Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands.Photo: Patrick van Katwijk/WireImage
Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, heir to the Dutch throne, is waiving her right to a hefty annual allowance.
The eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima sent a hand-written letter to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Friday, informing him of her decision to turn down her nearly $2 million allowance until she takes up royal duties.
Amalia added that she intended to take a gap year before starting her undergraduate studies. She said she would repay the nearly $400,000 she was entitled to during her time as a student and would not claim $1.6 million in expenses “until I incur high costs in my role as Princess of Orange.”
Princess Amalia passed her final exams at the Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in The Hague last week, graduating cum laude.
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In keeping with Dutch tradition, she raised the country’s flag along with her backpack in a video shared to the family’s social media accounts.
“I just got a call with the news that I passed!” she said. “I want to congratulate all other graduates and wish other students good luck with any resits in the second period.”
King Willem-Alexander and Princess Catharina-Amalia.Patrick van Katwijk/WireImage
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On King’s Day (the celebration of King Willem-Alexander’s birthday in April) earlier this year, Princess Amalia shared her plans to take a gap year before continuing her education.
“I want to travel a little, discover the world, do things that I may not be able to do in twenty years' time,” she said, according toNetherlands News Live.
source: people.com
