Princess Amalia: The Future Queen Who's Already Changing It All For The Better
The oldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Catharina-Amelia, is only 19 years old, but she is already world-famous — and here's why.
Meet Princess Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria of the Netherlands — or simply Amalia. The heiress was born on December 7, 2003. She is the eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. The Princess of Orange, which is the title she has held since birth, has two younger sisters: Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane. Amalia is now 19 years old, and she's already a world-famous royal — and for a good reason.
Owning Her Plus Size
When you hear "princess," you probably think of a petite slender fairy-like lady, don't you? Well, Princess Amalia has shattered that stereotype. The girl is proud of her ample curves: her figure is far from the recognized beauty standards — but that doesn't make Princess Amalia any less pretty and confident.
In July 2020, the young Princess graced the front page of a glossy magazine, and the headline read: "Maxima's oldest daughter proudly wears her 'plus-size' look." The article discussed how Amalia faces criticism but "goes through puberty without taboos and defends her figure of 'real woman.'"
It's true that Amalia's physique is often criticized on the Internet. Some commentators urge the Princess to lose weight, believing that this would make her a real role model for other girls, but the brave heiress to the Netherlands' throne also has many supporters — and they're sure that no one should be judged by their looks.
Don't Need Taxpayers' Money
In June of 2021, world media talked about Amalia's decision to waive her right to the annual royal allowance worth some 1.6 million euros. The girl turned 18 in December 2021, and since that day, she was entitled to the hefty annual payment — but Amalia refused to take the money while she's still studying in college because she found it "uncomfortable."
Princess Amalia wrote a letter to the Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte, in which she stated her position and waived the right to the allowance: "I find that uncomfortable as long as I do not do anything for it in return, and while other students have a much tougher time of it, particularly in this period of coronavirus." The Prime Minister accepted Amalia's refusal of cash payments, noting that he understands the decision and respects her personal considerations.
Amalia took a gap year after graduating from Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet, and since September 2022, the Princess is studying at the University of Amsterdam for a bachelor's degree in Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics.
Thinking of Coming Out?
Sooner or later, Princess Amalia will ascend to the Dutch throne: she will be the fourth female monarch in the country's history. In 1948, Queen Wilhelmina, Amalia's great-great-grandmother, founded a kind of royal tradition as she abdicated the throne in favor of her daughter Juliana. Thirty-two years later, Juliana did the same: she passed the crown on to her eldest daughter Beatrix. The tradition was suspended in 2013 when Queen Beatrix passed the reins to her eldest son Willem-Alexander. But in the future, the Netherlands will once again have a female ruler: the current monarch has three daughters, three prospective queens. Amalia is the first in line and is already preparing for the role.
But there's another interesting detail. In 2021, several publications speculated about Princess Amalia's private life and the fact that the heiress may lose the right to the throne if she enters a same-sex relationship. There are indeed rumors that the King's eldest daughter is lesbian, but there is no reliable information to confirm it. The theory made a lot of noise: the public was interested in the social and political implications of a royal coming out. On the one hand, it's important that the royal family has an heir, but on the other, there are quite a few ways gay couples can have children.
The debate about the royal family's sexual rights got so heated, the Prime Minister had to address the issue. He declared that members of the royal family can enter same-sex marriages just like other residents of the country. The Netherlands legalized same-sex marriages in 2001 and was also the first country to allow gay couples to adopt children. So if Princess Amalia comes out, she will be the first gay monarch in history.