The Dutch royal family has released stunning photos of Princess Amalia, the heir to the throne, to mark her 18th birthday.
Amalia, the eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima, was photographed in two beautiful dresses at Huis ten Bosch Palace, in The Hague, this autumn.
This milestone birthday is very important for the Dutch royal family as it signifies that the princess has taken on a greater public role.
A biography has already been released to introduce the future queen to her public, and she will now be given a seat on The Council of State, an advisory body that advises on legislation and dispenses administrative justice.
Amalia was the eldest child of Queen Maxima and King Willem Alexander. She was photographed at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague in beautiful autumn dresses.
In a beautiful scarlet red dress with loose curls, Princess looked ravishing
Amalia and King Willem–Alexander and Queen Maxima are Amalia’s parents. Amalia is also pictured with Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane (left).
King Willem-Alexander holds a seat in the council but does not participate in any of its activities. Queen Maxima is also eligible for a seat in the council, and she acts as an advisor.
This is after Amalia, a teenage girl, said that she’d ask Queen Maxima (50-year-old Argentinean-born) to temporarily take over if King Willem Alexander, 54, died suddenly.
With the blessing of the Royal Family, the biography was simply called “Amalia”.
The rare glimpse offers an insight into the private life of the princess, which was closely guarded since Willem Alexander ascended to the throne in 2013.
Biographer Claudia de Breij reveals Amalia had a part-time job at a beachside cafe, feels self-conscious when she is recognised by members of the public and would pursue a career as a singer or equestrian if she was not destined to be queen.
Along with her sisters Princess Alexia, 16, and Princess Ariane, 14, Catharina-Amalia spent the early years of her life at Eikenhorst Villa in Wassenaar, an affluent suburb of The Hague.
The teenage princess looks beautiful in this stylised portrait marking her milestone birthday
Amalia’s second dress was this chic number with a tiered skirt and elegant half-length sleeves
The 18-year-old looks every inch the future queen in this moody birthday portrait
‘We do our best to be really with them – on holidays or weekends or even at breakfast in the mornings,’ Willem-Alexander once said in an interview.
The family enjoyed days out cycling and to the beach, and holidays to Maxima’s home country of Argentina.
However life changed in 2013 when Amalia’s grandmother Queen Beatrix abdicated and Willem-Alexander ascended the throne. The new king and queen moved their daughters into Huis ten Bosch, the royal palace in The Hague.
Nine-year-old Amalia became The Princess of Orange, the title given to the heir to the throne.
Speaking ahead of his investiture, Willem-Alexander said: ‘Amalia’s title will be made formal when she’s 18 and she enters the State Council. Until then, we will protect her as much as possible.
‘That means she won’t participate in official engagements, or as little as possible. Her environment right now should only include her parents, her sisters, and her friends.’
Now that time is less than a month away and the biography has been released as a way to introduce the princess to her future subjects.
She is also a sister to Princess Alexia (16 years old) and Princess Ariane (1 year 14). Catharina Amalia lived in Wassenaar’s Eikenhorst Villa for the first years of her adult life. This was an affluent neighborhood of The Hague. The young Princess Amalia is shown in this photo, which was published in the Biography
Pictured in a photograph provided by the royals and published in the biographie, the princess stated that she plans to pursue a career in singing or equestrian, even if she is not the heir to her father’s throne.
Amalia excelled in school, and she became a skilled horse rider. (See photo from June). Amalia also had a part time job at a cafe on the beach where she was known as the ‘cocktail queen.
This reveals that Amalia excelled at Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague. She also worked part-time as a waitress in a cafe on the beach, earning her nickname ‘cocktail princess’.
She now hopes to spend a year working at a ‘multinational organisation’ before potentially pursuing a degree at the prestigious Leiden University.
Amalia also said she feels self-conscious when she is recognised while out in public, adding: ‘Everyone looks at you like you have a goldfish on your head.’
The House of Orange continues to be popular with most Dutch citizens, however the monarchy is being criticized more frequently in recent years. Amalia stated that she would accept the idea of republicans abolishing it.
“They can do it of course. Then I’ll continue living.”