Prince Maurits gave an interview to the local Amsterdam television channel AT5.
https://www.at5.nl/artikelen/e29706/
He insists that the interviewer uses the informar 'je' over the formal 'u'.
The show is ambout Amsterdam and his connection to the city, which is why he agreed to do the interview. He doe snot want to talk about his family, as he does not like to talk about other people.
Kings Day: he has never celebrated it in AMsterdam and he does not mind that. He does not like to be big crowds.
Why did he settle in Amsterdam: after his study in Groningen he left in 1994. Where to go? His work took him to Amsterdam. He first lived with a friend, later with his brother and then with his wife.
He does not see why he would actively look for a more public role. He like sthat he is less in the media and does nto why he should do it otherwise. This way he can focus on his own life, his work, making money to pay the bills. This way his children can also move freely through life and do what they want to do. He says that he never asked for the attention that he received at the beginning of his marriage. It was there because he was the first to get married and because of Marilene's beauty - he quips. When they could move away they did, also for the children, who do not have a title, are not a member of anything and who will need to make their own lives.
They mention the gossip magazines. He says that they imagine a lot, but that the reality is that he has been together with his wife for 30 years, they have 3 healthy children and that they have a good life together. He understand the commercial role of these magazines, so he has no illusions that such stories will stop. You should just not read it. Some people he knows do take it seriously and start calling him to ask if all is all right.
They talk about SAIL Amsterdam. Focus on other charities.
He talks about being an entrepeneur in Amsterdam, he works for the company SunRock, which is active with solar energy in Amsterdam and abroad. He mentions that there can be a lot of problems in the Netherlands due to several laws, it is easier to invest abroad. He continues with various aspects on the issue of solar energy in Amsterdam.
The interviewer asks if it is easier to be an entrepeneur with a last name as his? The prince says that it is not the first time he received this question. The answer is yes and no. Some people will indeed answer quicker, others do the opposite. There will be a lot of preconceptions that you can not take away. It is 50-50 and the last years it is something that people feel negatively. The days are gone that people would be impressed by a phone call. In the end it does not matter what you name is, you need to do what you promise.
COVID: he was in bed with a strong fever for two weeks. By now he had it 3 times.
It was very different for his children, who are in their late teens/ early 20ties and they felt the lack of social interaction much stronger. For M&M it was interesting to have the eldest children back in the house, they were together again, which was special.
What is happiness: he becomes emotional and struggles to fight the tears. Being together, the fact that your children are healthy, having a good life together and being aware of that. We have friends who do not have that, who are divorced, where it was just a lot of misery. It makes you realise that hapiness is not far away, it isn't in an expensive car. But in things like health, being together, etc. They always realised this and they did not do some things because they were aware of this fact -> that way later on you will not think 'we were never there'. He realises that it is important to be there, and he has seen cases where things went differently. He apologises for being emotional. He refers to peopl ein their group of friends that passed away, or had children that passed away. It moves him greatly but he does not =want to talk more about it.
Children studying abroad: if they want it they should do it. They are not mine, it is their life. You always have to let them go.
