‘I’m still having a very hard time’: Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, 19, says she ‘misses normal life’ after being forced to leave university accommodation over kidnapping plot
- Dutch princess forced to leave student halls over criminal threats to her safety
- Read more: Queen Maxima of the Netherlands goes birdwatching in St Maarten
Dutch Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia has opened up about ‘missing normal life’ after she was forced to leave university accommodation over a gangster plot to kidnap her.
The 19-year-old, who started a degree in politics, psychology, law and economics at the University of Amsterdam last year, moved out of her student accommodation and returned to her home in The Hague in October.
At the time, several Dutch media outlets reported that the princess, whose formal title is Princess of Orange, was under heightened security due to fears that criminal gangs may target her for kidnapping or an attack.
During her recent tour of the Caribbean, the royal briefly touched on her heightened security, and in a clip sharing by Dutch media site NOS, said: ‘I’m going to be very honest, I’m still having a very hard time.
‘I miss the normal life, the life of a student. Walking the streets, being able to go to a store.’
Dutch Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia has opened up about ‘missing normal life’ after she was forced to leave university accommodation over a gangster plot to kidnap her
Meanwhile she said she had enjoyed having some freedom back during the international tour, saying: ‘I had a wonderful time.’
In October, Dutch news agency ANP quoted Queen Maxima, 51, during a state visit to Sweden with her husband King Willem-Alexander, saying: ‘She can hardly leave the house.
‘The consequences are very difficult for her. There is no student life for her like others have,’ she added with an unusual amount of emotional candour.
The name of the the princess, along with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, are understood to have come up in communications among organised crime groups which indicated they may be in their crosshairs for kidnapping.
‘I’m very sorry for her and I’m obviously very concerned about it,’ the prime minister said, without divulging details about the threats or the security measures.
‘That makes people angry who want to be informed,’ said the prime minister.
He added that Dutch authorities are doing everything to ensure that the princess is safe.
The Minister for Justice and Security, Dilan Yesilgöz, confirmed on Twitter that ‘measures’ have been taken ‘with regard to the safety of the Crown Princess’.
During her recent tour of the Caribbean, the royal briefly touched on her heightened security, and said she was ‘having a hard time’
‘I guarantee that our security services work hard day and night to guarantee her safety.’
‘It is terrible that this is necessary, in the first place for the Crown Princess herself.’
Amalia, heir to the Dutch throne, started university in September and had moved into an apartment in Amsterdam, but weeks later the royal couple said concerns for her safety have forced her to move back to Huis ten Bosch royal palace in The Hague.
Dutch police and the country’s secret service declined to discuss security arrangements around the Royal House.
Rutte said he could not specify the details of the threats.
Princess Amalia started her degree in September and was living in rented accommodation she shared with several other students in Amsterdam before she has had to move back home.
The princess is viewed in Holland as a relatively down-to-earth royal.
She is a keen jockey with a horse named Mojito and she was nicknamed the Cocktail Queen after working a summer at a beach bar in Scheveningen.
She recently took part in her first international tour, joining her parents on a lengthy visit to the Dutch Caribbean Islands.
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