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Newly-born Princess Catharina-Amalia second in line for Dutch throne

Daughter of Prince Willem Alexander and Máxima


Tags: Excerpts from the Windmill

THE HAGUE - Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Car-men Victoria, the first-born child of Dutch Crown Prince Willem Alexander and his wife Princess Máxima, is the second-in-line for the Dutch throne. The baby was born on December 7, at the Bronovo Hospital in The Hague. Princess Máxima had checked into the hospital that morning.

The newborn has the official titles of Princess of the Netherlands and Princess of Oranje-Nassau. At birth, she weighed 3310 grams and was 52 centimetres tall. According to the gynaecologist and the pediatrician, the baby was in excellent health, as was the mother. Princess Máxima had been confined to strict bedrest for much of the pregnancy, although that had been eased the last few days before she gave birth.

Willem Alexander and Argentina-born Máxima Zorreguieta were married in a highly-publicized ceremony on February, 2, 2002. The couple has announced that their first-born will be known as Amalia in the Royal household.

The name Amalia has been linked to the Royal Family since 1625. That year, German Countess Amalia von Solms-Braunfels became the wife of Dutch Stadtholder Frederik Hendrik. A year later, their son Willem II was born, who married English Princess Mary Stuart when he was only 15. Amalia van Solms had great influence on his short career (he died in 1650) and on his marriage to Mary, as well as on the upbringing of her grandson Willem III when the boy’s mother Mary died in 1661. A few years later, Amalia was able to return the Princedom of Oranje to the Nassaus.

Prince Willem III and his wife Mary Stuart, they became King and Queen of England in 1688, had no children of their own. The Holland branch of the Orange family died out upon the death of Willem III in 1702. He was succeeded by Friesland’s Stadtholder Johan Willem Friso, a second cousin.