The Lavish Life Of Princess Catharina-Amalia

This article contains references to murder and sexual violence.

Newspapers and magazines often portray royal life as a dream-come-true, but for Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, it has been a nightmare. The heir to the Dutch throne has confronted a great deal of anti-monarchist sentiment, resulting in a number of credible threats to her life. In 2020, Catharina-Amalia received disturbing Instagram messages from a man known in the press as "Wouter G." He told the princess that he was planning to rape her and murder her friend on King's Day. Then, in 2022, Catharina-Amalia had to flee from student housing after the police determined she had become a gang kidnapping target. Since then, Dutch police have investigated a kidnapping and murder plot allegedly developed by a man called "Mohamad E."

Due to all these traumatizing experiences, it may seem that Catharina-Amalia's position has been nothing but a curse. However, that's not entirely true. The young princess' position in an esteemed European royal family has given her access to astounding amounts of wealth and luxury. Even as she has certainly struggled, Catharina-Amalia has also traveled the world, worn pricey jewels, and received a hefty salary to compensate the seriousness of her role. Although preparing to be the next queen of the Netherlands cannot be easy, Catharina-Amalia has been allowed to do so in style.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Most people celebrate their birthdays with a special dinner or a slice of cake. As a member of the Dutch royal family, however, Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, takes her birthdays to a whole new level. On December 7, 2018 — when Catharina-Amalia turned 15 — the palace commissioned a special photoshoot to commemorate the princess' special day. As reported by People at the time, renowned Dutch photographer, Erwin Olaf, had a private session with the young queen-to-be. Olaf captured a regal portrait of Catharina-Amalia, which is sure to become something of a royal heirloom.

As if this was not special enough, in 2021, Catharina-Amalia celebrated her 18th birthday in even more style. On this occasion, her family hired writer, Claudia de Breij, to produce a biography documenting the most important moments of the princess' young life. The book touched on everything from Catharina-Amalia's love of jewelry to her concerns about the future. 

In a short chat with de Breij — which was released to the Royal House's account on X, formerly known as Twitter — the princess said that she was thrilled with the final product. "There are a lot of personal things about me in it. It's quite exciting," she said, before adding, "I think the whole book paints a very beautiful portrait of who I am" (per Fox News). 

Every royal needs a castle, and Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, is no exception. Since 2019, the heir to the Dutch throne has resided at the Huis ten Bosch palace in The Hague, Netherlands. This historic palace was originally built in 1645 by Amalia van Solms, who hoped to utilize the property as a summer getaway. As such, Huis ten Bosch boasts extensive grounds that are practically crawling with greenery. A lush garden of wildflowers grows on one side of the palace, while on the other side, well-groomed lawns sprawl out in front of the main entrance. Channels and ponds also bring a sense of balance to the gorgeous scenery.

Although the Huis ten Bosch palace grounds are certainly beautiful, the interior might be even more stunning. As reported by Hola!, the structure contains a series of thematic rooms — each of which is more impressive than the last. The Oranjezaal, for example, flaunts a dome-shaped ceiling that is completely covered in Golden Age paintings. The Blue Salon, meanwhile, seeks to tell the history of Catharina-Amalia's family — even displaying personal artifacts such as baby rattles and children's ice skates. Perhaps most impressive, though, is the Japanese Hall. This room mixes Dutch and Japanese design choices to make residents feel like they've been transported across the globe, even in the comfort of their own palace.

One of the biggest perks of being royal is having the opportunity to try one's hand at a wide variety of sports, no matter the financial cost. This has certainly been true for Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, who has dabbled in a number of athletic endeavors over the years. When she was growing up, Catharina-Amalia was known to enjoy pricey activities, such as hockey, sailing, and horseback riding. She also appears to be a confident downhill skier.

Interestingly, alpine skiing is a huge part of the Dutch royal family's culture. Every year — excluding those affected by COVID-19 travel restrictions — this group of royals has been known to go to Lech, Austria to hit the slopes. While Lech may not be as well-known as the notoriously ritzy Gstaad, locals say that's sort of the point. Speaking to The Spectator, luxury concierge Peter Anderson explained, "The village also doesn't tend to attract paparazzi so many of our high-profile members can have a more relaxing time without the concern of being snapped on the slopes."

Because of this, Lech has been a hot spot for royals ranging from Princess Caroline of Monaco to Prince William to even the late Princess Diana. In this little Austrian village, Catharina-Amalia has had the chance to improve her skiing skills, all while rubbing shoulders with a very exclusive crowd.

It's no secret that royals from across the world have to follow a number of strict rules. As the heir to the Dutch throne, Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, is required to behave in an appropriate and understated way. In the past, she has even commented on her ability to adhere to her royal duties, stating, "I was never the rebel, never made problems to make problems. I find arguing very annoying anyway" (via NL Times). For Catharina-Amalia, following protocol is just a part of life.

Of course, while royal duties are often viewed as a burden, they can also represent an opportunity. This was true for Catharina-Amalia in 2023 when she traded the dark Dutch winters for a tour of the sunny Caribbean. On her trip, Catharina-Amalia and her parents, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, visited Aruba, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire — among other island nations. The trio stopped by white sand beaches, colorful parades, and even Curaçao's vibrant Carnival. They also engaged with more somber themes on visits to military ships, disaster sites, and former sugar plantations.

As reported by Tatler, Catharina-Amalia adored the trip. The princess even released a statement, expressing her gratitude for the journey. "Thank you very much for the warm welcome," she said. "I couldn't have imagined a better introduction to the Caribbean part of the kingdom. I really enjoyed getting to know all the islands and look forward to coming back."

Royal tours are not the only duties that involve quite a bit of fun. Palace parties are also said to be a marvelous experience, and Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, seems to know it. Over the years, she has been invited to a number of high-profile events. As Europe's next generation of young royals get older, many of these parties have involved priceless royal networking.

Such was certainly the case in October 2023 when Prince Christian of Denmark threw a magnificent 18th birthday bash at the Christianborg Palace. Dressed in a royal blue Domboy dress by Essentiel Antwerp and the Dutch sapphire necklace tiara, Catharina-Amalia was one of the most stunning figures at the event. Naturally, though, Catharina-Amalia used her time at the gala to connect with other up-and-coming princes and princesses. As reported by People, the Dutch princess mingled with Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, and Princess Estelle of Sweden — in addition to spending time with the birthday boy.   

Although European royals do not have the chance to visit each other frequently, it's believed they enjoy socializing with other young people who can relate to them. In the past, Catharina-Amalia has told the press that she feels particularly connected to Elisabeth and Ingrid Alexandra.

Because she will one day be the queen of the Netherlands, Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, cannot limit her social life to royals of her own generation. Instead, she is expected to represent her country well in a number of other high-profile events. Such was the case in May 2023 when Catharina-Amalia was invited to attend King Charles III's coronation celebrations in London, England. Although Catharina-Amalia did not attend the coronation ceremony itself, she did accompany her grandmother, former Queen Beatrix, to the reception organized the evening prior.

There, the princess soaked up the elegant ambiance of Buckingham Palace. She and her grandmother mingled with politicians, statespeople, and a number of other high-ranking royals, such as King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain.

While it might seem rather unfortunate that Catharina-Amalia was only included in the welcome reception, it was actually a huge honor that she was invited at all. Other European royal children were largely excluded from the event. Princess Estelle of Sweden did not attend, as she was likely considered too young. The same was also true for Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques of Monaco. One of the exceptions was, ostensibly, Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, who joined Catharina-Amalia at the reception.

Beyond all of her lavish trips and parties, Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, has a unique privilege — the ability to claim a massive allowance. When she turned 18 on December 7, 2021, she received the right to earn a €322,000 annual salary in addition to €1.5 million in yearly reimbursements, per NL Times. Fascinatingly, Catharina-Amalia originally rejected this money. As reported by People at the time, the princess released a statement in which she explained, "I will be 18 and, according to the law, receive an 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."

Since then, however, Catharina-Amalia has experienced a shift in views. In 2024, Dutch News reported that the princess will begin to receive public funding in 2025. Apparently, Catharina-Amalia wrote a note to then-Prime Minister Mark Rutte to spell out her reasoning. "With the passage of time and after surprising circumstances, it is now foreseeable that I will have to take into account personnel and material expenses with a view to an independent and autonomous fulfillment of my position, including administrative staff, and reservations for a living and working accommodation," she wrote (via Hello!). This astounding amount of cash will almost certainly guarantee the princess a life of luxury.

Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, has always loved a bit of bling. In an interview conducted for her 18th birthday biography, "Amalia," the princess said that she first fell in love with the royal jewels when she was a young girl. "I used to put them [tiaras] on, from my mother. Then there was one on her dressing table and then I had it directly on my head," Catharina-Amalia revealed (via Hola!).

Apparently, tiaras weren't the only pieces that caught the young princess' fancy. In another excerpt of her biography, Catharina-Amalia admitted to running off with many of her mother, Queen Máxima's, jewels. "Ever since I was very little, she would be preparing for an important dinner and she would shout through the house: 'Amalia, where's that ring?'" the princess confessed.

Now that she is an adult, Catharina-Amalia does not have to borrow her mom's jewels — she actually has the right to wear them. In 2022, the princess made her tiara debut at Princess Ingrid Alexandra's birthday bash in Norway. Since then, she has been spotted with sparkling headwear at formal galas and dinners. To those who know her, this is hardly surprising — tiaras have been known to be something of a passion of hers. As Catharina-Amalia shared in her biography, "I love tiaras. Show me a tiara, and I know where it comes from. I can recognize all the tiaras in Europe."

Wearing expensive jewelry is not the only perk of being a Dutch princess. Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, has also gotten front row seats to some pretty cool events. During the summer of 2024, she headed to Paris, France to watch her country compete in the Olympic Games. Although she did make an appearance at the qualifying rounds for the jumping competition, Catharina-Amalia underwent much more emotion at the men's 3 vs. 3 basketball final.

In this exciting match, the princess watched as the Netherlands and France battled for the gold. Accompanying her in the front row was none other than King Felipe of Spain. Together, the two royals underwent a tremendous amount of stress as they wondered which team was going to come out on top. Luckily for Catharina-Amalia, the Dutch team managed to win the title — which meant that she got to congratulate the players on a job well-done. Following the match, Catharina-Amalia and Felipe shook hands with the team and the Princess of Orange posed alongside the athletes for some adorable group pictures.

They say great minds think alike, and on occasion, it appears that royal minds may think alike, as well. Despite representing different countries, Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange, and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, both stepped out in the same luxurious green dress. On September 17, 2024, Catharina-Amalia celebrated Prinsjesdag — also referred to as "Budget Day" — in a breathtaking green gown. When she stepped out in this wonderful piece, royal fans practically swooned. After all, she seemed to be wearing the exact same dress that Sarah had worn to an event thrown by The Perfect World Foundation on September 5 in Sweden.

The Safiyaa Sarita gown is beyond fit for royalty. Made with crepe fabric, the dress draped beautifully down both women's arms. The semi-closed neckline also represents an appealing balance between modern glamor and more traditional, royal modesty. Catharina-Amalia and Sarah both looked regal in the dramatically-cut dress. 

Of course, an item of this caliber does not come with a low price tag. Express has estimated that the women spent approximately £1,700 on the gown. This amount, however, would not necessarily include any of the alterations that they may have made to improve the fit. Nor does it recognize that both royals likely invested rather heavily into their accessories and jewelry.

Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange has already told the Dutch people that she plans to be a monarch of the future. She's been outspoken about her mental health, supports LGBTQ+ rights, and has even admitted that she would be open to living in a world without a monarchy — if that's what her country were to choose.

Part of being a progressive princess, though, is investing in ethical fashion. So far, it seems that Catharina-Amalia is willing to do that. In 2024, she was spotted with a miniature gold bag designed by Marina Raphael. Although Raphael's pieces are pricey, they aim to be ethically-made. As the designer herself told Hello! in 2022, "From the very beginning we have worked towards implementing innovative techniques that lead to a near-zero-waste policy, such as upcycling, recycling materials and consciously tanning small quantities of leather, while constantly searching for new creative ways to evolve and reduce our carbon footprint."

It appears that Catharina-Amalia is interested in supporting this type of sustainable fashion — no matter how expensive it may be.