Princess Amalia speaks about time in Spain on King’s Day: “Found more freedom there than was possible in the Netherlands”

King Willem-Alexander’s birthday will be celebrated this year in Emmen, in the southeast of the Dutch province of Drenthe. The family arrived in the morning and is now complete today. All three princesses are present, which was not the case last year.

Then Alexia was not there due to exams at her school in Wales. This year it was a question whether Ariane would be there, she is at school in Italy. Prince Constantijn, Princess Laurentien, Prince Floris and Prince Pieter-Christiaan, among others, are also present at the celebration. Older family members such as Princess Beatrix and Princess Margriet have not been there for years.

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Walk

King Willem-Alexander and his family were accompanied by a platoon of cyclists to the starting point: Noorderplein. The family walks via the Hoofdstraat to the Market Square, the Rensen Park, the town hall, the skate park and past the Wildlands animal park. The day ends at the main stage on Raadhuisplein. In principle, the route is completed in two hours.

Hundreds of people crowded along the route to catch a glimpse of the royal family or to shake hands with Willem-Alexander. There is cheering and plenty of photos being taken. People also watch from balconies as the royal procession passes by. For the first time in more than twenty years, the Oranges celebrate King’s Day in Drenthe. The last time was in 2002: Queen Beatrix visited Meppel and Hoogeveen on April 30. Beatrix often chose two different places on Queen’s Day, usually in the same province.

Amalia

In Emmen, Crown Princess Amalia also looked back on her study year in Spain. There she found “more freedom” than was possible in the Netherlands. Amalia lived and studied in Madrid for a year because of threats in the Netherlands. The news broke earlier this month. In the meantime, the princess lives again in the Netherlands. The time in Spain has made “life here somewhat possible again,” says Amalia. “I’m happy to be back.”

Queen Máxima said on Saturday that Amalia is an “independent girl and very smart”, “so she can handle it very well”. The queen granted her daughter “the freedom and wings that you must give a child to develop itself.” However, there were “tears and a smile” at every departure.