Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange

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Willem-Alexander
Prince of Orange (more)
The Prince of Orange in New York City in 2009
Spouse Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti (m. 2002)
Issue
Princess Catharina-Amalia
Princess Alexia
Princess Ariane
Full name
Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand
House Maternal: House of Orange-Nassau
Paternal: House of Amsberg
Father Prince Claus of the Netherlands
Mother Beatrix of the Netherlands
Born (1967-04-27) 27 April 1967 (age 45)
Utrecht, Netherlands
Religion Christian (Dutch Reformed Church)
Dutch Royal Family
Coat of arms of the Netherlands.svg

HM The Queen *

Extended royal family
* Member of the Dutch Royal House

Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange (Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand, Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Jonkheer of Amsberg; born 27 April 1967) is the heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands since 1980. He is the eldest child of Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus, and he is the head of the House of Amsberg since the death of his father in 2002. He was in military service and he studied history at Leiden University. Prince Willem-Alexander is currently interested in international water management issues and sports. He married Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti in 2002. They have three daughters Princess Catharina-Amalia (born 2003), Princess Alexia (born 2005), and Princess Ariane (born 2007). He will become the first King of the Netherlands since the death of his great-great grandfather William III in 1890.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Prince Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand was born on 27 April 1967 in the University Medical Center in Utrecht, the Netherlands. He is the first child of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Prince Claus of the Netherlands,[1] and the first grandchild of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. From birth Willem-Alexander has the titles Prince of the Netherlands (Dutch: Prins der Nederlanden), Prince of Orange-Nassau (Dutch: Prins van Oranje-Nassau), and Jonkheer of Amsberg (Dutch: Jonkheer van Amsberg).[1] He was baptised as a member of the Dutch Reformed Church[2] on 2 September 1967[3] in Saint Jacob's Church in The Hague.[4] His godparents are Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld, Prince Ferdinand von Bismarck, Prime Minister Jelle Zijlstra, and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.[3]

He has two younger brothers: Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau, born in 1968, and Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, born in 1969. He lived with his family at the castle Drakesteijn in the hamlet Lage Vuursche near Baarn from his birth until 1981, when they moved to the larger palace Huis ten Bosch in The Hague. His mother Beatrix became Queen of the Netherlands in 1980, after his grandmother Juliana abdicated. He then received the hereditary title Prince of Orange, as heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,[1] consisting of the autonomous countries the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten.

[edit] Education and military training

Prince Willem-Alexander attended Nieuwe Baarnse Elementary School in Baarn from 1973 to 1979. He went to three different high schools: the Baarns Lyceum in Baarn from 1979 to 1981, the Eerste Vrijzinnig Christelijk Lyceum in The Hague from 1981 to 1983, and the United World College of the Atlantic in Wales near Llantwit Major (1983 to 1985), where the prince had friends, and from where he received his International Baccalaureate.[1][5]

After high school he performed military service in the Royal Netherlands Navy from August 1985 to January 1987. He received his training at the Royal Netherlands Naval College and the frigates HNLMS Tromp and HNLMS Abraham Crijnssen, where he was an ensign. In 1988, he received additional training at the ship HNLMS Van Kinsbergen and became a lieutenant (junior grade).[6]

From 1987, Prince Willem-Alexander studied history at Leiden University and received his academic degree in 1993. His final dissertation was on the Dutch response to France's decision under President Charles de Gaulle to leave NATO's integrated command structure.[1] During this period he received the nickname prins pils (English: prince pilsner).[7]

[edit] Work and royal duties

Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife during 'Prinsjesdag'

Prince Willem-Alexander is interested in water management issues. He is an honorary member of the World Commission on Water for the 21st Century and patron of the Global Water Partnership, a body established by the World Bank, the UN, and the Swedish Ministry of Development. He was appointed as the Chairperson of the United Nations Secretary General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation on 12 December 2006.[8]

The prince is a member of the Raad van State, the highest council to the Dutch government that is chaired by his mother, Queen Beatrix. As part of his royal duties, he holds commissions in the Dutch Army (as brigadier), Navy (as commandeur) and Air Force (as commodore).[9]

He was a patron of the Dutch Olympic Games Committee until 1998 when he was made a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 1928 Summer Olympics held in Amsterdam, he has expressed support to bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics.[10]

[edit] Leisure activities

PH-KBX, the Dutch government airplane the Prince of Orange regularly pilots

He is an aircraft pilot and sportsman. In 1989, the Prince flew as a volunteer for the African Medical Research and Education Foundation (AMREF) in Kenya, and in 1991 he spent a month flying for the Kenya Wildlife Service. To make sure he flies enough hours a year to retain his license, he also regularly flies the Dutch royal airplane when he and his family travel abroad.[11]

Using the name "W.A. van Buren", one of the less well-known titles of the House of Orange-Nassau, he has participated in the New York City Marathon, where his aunt, Princess Christina, and several cousins live. In the Netherlands, he was a participant in the Frisian Eleven Cities ice skating marathon, aka the Elfstedentocht.[12]

The Prince was seen cheering on the Netherlands' national football team during their hosting year, at Euro 2000, always wearing an orange vest. He memorably gave a nervous laugh of disbelief as the Netherlands missed their second penalty of normal time against the Italians in the semi-final.[citation needed]

Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife travelled to South Africa to support the national team during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and were shown on worldwide television wearing orange-themed clothing.[13]

[edit] Marriage

Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima kiss at the balcony of the Royal Palace of Amsterdam on their wedding day in 2002
Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima meet Michelle Obama, Susan Sher, Barack Obama, and Fay Hartog-Levin at the White House in 2009

On 2 February 2002, he married Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti (born 17 May 1971) at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam. Máxima is an Argentine woman of Spanish and Italian ancestry who prior to their marriage worked as an investment banker in New York City. The marriage triggered significant controversy due to the bride's father's prior role in the Argentinian military dictatorship.

The prince is a direct descendant of Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange, eldest daughter of British King George II. However, under the British Act of Settlement, Prince Willem-Alexander forfeited his (distant) succession rights to the throne of the United Kingdom, because he married a Roman Catholic.

[edit] Family privacy and the press

In an attempt to strike a balance between privacy for the royal family and availability to the press, the Netherlands Government Information Service (RVD) instituted a media code on June 21, 2005 which essentially states that[14]:

  • Photographs of the members of the royal house while performing their duties are always permitted.
  • For other occasions (like holidays), the RVD will arrange a photo-op on condition that the press leave the family alone for the rest of the holiday.

During a ski vacation in Argentina, several photographs were taken of the prince and his family during the private part of their holiday (including one by Associated Press staff photographer Natacha Pisarenko) in spite of the media code, and after a photo op had earlier been provided.[15] The Associated Press decided to publish some of the photos. The pictures were also republished by several Dutch media.

Prince Willem-Alexander and the RVD jointly filed suit against the Associated Press on August 5, 2009. The trial started on August 14 at the district court in Amsterdam and concluded with a verdict on August 28. The court found in favor of the Prince and the RVD, citing that the royal couple has a right to privacy and the pictures in question add nothing to any public debate, nor are they of any particular value to society (since they are not photographs of the royals "at work"). Associated Press was sentenced to stop further publication of the photographs, on pain of a €1000 fine per violation with a €50000 maximum.[16]

[edit] Machangulo affair

Royal Monogram
Main article: Machangulo affair (Netherlands)

On 10 July 2008, the Prince and Princess of Orange announced that they had invested in a development project on the Mozambican peninsula of Machangulo.[17] The development project was aimed at building an ecologically responsible vacation resort, including a hotel and several luxury vacation houses for investors. The project was to invest heavily in the local economy of the peninsula (building schools and a local clinic) with an eye both towards responsible sustainability and maintaining a local staff.[18] After contacting Mozambican president Armando Guebuza to verify that the Mozambican government had no objections, the couple decided to invest in two villas.[19]

In 2009 there was controversy and a swirl of rumors about the project and the prince's position in relation to it.[19] Politician Alexander Pechtold questioned the morality of building such a resort in a poor country like Mozambique.[20] There were allegations of corruption involving a contractor on the project and project delays in constructing the schools and clinic.[20]

In November 2009, there were a number of parliamentary debates on the issue and Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende was called to answer questions. He explained that the project was a private affair of the prince, but that extra distance had been created between the prince and the business of the project to avoid entanglements by creating a foundation to manage the prince's interests. The press called the independence of that foundation into question, because it was run by a personal friend of the prince's and a co-investor in the project.[20][21]

On November 20, 2009, the prime minister returned to parliament to announce that the prince and princess had decided, due to the public and parliamentary controversy, to sell the property in Machangulo once their house was completed. To this end he read a letter in parliament written by the prince personally. The house was due to be sold on completion in 2010. Its sale was confirmed in January 2012.

[edit] Issue

[edit] Titles, styles, honours and arms

[edit] Titles and styles

Royal styles of
The Prince of Orange
Coat of arms of the Netherlands - 02.svg
Reference style His Royal Highness
Spoken style Your Royal Highness
Alternative style None

When his mother Queen Beatrix became the queen regnant of the Netherlands, prince Willem-Alexander obtained the title "Prince of Orange" as new heir to the Dutch throne. He is formally styled as His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange.[22]

He is the first male heir apparent to the Dutch throne since Prince Alexander, son of King William III, who died in 1884. Prince Willem-Alexander has indicated that upon succeeding his mother, he would assume the throne under the regnal name William IV.[23] If he ascends the throne, he will be the Netherlands' first male monarch since 1890.

[edit] Military ranks

The Prince of Orange in the uniform of Commodore (navy) at the Wedding of Crown Princess of Sweden and Daniel Westling in June 2010.
The Prince of Orange in the uniform of Brigadier General (army) in 2010
Conscription – Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy – Reserve
Royal Netherlands Air Force – Reserve
Royal Netherlands Army – Reserve
Royal Marechaussee – Reserve

[edit] Honours

Dutch orders and decorations
Foreign orders

[edit] Honorary appointment

[edit] Arms

Arms of Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange
Notes
Coat of arms of the sons of the Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands: The Prince of Orange, and Prince Constantijn. These arms are thus also used by his brother, Prince Constantijn, and his other brother Prince Friso until his marriage, when he was granted a new coat of arms. On his succession to the throne, the Prince of Orange will adopt the arms of dominion of the Netherlands.
CoA of the children of queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.svg
Helm
The left helm and crest is the "Otto-crest" of the House of Nassau that can be used in the Royal arms by the male successors to the throne: On a (ceremonial) helmet Argent, with bars and decoration Or and mantling Azure and Or, issuing from a coronet Or, a pair of wings joined Sable each with an arched bend Argent charged with three leaves of the lime-tree stems upward Vert. The right helm and crest is the crest of the House of Amsberg that can be used in the arms by all male Amsberg descendants: On a (ceremonial) helmet Argent, with bars and decoration Or and mantling Vert and Argent, issuing from a coronet Or, and as crest a Or lion rampant.
Escutcheon
Quarterly, 1 and 3, Azure, billetty Or a lion with a coronet Or armed and langued Gules holding in his dexter paw a sword Argent hilted Or and in the sinister paw seven arrows Argent pointed and bound together Or (royal arms of the Netherlands, i.e. that of his mother, Queen Beatrix), 2 and 4, Or, and a bugle-horn azure, langued gules (arms of the former Principality of Orange), on an inescutcheon vert, a castle proper, on a mount of the last (arms of the House of Amsberg, i.e. that of his late father, Prince Claus).
Supporters
Two lions rampant Or armed and langued Gules.
Other elements
The coat of arms is placed on a mantle gules lined with Ermine, this as a Prince of the Netherlands. The mantle is topped with the royal crown.
Banner
Royal Sandard of the Princes of the Nethelands (Sons of Queen Beatrix).png Personal Royal Standard of the sons of Queen Beatrix: The Prince of Orange, Prince Friso, Prince Constantijn. A rectangular Orange flag is used, divided by a nassau Blue Cross into four quadrants. Quarterly 1 and 3: white and blue bugle-horn, taken from the coat of arms of the Principality of Orange. Quarterly 1 and 3: white Watchtower, which is based on that of the coat of arms of the House of Amsberg. In the middle of the cross the national coat of arms with the Royal Crown Royal is shown in an orange circle. On his succession to the throne, the Prince of Orange will adopt the Royal Standard of the Netherlands.

[edit] Ancestry

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e The Prince of Orange. Dutch Royal House. Retrieved on 2009-07-19.
  2. ^ Doop Willem-Alexander. Nederlandse Omroep Stichting. Retrieved on 2009-12-13.
  3. ^ a b 40 meest gestelde vragen. Dutch Royal House. Retrieved on 2009-12-13.
  4. ^ Doopplechtigheid Prins Willem-Alexander in Sint Jacobskerk. Radio Netherlands Worldwide. Retrieved on 2009-12-13.
  5. ^ Z.K.H. prins Willem Alexander Claus George Ferdinand, prins van Oranje, prins der Nederlanden, prins van Oranje-Nassau, jonkheer van Amsberg (Willem-Alexander, Alexander). Parlement.com. Retrieved on 2010-02-10.
  6. ^ Military career. Dutch Royal House. Retrieved on 2009-12-17.
  7. ^ Tebbe, F.J.J.; Aerts, W.D.E.; Cruyningen, Arnout van; Klare, Jean (2005) (in Dutch). Encyclopedie van het Koninklijk Huis. Utrecht: Winkler Prins. pp. 266. ISBN 978-90-274-9745-1. 
  8. ^ http://www.unsgab.org/chair.htm
  9. ^ http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/english/Who_s_who/The_Prince_of_Orange/Military_career.html
  10. ^ Netherlands May Bid For 2028 Games – Website Gamesbids.com
  11. ^ http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/faq-dutch-royalty
  12. ^ http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/faq-eleven-facts-about-eleven-cities-race
  13. ^ FIFA World Cup Broadcast, CBC Television, Netherlands vs. Uruguay, Tuesday, July 6, 2010.
  14. ^ "Media Code on protecting the privacy of members of the Royal House". Netherlands Government Information Service. 21 June 2005. http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/Organisatie/RVD/Mediacode/Vertalingen/Media_Code_on_protecting_the_privacy_of_members_of_the_Royal_House.html. Retrieved 11 June 2010. 
  15. ^ "Royals sue Associated Press over holiday photos". NRC. 5 August 2005. http://www.nrc.nl/international/article2320268.ece/Royals_sue_Associated_Press_over_holiday_photos. Retrieved 11 June 2010. 
  16. ^ (Dutch)"Willem-Alexander wint rechtszaak tegen AP". 28 August 2009. http://vorstenvroegerennu.nl/?p=273. 
  17. ^ (Dutch)"Willem-Alexander wil huis voor kust Mozambique". Nieuws.nl. July 10, 2008. http://binnenland.nieuws.nl/518507. Retrieved 11 June 2010. 
  18. ^ Bruno Waterfield (June 13, 2010). "Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander accused over Mozambique villa". The Daily Telegraph (London). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/netherlands/6284941/Dutch-Crown-Prince-Willem-Alexander-accused-over-Mozambique-villa.html. Retrieved June 13, 2010. 
  19. ^ a b (Dutch)"Prins had contact met president Mozambique". Algemeen Dagblad. November 19, 2009. http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1000/Nieuws/article/detail/445318/2009/11/19/Prins-had-contact-met-president-Mozambique.dhtml. Retrieved 11 June 2010. 
  20. ^ a b c "Crown prince bows to public pressure over Mozambique villa". NRC. November 23, 2009. http://www.nrc.nl/international/Features/article2421003.ece/Crown_prince_bows_to_public_pressure_over_Mozambique_villa. Retrieved 11 June 2010. 
  21. ^ (Dutch)"Villa van kroonprins zorgt weer voor ophef". Algemeen Dagblad. October 29, 2009. http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Binnenland/article/detail/440785/2009/10/29/Villa-van-kroonprins-zorgt-weer-voor-ophef.dhtml. Retrieved 11 June 2010. 
  22. ^ Who's who: The Prince of Orange – Official website of the Dutch Royal House
  23. ^ Interview with Paul Witteman, September 1997 – Website Racchvs.com
  24. ^ His Majesty receives Queen Beatrix - website of the Oman Observer
  25. ^ H.H Sheikh Khalifa welcomes HM Queen Beatrix of Netherlands - website of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange
Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange
Cadet branch of the House of Amsberg
Born: 27 April 1967
Dutch royalty
Vacant
Title last held by
Alexander, Prince of Orange		 Prince of Orange
1980–present		 Incumbent
Heir:
Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands
Preceded by
Beatrix of the Netherlands
became Queen		 Heir to the Dutch throne
as heir apparent
1980–present
Titles in pretence
Preceded by
Prince Claus of the Netherlands		 — TITULAR —
Head of the House of Amsberg
2002–present		 Incumbent
Heir:
Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau


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