The Princess of Orange, News and Events Part 1: Dec 2021 - January 2024

[doro]

I said it was the PM and Amalia.

The whole thing reminds me a bit of the FLQ and the October Crisis here, perhaps because it was hard to formulate a response until there were two high-profile kidnappings, one of which ended in an accidental murder. Then we got martial law. I hope none of that occurs in the Netherlands. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_Crisis

And the German Autumn, in October 1977 too.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

That's nice but perhaps they should pester the government instead.
Words of sympathy for Amalia won't put the criminals in jail.

In one of the most serious papers in DK today, they wrote an article about this, mentioning the possibility of the Netherlands turning into a "European drug-state" end quote.
It's getting pretty embarrassing for the Dutch government I'd say.

Actually the leaders of the Mocro Mafia are either liquidated or in jail. That is why the violence spirals because the mob wants to hit back.

We see it in Sweden, where gangs fight each other in cities. Imagine the Swedish police puts the gang leaders in jail and they spiral up and threat the prime minister (not the first time a pm or a minister has been murdered in Sweden...). More or less the same: trying to disrupt State and society, shock the rule of law.

 

[Mbruno]

Actually the leaders of the Mocro Mafia are either liquidated or in jail. That is why the violence spirals because the mob wants to hit back.

We see it in Sweden, where gangs fight each other in cities. Imagine the Swedish police puts the gang leaders in jail and they spiral up and threat the prime minister (not the first time a pm or a minister has been murdered in Sweden...). More or less the same: trying to disrupt State and society, shock the rule of law.

I am not trying to minimize the risk posed by the Moroccan mafia, or trying to second-guess the Dutch police or the Dutch intelligence services, but could the Royal Family be overreacting in this case? As Lula said, the Spanish Royal Family lived for many years with a constant threat from ETA. And the British Royal Family was threatened by the IRA (which did kill Lord Mountbatten) and is probably still under threat today from other international terrorist organizations. Yet, that never prompted a decision as radical as Princess Amalia never leaving a royal residence except to go to school, which is what Queen Maxima said to the press corps.

 

[Prinsara]

They murdered a journalist in cold blood. It's not hard to imagine what they would do to Amalia or the PM. (Mountbatten was killed on holiday, not while not being allowed to leave the house, and I never heard of the Spanish royals having their lives or holidays restricted, either, even with terrorist threats.)

Furthermore, terrorists tend to operate a bit more predictably than pure criminals with no ideology like these mafiosi. So, no, I don't think the DRF are overreacting, or making the situation worse by speaking about it, or whining for sympathy, or to distract from the King's budget, or anything like that. W-A and Maxima have made their missteps, but they're simply genuinely unhappy and worried parents here.

 

[Marengo]

If anything it will have been downplayed. The whole matter was leaked by to the press and not announced by the court or the government. The matter is very serious, a journalist was murdered, a lawyer was murdered not long before that etc. Several people were murdered due to mistaken identity, one of them a minor. The most shocking part is that the killers that they hire seem to be available for a rather small sum of money and are often very young, not even twenty.

The journalist that was murdered just left the studio of a popular boulevard television programme on one of the most watched television channels. He was shot in the middle of the city, in a busy street and in broad light!

The present Belgian Justice minister is also lives in hiding due to death threats from Drug criminals from the Moroccan mafia. Due to the Antwerp harbor they have much of the same problems as the Netherlands does in Rotterdam.

 

[Erin9]

This was on the BBC news this morning. It's awful - school and university are meant to be a time which young royals get to enjoy, and spend leading a relatively normal life. And living in fear of kidnap at any age is terrible. I am so sorry for Amalia.

I just read an article in the New York Times about this today. It’s getting a lot of coverage. It’s rare to see much in the US about royals other than the Brits and maybe Monaco. The last few weeks there have been articles on Denmark and title stripping and now this.

I’m so sorry to hear about this. What a difficult start to what is usually such an exciting time in a young person’s life.

I had no idea how serious a problem the mob currently is in the Netherlands before reading this thread.

 

[Prinsara]

I would say I hope Amalia gets to chat with Princess Anne. Not, unfortunately, because Anne's 45-year-old playbook will help much in the current situation, but Anne may have some more topical advice in both staying positive and in kicking the snot out of anyone who tries this again.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

It is not only Amalia. Only last week the same Mocro Mafia had extremely serious threats against the Belgian minister Vincent van Quickenborne, the Justice minister. Like in the Netherlands (with Europe's biggest port Rotterdam) also nearby gigantic port of Antwerp (bordering the Netherlands) is now infiltrated.

Since Rotterdam becomes too difficult for these criminals, they "discovered" nearby Antwerp. With all possible might the Mayor of Antwerp and the Belgian Justice minister tries to copy-and-paste the Dutch approach (gigantic radiology terminals to scan every container and the use of enormous high tech intelligence capacity to break encryption and to eavesdrop worldwide communication.)

Like Princess Amalia, also the Belgian Justice minister was (and is) under such serious threat that he (she) are bound to secured places, are now transported in heavily armoured and blinded cars with masked bodyguards. Even special helicopters are used to intercept eventual killer drones.

What is tragic in Amalia's case: while a threat against a Justice minister has some "logic", against a 18 years old student it looks like terror.

In the media is speculated that a kidnap (it is more about a kidnap than an assault) would generate "exchange" for the imprisoned leaders of this crime organization whom all are in such extreme detention regimes. Even the penitentiary wardens have to be masked to prevent recognition and repercussion. A lawyer (whom happened to be family to one of the leaders) has already been barred from practicing law because Police found out he let himself to be used for communication with the criminal network. It is thought this is an existential fight for these "godfathers" against termination by the State. For this they go beyond all limits.

 

[lula]

They murdered a journalist in cold blood. It's not hard to imagine what they would do to Amalia or the PM. (Mountbatten was killed on holiday, not while not being allowed to leave the house, and I never heard of the Spanish royals having their lives or holidays restricted, either, even with terrorist threats.)

Prinsara, the Spanish royals had their whole life limited by security regulations, but it was not a topic that they ever talked about or complained about publicly... because in a country where many people lived with bodyguards and there are so many possible targets that you can't protect them all (ETA had very broad objectives that included councilors from very small towns, businessmen or university professors), and there were people who died from gunshots in the head or because a car bomb exploded near them (including children), complaining about the restrictions when you have all the security of the State at your service is not ethical.

Juan Carlos was in Mallorca in the sights of a murderer who wanted to shoot him in the head, the family did not stop going to Mallorca on vacation, security was reinforced.

Prince Felipe attended a public university in Madrid for 5 years. Every day he arrived at the university in his own car with his bodyguards, the car and the facilities were checked with dogs that detected explosives, he always went to the same classroom in a more protected area and the group of classmates remained during his years of studies, that group of classmates included some undercover police, only years later his classmates found out that those boys were actually policemen. That was his routine and he lived with it, because he knew that in Spain there were young politicians who did not have bodyguards, and that when they went to university they had to follow self-protection routines.

In 2015, some calls were intercepted from a jihadist group threatening the king and his daughters, in the country that has suffered the biggest attack in Europe, obviously that is a very serious issue... and publicly there was no comment.

Princess Leanor is currently studying in Wales, and is accompanied by a security team. Outside of school she is probably much more restricted in her movements than her peers, including Princess Alexia, and as much as it annoys her she knows it must be.

When a terrorist or mafia group is involved, it is the security forces and intelligence services that have to do their job, and always with discretion. In the face of a threat, discretion and reinforcement of security, and if that includes limiting your movements, it is something that goes with your privileged position.

For me, the only thing that Máxima has achieved with these statements is to give international repercussion to the issue, and the mafia group must be delighted because their threats have worked, because the Queen of the Netherlands herself has said that they are locked up at home, giving the impression that the Dutch police are unable to keep them protected.

I also imagine that in the Netherlands there are many people affected by this mafia, from port workers threatened to work for them, to people who may be involuntarily affected in the middle of a confrontation between them or the thousands of young people who consume the drug with which they traffic... That the Head of State and his wife focus on the problem that their privileged daughter cannot have fun like a normal teenager seems to me to be an error from the point of view of communication. As happened with the Covid restrictions, they comment on things as they affect them personally, and not as problems that affect the entire community, and many people who are not in their privileged position.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Prinsara, the Spanish royals had their whole life limited by security regulations, but it was not a topic that they ever talked about or complained about publicly... because in a country where many people lived with bodyguards and there are so many possible targets that you can't protect them all (ETA had very broad objectives that included councilors from very small towns, businessmen or university professors), and there were people who died from gunshots in the head or because a car bomb exploded near them (including children), complaining about the restrictions when you have all the security of the State at your service is not ethical.

Juan Carlos was in Mallorca in the sights of a murderer who wanted to shoot him in the head, the family did not stop going to Mallorca on vacation, security was reinforced.

Prince Felipe attended a public university in Madrid for 5 years. Every day he arrived at the university in his own car with his bodyguards, the car and the facilities were checked with dogs that detected explosives, he always went to the same classroom in a more protected area and the group of classmates remained during his years of studies, that group of classmates included some undercover police, only years later his classmates found out that those boys were actually policemen. That was his routine and he lived with it, because he knew that in Spain there were young politicians who did not have bodyguards, and that when they went to university they had to follow self-protection routines.

In 2015, some calls were intercepted from a jihadist group threatening the king and his daughters, in the country that has suffered the biggest attack in Europe, obviously that is a very serious issue... and publicly there was no comment.

Princess Leanor is currently studying in Wales, and is accompanied by a security team. Outside of school she is probably much more restricted in her movements than her peers, including Princess Alexia, and as much as it annoys her she knows it must be.

When a terrorist or mafia group is involved, it is the security forces and intelligence services that have to do their job, and always with discretion. In the face of a threat, discretion and reinforcement of security, and if that includes limiting your movements, it is something that goes with your privileged position.

For me, the only thing that Máxima has achieved with these statements is to give international repercussion to the issue, and the mafia group must be delighted because their threats have worked, because the Queen of the Netherlands herself has said that they are locked up at home, giving the impression that the Dutch police are unable to keep them protected.

I also imagine that in the Netherlands there are many people affected by this mafia, from port workers threatened to work for them, to people who may be involuntarily affected in the middle of a confrontation between them or the thousands of young people who consume the drug with which they traffic... That the Head of State and his wife focus on the problem that their privileged daughter cannot have fun like a normal teenager seems to me to be an error from the point of view of communication. As happened with the Covid restrictions, they comment on things as they affect them personally, and not as problems that affect the entire community, and many people who are not in their privileged position.

It is not at all an error but a honest answer on a question by a journalist after weeks of unclear rumours about severe threats and why the newly enrolled student was nowhere to be seen except for Prinsjesdag (which is a heavily secured event).

The Prime Minister (himself named a target next to Princess Amalia) was not aware of this answer, but as Dutch State Visits always have a free and unscripted "press moment", this sort of questions was unavoidable.

The Prime Minister totally agreed with Queen Máxima's heartfelt words and shared her pride in how the 18 year old managed to cope with the existential threat. The Prime Minister (during 12 years in office he made a trade mark to bicycle around in The Hague and still living in his modest duplex appartment in a normal neighbourhood) is now also bound to the strictest security.

Asked about the nature of his (and the Princess') security and if education abroad was an option, the Prime Minister categorically refused to reveal anything: "Let us not be helpful and inform criminals about the scope and extent of security precautions".

The difference with ETA and IRA: both organizations had clear objectives (secession from the State) and have laid down their arms decades ago. These criminals have no other objectives than to clear anyone standing in their way. Another difference with ETA and IRA is the 24/24 and 7/7 accessibility of whereabouts and the scope of their weaponry: killer drones, as used now in Ukraine, were not in their aresenal. It is frightening that these gangs can purchase these equipments somewhere in Yemen or so and can use it against individuals. An expert showed how a very small drone, informed with all recognition marks of an individual, can buzz above The Hague for hours and then launch itself when the software finally recognises the target. That is why vans with recognition software and anti-drone weaponry are now used. It os frightening.

This is a completely new evolution of violence, making IRA and ETA looking prehistoric.

 

[Prinsara]

Prinsara, the Spanish royals had their whole life limited by security regulations, but it was not a topic that they ever talked about or complained about publicly... because in a country where many people lived with bodyguards and there are so many possible targets that you can't protect them all (ETA had very broad objectives that included councilors from very small towns, businessmen or university professors), and there were people who died from gunshots in the head or because a car bomb exploded near them (including children), complaining about the restrictions when you have all the security of the State at your service is not ethical.

Juan Carlos was in Mallorca in the sights of a murderer who wanted to shoot him in the head, the family did not stop going to Mallorca on vacation, security was reinforced.

Prince Felipe attended a public university in Madrid for 5 years. Every day he arrived at the university in his own car with his bodyguards, the car and the facilities were checked with dogs that detected explosives, he always went to the same classroom in a more protected area and the group of classmates remained during his years of studies, that group of classmates included some undercover police, only years later his classmates found out that those boys were actually policemen. That was his routine and he lived with it, because he knew that in Spain there were young politicians who did not have bodyguards, and that when they went to university they had to follow self-protection routines.

In 2015, some calls were intercepted from a jihadist group threatening the king and his daughters, in the country that has suffered the biggest attack in Europe, obviously that is a very serious issue... and publicly there was no comment.

Princess Leanor is currently studying in Wales, and is accompanied by a security team. Outside of school she is probably much more restricted in her movements than her peers, including Princess Alexia, and as much as it annoys her she knows it must be.

When a terrorist or mafia group is involved, it is the security forces and intelligence services that have to do their job, and always with discretion. In the face of a threat, discretion and reinforcement of security, and if that includes limiting your movements, it is something that goes with your privileged position.

For me, the only thing that Máxima has achieved with these statements is to give international repercussion to the issue, and the mafia group must be delighted because their threats have worked, because the Queen of the Netherlands herself has said that they are locked up at home, giving the impression that the Dutch police are unable to keep them protected.

I also imagine that in the Netherlands there are many people affected by this mafia, from port workers threatened to work for them, to people who may be involuntarily affected in the middle of a confrontation between them or the thousands of young people who consume the drug with which they traffic... That the Head of State and his wife focus on the problem that their privileged daughter cannot have fun like a normal teenager seems to me to be an error from the point of view of communication. As happened with the Covid restrictions, they comment on things as they affect them personally, and not as problems that affect the entire community, and many people who are not in their privileged position.

lula, you keep saying the SRF was restricted due to ETA terrorism...but they still went to Mallorca and lived their lives and established a normal, like most royal families who live with massive security due to terrorist threats. This is not normal.

That Maxima now looks like an entitled whiner or a security risk. That the Dutch security services now look incompetent because of her and her husband. It's simply not so.

When they made their mistakes about Covid, there were massive outcries in the Netherlands. I haven't heard anything right now except justified public sympathy for Amalia. Nothing because the teenager can't go out to have fun with friends when other people are suffering, too.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

I don't get the complaining about the issue. Sure Amalia can't live a student life like everybody else, but she is not everybody else.
The days of Prins Pils are certainly over, and not only because of the security risks but because of social media, where a status can go viral in a second. It's not easy for a young woman but what is these days?
There have always been security risks, and everything has its time and place. Of course ETA or IRA sound prehistoric these days but did not not back then.
What we are talking about in NL today is a mirrow of what is going on now in the world. So Amalia can't go out and have a carefree student time, welcome to the new reality, you can feel sorry about it but she has so many perks in return ... many people suffer from more pressing issues these days and wish they had Amalia's problems... so I guess get a grip and move on. Maxima should have kept her mouth shut and not whined about the situation. No need to dramatize Amalia's lack of freedom when the situation is much more complex.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I don't get the complaining about the issue. Sure Amalia can't live a student life like everybody else, but she is not everybody else.
The days of Prins Pils are certainly over, and not only because of the security risks but because of social media, where a status can go viral in a second. It's not easy for a young woman but what is these days?
There have always been security risks, and everything has its time and place. Of course ETA or IRA sound prehistoric these days but did not not back then.
What we are talking about in NL today is a mirrow of what is going on now in the world. So Amalia can't go out and have a carefree student time, welcome to the new reality, you can feel sorry about it but she has so many perks in return ... many people suffer from more pressing issues these days and wish they had Amalia's problems... so I guess get a grip and move on. Maxima should have kept her mouth shut and not whined about the situation. No need to dramatize Amalia's lack of freedom when the situation is much more complex.

The Queen did not "whine" at all. She calmly and honestly answered questions by a journalist about the invisible student and the rumours of threats. And in the end, when the journalist directly asked "What does all this do, to your mothers' heart?" the Queen visibly had to secure herself to keep her composture. That was it. No any word of whining was uttered. She felt sorry for her daughter that a normal students' life was not possible but was proud in how she managed to go on despite all severe and draconic measures around her.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

The Queen did not "whine" at all. She calmly and honestly answered questions by a journalist about the invisible student and the rumours of threats. And in the end, when the journalist directly asked "What does all this do, to your mothers' heart?" the Queen visibly had to secure herself to keep her composture. That was it. No any word of whining was uttered. She felt sorry for her daughter that a normal students' life was not possible but was proud in how she managed to go on despite all severe and draconic measures around her.

I understand her as a mother but as a Queen to complain or even comment in public about such a serious and complex issue because her daughter can't lead a student life with party etc I find a bit much. Other people are and have been threatend by it with much more serious consequences than a girl not being able to live like her peers, what is questionable anyway, Amalia is not a normal student and can't be expected to live as one, anyway. At least she has the protection to avoid any harm while others suffer much more dire consequences because they haven't.
This topic should be left to the authorities who have to deal with it and obiviously fail to get a grip on it. I think it is wrong for Maxima and WA to discuss this in public, even giving a platform to those behind the threats.

 

[HRHHermione]

I understand her as a mother but as a Queen to complain or even comment in public about such a serious and complex issue because her daughter can't lead a student life with party etc I find a bit much. Other people are and have been threatend by it with much more serious consequences than a girl not being able to live like her peers, what is questionable anyway, Amalia is not a normal student and can't be expected to live as one, anyway. At least she has the protection to avoid any harm while others suffer much more dire consequences because they haven't.

This topic should be left to the authorities who have to deal with it and obiviously fail to get a grip on it. I think it is wrong for Maxima and WA to discuss this in public, even giving a platform to those behind the threats.

I think this is lacking in sympathy for two parents who are watching their daughter suffer, and also out of touch with the fact that if they’d pretended all was normal and she was living a normal student life, the press would have eventually figured out that wasn’t true and wondered why they were lied to.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

My first words said that I sympathise with Maxima as a mother ... it is well known that Amalia had to move back from Amsterdam, why not leave it at that. My point is to discuss the terror organisation with regard to Amalia's student life while regular citizens have to face much more severe consequences without any protection.

 

[HRHHermione]

My first words said that I sympathise with Maxima as a mother ... it is well known that Amalia had to move back from Amsterdam, why not leave it at that. My point is to discuss the terror organisation with regard to Amalia's student life while regular citizens have to face much more severe consequences without any protection.

I don’t think many regular citizens have to deal with kidnapping threats as a part of their normal and day to day existence. It just seems very dismissive of something that’s really frightening and pretty far out of the realm of normal and what most people experience.

There are times (most times) where being a member of a royal family confers enormous privilege, but most every day citizens will never deal with that particular kind of threat. A little kindness and empathy costs nothing.

 

[Alison H]

A terrorist killed 22 people in my home city in 2017, and the IRA detonated a huge bomb here in 1996. But people carry on as normal, in a way that Amalia can’t do because there is a direct threat to her personally. I sympathise with both her and her parents. This is supposed to be the time in her life when she can live like a normal person, like William did at St Andrews and like Leonor is doing now, and it’s been taken away.

 

[lula]

lula, you keep saying the SRF was restricted due to ETA terrorism...but they still went to Mallorca and lived their lives and established a normal, like most royal families who live with massive security due to terrorist threats. This is not normal.

Alison, in the case of ETA, one thing was the car bomb attacks, and another was those people who were directly threatened, and who received a shot in the head or a package bomb. Politicians from small municipalities, businessmen, journalists, university professors... who had bodyguards, had to change their routines often and had to check every day that there was not a bomb under their car or a strange package had arrived.

Prinsara, they went to Mallorca (with hundreds of policemen and snipers on every corner) and even they went to the Basque Country, because the Spanish State invested millions for decades to ensure the safety of thousands
of citizens. Because staying home was not an option, because terrorists couldn't win and people had to live and work, even though they knew they were on a blacklist and that leaving home was always risky.

And with that experience, security is not taken for granted...and ETA ended, but in Spain it is still absolutely unthinkable that a senior State official or a member of the government moves without a bodyguard.

In the Netherlands and other European countries, security has been taken for granted because they had a life without that kind of threats, and now that these threats arise, first with the jihadist attacks and now with the mafias, the Prime Minister who used to ride calmly on a bicycle now has to bring bodyguards, and members of the royal family have to restrict their movements. Perhaps it has a lot of impact for them now, but it is how many leaders and senior officials in other countries live.

Not only the Netherlands has a mafia, Belgium is in a similar situation... and there is an Italian, Swedish, Irish, Russian, Chinese, Albanian mafia... the Spanish police arrest members of all, in the south there are areas where many murders take place because they take refuge in tourist areas of millionaires. This summer Felipe de Marichalar was in a nightclub in Marbella where there was a shooting... the author, a Dutchman of Moroccan origin.

 

[Prinsara]

I don’t think many regular citizens have to deal with kidnapping threats as a part of their normal and day to day existence. It just seems very dismissive of something that’s really frightening and pretty far out of the realm of normal and what most people experience.

There are times (most times) where being a member of a royal family confers enormous privilege, but most every day citizens will never deal with that particular kind of threat. A little kindness and empathy costs nothing.

I find it striking and...I don't know what, when lack of sympathy for Amalia, who is facing clear and present abduction and death threats, is either "oh, the teenager can't party with her friends" or "our royals faced death threats in a completely different time and context and dealt with it better". And in either case "the DRF should shut up because they're clearly making it worse".

I wonder how bad the situation would have to get for people to acknowledge it's quite severe and something outside normal royal security threat paradigms, and that just because other people are affected by it doesn't lessen the DRF issue. Especially since it's a royal board.

 

[Somebody]

I am quite shocked by the lack of empathy from some members here.

An 18-year old girl is restricted to her house and attending her classes at university because of severe threats (of kidnapping most likely). It's not that she hasn't had bodyguards in the past (they've been with her all of her life, so she's never had the privacy and freedom others enjoy - but this is at a totally different level. She cannot leave the house except to go to one other place - and mostmlikely it is unclear how long this will take.

I'm not willing to accept that as normal and something she just needs to learn to live with and happily accept this as part of her position because she is so privileged. She is very duty bound but this is asking way too much of a young adult - and still she has no other choice than to bear it because some ruthless criminals don't care about anybody but themselves.

Of course, others may have hard times as well but both can exist at the same time. It does not diminush the real hardship of princess Amalia being 'imprisoned' in her parents house because of severe security concerns.

 

[kalnel]

The horrible irony here is that Amalia, who is blameless, is basically under "house arrest" because the actual criminals who would harm her are on the loose.

It's incredibly unfair that she has to go through this, on a personal and official level.

 

[Mbruno]

Of course, others may have hard times as well but both can exist at the same time. It does not diminush the real hardship of princess Amalia being 'imprisoned' in her parents house because of severe security concerns.

I think most posters empathize with Amalia's situation and feel bad for what she is going through. However, what some posters said, and I personally agree with them, is that the Dutch government, or the Dutch RF, or both are conveying an image to the outside world that the Dutch policy and security services are inept and that a criminal drug cartel can effectively blackmail the Dutch RF (and, by implication, the Dutch State) to the point of keeping the heir to the throne "imprisoned" at Huis ten Bosch. Honestly that sends the wrong message to bad guys out there.

 

[Somebody]

I think most posters empathize with Amalia's situation and feel bad for what she is going through. However, what some posters said, and I personally agree with them, is that the Dutch government, or the Dutch RF, or both are conveying an image to the outside world that the Dutch policy and security services are inept and that a criminal drug cartel can effectively blackmail the Dutch RF (and, by implication, the Dutch State) to the point of keeping the heir to the throne "imprisoned" at Huis ten Bosch. Honestly that sends the wrong message to bad guys out there.

It's interesting how nobody in the Netherlands seems to look at it that way. Maybe because they have a better understanding about the organization the state is unfortunately dealing with - given the fact that the mastermind of this organization was captured abroad and is now incarcerated in the highest-security prison, they are at least somewhat effective in dealing with these ruthless mafioso.

The criminals didn't 'blackmail' them but intelligence apparently intercepted messages that indicated that there was a serious threat. So, I am glad that the threat was discovered before something happened to her. Nonetheless, I hope that they will find ways for her to safely regain a little more freedom - without increasing the risk to an unacceptable level.

 

[lula]

I think most posters empathize with Amalia's situation and feel bad for what she is going through. However, what some posters said, and I personally agree with them, is that the Dutch government, or the Dutch RF, or both are conveying an image to the outside world that the Dutch policy and security services are inept and that a criminal drug cartel can effectively blackmail the Dutch RF (and, by implication, the Dutch State) to the point of keeping the heir to the throne "imprisoned" at Huis ten Bosch. Honestly that sends the wrong message to bad guys out there.

Exactly, the issue is not Amalia, because obviously these limitations are uncomfortable for any person, more so for a young woman. But the indiscreet way in which Máxima talked, and the fact that she focused on the fact that her daughter cannot have a normal university life and have fun… it was very frivolous… because many Dutch people are suffering in their day-to-day problems with these mafias and they have neither the means nor the security that the Royal Family enjoys.

The problem of mafias and drugs is not exclusive to the Netherlands, at the moment Belgium has a similar problem in the port of Antwerp and they have tried to kidnap the Belgian justice minister. So the situation for the Belgian Royal Family may not be that different.

 

[tommy100]

Personally I think its always best that royals don't talk about security. They could, I'm sure, have simply said they don't want to comment on security issues. If they wanted to comment they could have said its concerning as parents obviously but they have faith in the authorities to protect Amalia and ended it there.

I think everyone have sympathy for Amalia, certainly I do. It must be horrible for anyone to be under such security and such threat and even more so for someone of her age and who is just starting university. It will impact her ability to make friends, have a more normal life et. But equally, royals don't have normal life.

IMO the reason some posters are taking issue with what WA and Max said is not lack of sympathy for Amalia but that they have other issues with the King & Queen at the moment. Those issues mainly relate to the King & Queen not seeming to have a grasp on reality and "everyday" life for the people of their country, this of course adds to that thought isn't tbf their fault (this time)

 

[Marengo]

I think most posters empathize with Amalia's situation and feel bad for what she is going through. However, what some posters said, and I personally agree with them, is that the Dutch government, or the Dutch RF, or both are conveying an image to the outside world that the Dutch policy and security services are inept and that a criminal drug cartel can effectively blackmail the Dutch RF (and, by implication, the Dutch State) to the point of keeping the heir to the throne "imprisoned" at Huis ten Bosch. Honestly that sends the wrong message to bad guys out there.

What would the alternative be?

1. Let the princess stay where she was but with half a batallion of security around her - which will attract attention. Attention on which nobody supposedly can comment, even though daily tens of thousends of people will be able to see it with their own eyes as they pass Amalia´s student home.

2. Have the Princess disappear from the city -as happened- and not say a word about it? When questions are asked that means they would need to tell lies or simply have no response at all / again leading to all sorts of speculation.

None of the above seems a good alternative to me. Especially as the news has been leaked to the press a few weeks ago already.

As for the press conference. How else should the queen have reacted to the question? Should she have lied? Should she have refused to answer and that way encourage more speculation? Or should they only invite journalists whose questions are handed to them on a note, written by the government information service?
Should they take an example of less transparent monarchies /where the king and queen never talk to the press?

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But the indiscreet way in which Máxima talked, and the fact that she focused on the fact that her daughter cannot have a normal university life and have fun… it was very frivolous… because many Dutch people are suffering in their day-to-day problems with these mafias and they have neither the means nor the security that the Royal Family enjoys.

The queen said the following:

Well... she did not leave the house. You may have heard the news. This has enormous consequences for her life. It means that she does not live in Amsterdam and that she can not really go outside. The consequences are difficult for her, it is not a normal student life as others have. I am very proud about the way she is coping with it.

How are these 32 seconds ´frivolous´? I find the argument rather puzzling as here will always be people worse of than the royals. Using this logic the murdered Peter R. de Vries was frivolous and whining as well when he commented on the threats to his life. He was offered police protection when the same group of criminals threatened his life while others in the country will not have been offered the same kind of protection.

 

[Somebody]

Personally I think its always best that royals don't talk about security. They could, I'm sure, have simply said they don't want to comment on security issues. If they wanted to comment they could have said its concerning as parents obviously but they have faith in the authorities to protect Amalia and ended it there.

I think everyone have sympathy for Amalia, certainly I do. It must be horrible for anyone to be under such security and such threat and even more so for someone of her age and who is just starting university. It will impact her ability to make friends, have a more normal life et. But equally, royals don't have normal life.

IMO the reason some posters are taking issue with what WA and Max said is not lack of sympathy for Amalia but that they have other issues with the King & Queen at the moment. Those issues mainly relate to the King & Queen not seeming to have a grasp on reality and "everyday" life for the people of their country, this of course adds to that thought isn't tbf their fault (this time)

Did you read what the king and queen said? They didn't comment on 'security issues'. When asked what it is like for her daughter to live and study in Amsterdam and how she is enjoying her new student life. It would have been really weird if they said 'we do not comment on security issues'.

So, instead the queen answered honestly and said that she actually didn't move out but was back at home - and that it was quite hard on her (but expressed how proud they were about how she handled this situation). The queen also commented that she was able to attend classes at university. Next, when asked to both the king and queen what this 'did' to them as parents, Willem-Alexander said that he couldn't describe it and Máxima stated the obvious that she was becoming a little emotional as it was hard to see their daughter [slight hesitation] unhappy. In the end, the queen tried to make it a little less heavy by joking that (because she has lots of time to study) she'll at least have high grades.

A short version of the exchange can be found on royalblog (in Dutch - but Google Translate will give you the gist of it).

Those in the know, will recall that Amalia has always been someone to attain high grades and her father has even told her to get lower grades as she was stressing out about not getting the highest grades in high school.

 

[Somebody]

Quoted from Lula's post:

because many Dutch people are suffering in their day-to-day problems with these mafias and they have neither the means nor the security that the Royal Family enjoys.

Can you specify which 'many people' are suffering in their day-to-day problems with these mafiaso? Because that is very far from reality. First, there are not 'many Dutch people' who have anything to fear from these mafioso. There are a few others who are at risk, mostly lawyers who decided that this case was important enough to take it on even though they knew the consequence would be that they would need security (I applaud their courage!) because of the risk involved, who of course also receive protection but that's about it.

Second, everyone who is at risk because of their involvement in one way or another is offered protection. Their 'means' are not a factor in this decision, so again, this comparison is way off - and explains why the outrage (directed at the royal family) seems to be mainly from abroad and not from within the Netherlands.

Note that -in contrast to those who receive protection because they are (professionally) involved with this case- we are now talking about a completely innocent young adult who has NOTHING to do with this case but has her life completely disrupted.

 

[leene]

Exactly, the issue is not Amalia, because obviously these limitations are uncomfortable for any person, more so for a young woman. But the indiscreet way in which Máxima talked, and the fact that she focused on the fact that her daughter cannot have a normal university life and have fun… it was very frivolous… because many Dutch people are suffering in their day-to-day problems with these mafias and they have neither the means nor the security that the Royal Family enjoys.

The problem of mafias and drugs is not exclusive to the Netherlands, at the moment Belgium has a similar problem in the port of Antwerp and they have tried to kidnap the Belgian justice minister. So the situation for the Belgian Royal Family may not be that different.

Belgium has the same problem yes...with the Dutch drugs maffia!!
They expanded their activities to Belgium.
You clearly don't know what is happening here. Nothing at all.
You are talking nonsens by saying: "many Dutch people are suffering in their day-to-day problems with these mafias and they have neither the means nor the security that the Royal family enjoys"
Expecially that word 'enjoys'
I enjoy my freedom I am glad I don't need security.
Again you are talking nonsens.
The people who are in danger are the people involved in this cases. The laywers, the journalists, crimefighters etc. And some highly profiled people..

If you don't like the dutch Royal familiy .. fine just say so.. but don't talk nonsens that the situation around Amalia is not so bad, that she is not allowed to complain. Because your Royal family was also threatened and they just move on. She would just have moved on if she could.
It is not a competition which royal is most threatened or which royal is most brave. Unbelievable some of the comments I have read