Princess Amalia of Orange, 18, has decided not to join the Amsterdam University Students’ Union (ASC/AVSV, in the Dutch acronym) for the time being, breaking with this type of brotherhood a family tradition that dates back to his great-grandmother, Queen Juliana. The heir to the Dutch throne will be studying in the Dutch capital from next September and this is the group that would suit her. However, it made the decision after sexist speeches made by its members at a party last July sparked a wave of criticism nationally. The Royal Family Information Service (RVD) has confirmed Princess Amalia’s decision to public television and described it as “personal”.
The ASC/AVSV association, which not only students from the University of Amsterdam can join, but also students from the Free University (VU) – also in the Dutch capital – and the Polytechnic (Hogeschool) lost funding last year that they received from the Rectorate received to carry out their work. So it was the violence of the harassment that the new partners are subjected to. Of course, the initiation rituals were suspended. Scandals of degrading treatment at an educational center are also a problem in other countries and for other European royal families. Such is the case of the Crown Princes of Denmark, Federico and Mary, who announced last June that they had decided to change schools for their 16-year-old eldest son Christian. The young prince will no longer study at Herlufsholm boarding school and his 15-year-old sister Isabella will not enroll there after an official report revealed instances of bullying and harassment. About 90 kilometers from Copenhagen and still very respected to this day, the two brothers will now attend other schools.
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In the 2021 biography of Dutch Princess Amalia, author Claudia de Breij pointed out that the young woman hopes to be able to enjoy the university stage to the fullest. She wanted to “be part of a student association and live in a house with other students,” she said. However, his current resignation shows that he closely follows what is happening in Dutch society, as membership in these groups is not compulsory. In the case of ASD/AVSV, both the CEO and three of its male members resigned after misogynist remarks were made during the July 24 party. On that day, the three students, who are now separated, said, among other things: “Women are sperm buckets”. He also suggested “breaking their necks to penetrate them” and they were called “whores” in chorus during a meal. The leak of a video of the celebration triggered a wave of criticism, with 270 students publishing a rejection letter.
Princess Amalia (centre) with her sisters Princess Alexia and Ariane at the King’s Day celebration on April 27, 2022 in Maastricht (Netherlands). P van Katwijk (Getty Images)
Amalia de Orange is hardworking and graduated from secondary school with an average grade of 8. Technically, she received a diploma cum laude. At the University of Amsterdam you will complete a three-year course (bachelor’s degree) in politics, economics, law and psychology, which requires a selection process. Student union membership in her family dates back to her great-grandmother, Queen Juliana, followed by her grandmother, Queen Beatrix. So did his father, King William, now on the throne, although it was not his intention. According to constitutional lawyer Peter Rehwinkel, as crown prince, Wilhelm of the Netherlands “wouldn’t have preferred to join a university fraternity.” “He also didn’t want to study at Leiden University, where later sovereigns did, but in the end he did both,” Rehwinkel told Dutch television.
As a place of residence, Amalia wanted to live with other fellow students at the university, although she knew that safety precautions had to be taken in her case. Currently, the student housing shortage is well known across the country, and the educational centers themselves are advising enrolled students to postpone or even drop out of their studies if they cannot find accommodation before the start of their studies. Amalia de Orange will not have these problems. According to Rick Evers, an information expert for the Dutch royal family, on his Twitter account, the princess will live in a house on the canals of Amsterdam owned by friends of her parents, King William and Máxima. At the end of May, RVD spokespersons announced that the areas selected in this phase would be rented out to their owners.