her Bachelor’s degree in Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics (PPLE) at the University of Amsterdam. Upon completion, she will begin her Bachelor’s degree in Dutch Law next academic year, also at the University of Amsterdam. In addition, she will participate in the Defence College training programme for the next two academic years. This is the Defence Workers’ Student Programme, where students are trained to become military reservists. The Princess of Orange has applied and has been accepted. Due to her recent arm fracture, she will not be able to participate in all physical activities immediately; she will start after her recovery. The aim of the Defensity College is to offer students a meaningful side activity during their studies and to increase the visibility and connection between the Armed Forces and society. The Princess’s study time is considered private.

Studiekeuze Prinses van Oranje (2)

Hare Koninklijke Hoogheid de Prinses van Oranje heeft haar bachelor Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics (PPLE) aan de Universiteit van Amsterdam bijna afgerond. Na een succesvolle afronding zal zij het volgend collegejaar starten met een bachelor Nederlands Recht, eveneens aan de...

www.koninklijkhuis.nl

 

[Muhler]

A very relevant subject. Royals, and not least young royal females, are very much victims of deep fake.

 

[Marengo]

I am happy to see her going to the army, which will be the focus of much interest and investments these next years. Neither Beatrix, nor Juliana ever did -considered not suitable for a woman in that time perhaps. Though WIlhelmina was instructed by generals at the palace, though more from a book perhaps.

And like her grandmother she will now study Dutch Law too. I did not catch if she will continue in Amsterdam or in Leiden -which has a more prestegious law faculty. But Amsterdam should be more convenient/ anonimous for her as these days you will be hard pressed to find a Dutch person in the center of the city, where she lives.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

That seems like a good choice of topic for a future queen’s dissertation.

I’m pleased to hear she will be undergoing some basic military training. I’m aware that many believe female heirs should not be obliged to do the same things as male heirs to prove a point, but I think it is a positive thing to demonstrate that the military area is no longer reserved for male royals.

 

[Countessmeout]

I don't think military service should ever be required plain and simple. The only heirs who should be required to do it are: 1. Those in countries with conscription 2. Those who will be head of the armed forces as monarch.

Female heirs should indeed be treated the same as male heirs. That goes both ways. Male heirs should be no more expected to do military reason unless the above 2 or if they have an actual desire to serve.

Looking at this program its a great work experience for her. No need to do full military training when she will never fully serve in the army. And a good balance as she goes forward with law school as well.

 

[Somebody]

I am happy to see her going to the army, which will be the focus of much interest and investments these next years. Neither Beatrix, nor Juliana ever did -considered not suitable for a woman in that time perhaps. Though WIlhelmina was instructed by generals at the palace, though more from a book perhaps.

And like her grandmother she will now study Dutch Law too. I did not catch if she will continue in Amsterdam or in Leiden -which has a more prestegious law faculty. But Amsterdam should be more convenient/ anonimous for her as these days you will be hard pressed to find a Dutch person in the center of the city, where she lives.

She will continue her studies at the University of Amsterdam where she also did her first Bachelor.

I am a bit surprised that she is doing a second Bachelor. A pre-master followed by a master in Dutch law seems more appropriate but maybe they don’t have such a program in this specific case.

 

[Izzie]

Wonderful news about what is next for her. The young European heirs are working hard to prepare for their roles and learning/listening now in their teens/early twenties to be beyond ready to handle the duties of an heir and being a support for the monarch and respective royal family. All of them are studying relevant subjects in school and military training. Plus, they are all doing engagements with their parents and on their own. It is wonderful to see!

 

[Somebody]

During the photo session interview, Amalia described her new Bachelor as a law major within PPLE, so it sounds as if she will not start from scratch but will do some additional subjects to also graduate with a Bachelor in Dutch Law. Given that she combines it with Defensity College, which has a minimum duration of 20 months (as well as at least 100 EC's, so, university students will typically start in their final year of their Bachelor and continue during their master's), it seems she will spread it out over the next two years. I fully expect her to continue with a Master's (probably abroad) afterwards.

More information on Defensity College (in Dutch): Defensity College Werkstudent | WerkenbijDefensie.nl

The above description indicates that as part of the program, work-students will work at a different department every six months. Within the first year students have to do the 'AMO' (military basic training), only after completing this training, they may wear their uniform. So, given that Amalia will have to wait for her recovery, she most likely will start 'civil' before continuing 'military'.

 

[Blog Real]

Today, the Princess of Orange participates in the traditional Graduation Ceremony at the University of Amsterdam. With this ceremony, the university marks the end of the bachelor's program. King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, and Princesses Beatrice, Princess Alexia, and Princess Ariane are also in attendance.

Koninklijk Huis on Instagram: "De Prinses van Oranje neemt deel aan de traditionele Graduation Ceremony van de Universiteit van Amsterdam. Met deze ceremonie in het Koninklijk Concertgebouw markeert de universiteit het einde van de bacheloropleiding.

18K likes, 260 comments - koninklijkhuis on July 14, 2025: "De Prinses van Oranje neemt deel aan de traditionele Graduation Ceremony van de Universiteit van Amsterdam. Met deze ceremonie in het Koninklijk Concertgebouw markeert de universiteit het einde van de bacheloropleiding. Koning...

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