Royal snub: Future Queen Maxima refuses ‘sweet sixteenth’ birthday bash for heir apparent. They don’t want to spoil the Dutch Princesses.
The Princess of Orange, the future Queen of the Netherlands, won’t have “a big celebration” to mark her 16th birthday on December 7. Queen Maxima, who married King Willem-Alexander in 2002, was asked about the family’s plans for the heir to the Dutch throne’s birthday.
And, contrary to the expectations of many, the Queen said the Royal Family will have very low-key celebrations to mark Catharina-Amalie turning 16.
Speaking to RTL Boulevard, Queen Maxima said: “There won’t be a big celebration.
“She still has a lot of work to do for school, the end of the year is coming, Sinterklaas and all kinds of festivities.”
On the eve of Sinterklaas, Dutch for Saint Nicholas’s Day, falling on December 6, Dutch families exchange presents.
After speaking about the birthday plans for the future monarch, Queen Maxima didn’t fail to praise the 15-year-old.
She said: “She is growing up fast and beautifully.
“She is an amazing daughter, an amazing friend, I am so very proud of her.
“We will be singing for her and let’s bring on the next two years, which will probably be the last two years of her living at home.
“So I have to enjoy the moment.”
Catharina-Amalia became the heir apparent to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of the countries of The Netherlands, Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten, in 2013.
On that year, her father Willem-Alexander ascended the throne following the abdication of his mother, Queen Beatrix.
The low-key birthday of Catharina-Amalia’s birthday will mark a huge difference in comparison with the televised celebrations thrown in Belgium in October for another future monarch, Princess Elizabeth, to mark her milestone birthday.
On October 25, Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, the Duchess of Brabant, turned 18, and her big day was celebrated with an official ceremony at the Royal Palace in Brussels.
Hundreds of people were invited to the ceremony, including members of the Belgian royal family, their friends, the staff of the Princess Elisabeth Children’s hospital and 80 young Belgians who also celebrated their 18th birthday on the day.
On the day, the Belgian heir apparent received presents from authorities, royals and acquaintances.
The Belgian federal government presented the princess with a symbolic gift of a windmill park, which will be built between 2020 and 2030.
Her father King Philippe gave Elizabeth the ribbon of the Order of Leopold, the oldest and highest national order.
The princess also received many books from the Belgian minister of finance and development cooperation.
The day was also marked by a touching speech by the princess herself, who told her fellow citizens they “can count on me”.
She said: “These 18 years have been filled with many rewarding moments that have made me the person I am today.
“It is a step that I take with great optimism.
“I realise that I still have a lot to learn.
“I will also focus on that in the coming years: trying to understand the world better — and helping to improve it, by giving the best of myself.”
“The country can count on me.”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1210952/royal-news-queen-maxima-princess-catharina-amalia-the-netherlands-royal-family-royal-news/amp
