Her mother is an ocean away, but Princess Amalia said that Queen Máxima is her role model at the beginning of a two-day official visit to Amsterdam on Thursday.
When asked during a roundtable discussion who her role model is, the future queen of the Netherlands spoke lovingly of her mother, saying, “If I could only be half a woman like she is, I would be happy.”
She has previously revealed that if she had succeeded her father, King Willem-Alexander, while still young, she would have asked Queen Máxima to step in as serve as regent while she trains in her role.
The Princess of Orange is visiting Amsterdam at the invitation of Mayor Femke Halsema to learn more about the city’s sectors and to receive briefings on “science, sports, culture, housing, and social cohesion,” according to the Dutch Royal House.
Princess Amalia arrived for her first engagement on Thursday afternoon at the Science Park after first attending a brunch with Mayor Halsema at her residence. At the Science Park, the future queen learned about its work with digital innovation and artificial intelligence and attended a roundtable discussion on the technological challenges facing the industry. She also received a tour of the AMOLF labs to learn about their work with solar energy.
Afterwards, the future queen traveled to Amsterdam-Zuidoost to meet with young people at 3x3Unites, a sports foundation where they learn leadership and social skills. Princess Amalia played a game of three-on-three basketball and joined in a roundtable discussion, where she said, “I am Amalia. I am 22, and I hope to offer a listening ear.”
The young royal then traveled to Amsterdam Nieuw-West to see a housing development and learn how the neighbourhood works with partners to create a vibrant living area. She also visited a social programme that helps women in vulnerable situations, where the future queen heard from those benefiting from its training programmes.
The final engagement of Princess Amalia’s visit to Amsterdam celebrated the city’s vibrant nightlife. The future queen paid a visit to two nightlife venues where she learned more about Amsterdam’s music and entertainment exports and listened as recently-trained DJs performed during the event.
On Friday, Princess Amalia will undertake engagements in the Zuidas, the Zeedijk, and Amsterdam-Noord. She will meet with lawyers, bankers and consultants to talk about their work and how geopolitics plays a role in what they do. She will also meet with artists, social change, homelessness, and the Amsterdam police, who will show the future queen their dispatch operations and take her out on patrol.
Princess Amalia is currently a student at the University of Amsterdam, having received a bachelor’s degree in Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics last year. She is currently reading for a bachelor’s degree in Dutch law. She is also a reservist with Defensity College, having recently been posted to the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
