Princess Catharina-Amalia's huge act of kindness revealed
Princess Catharina-Amalia was forced to spend a year in Madrid following threats against her when she was studying in the Netherlands.
The heir to the Dutch throne has now given a sweet gift to the city for her stay, donating tulip bulbs in order for a small tulip garden to be grown. The news was confirmed by the Dutch Palace, which said: "The Princess of Orange thanks Madrid and its people for the warm welcome in their city, which she was able to call home for some time, with a small tulip garden on Plaza de Oriente.
"The ambassador and the mayor of Madrid planted the first bulbs."
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Tulips are the national flower of the Netherlands, with much of its agriculture dedicated to growing the flower. Tulips are regularly given by the Dutch royal family as a sign of gratitude, with Ottawa in Canada being bestowed 100,000 tulip bulbs following World War II after they sheltered members of the House of Orange-Bissau.
De Prinses van Oranje bedankt Madrid en haar inwoners voor de warme ontvangst in hun stad, die zij enige tijd haar thuis mocht noemen, met een kleine tulpentuin op Plaza de Oriente. De ambassadeur en de burgemeester van Madrid planten de eerste bollen. pic.twitter.com/hfGFqdUdTt
— Koninklijk Huis (@koninklijkhuis) November 11, 2024
Catharina-Amalia's life in Spain was confirmed back in April, with news of the threats against the royal being first announced in 2022.
The princess touched upon the impact of the security threats as she joined King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima for her first royal tour of the Dutch Caribbean in February last year.
NOS news reported at the time that Catharina-Amalia said: "I miss the normal life, the life of a student. Walking the streets, being able to go to a store."
Annemarie de Kunder, Dutch royal journalist at RTL Boulevard, spoke to HELLO! about the ordeal that Catharina-Amalia has been through, saying: "It took an enormous toll on her and the whole family. And we know that she talks to her family, her father and her mother, but that she also has professional help when she needs it, when it becomes too much for her."
Now that she's back in the Netherlands, Catharina-Amalia will often accompany her parents to events, including the annual Prinsjesdag, which is akin to the State Opening of Parliament in the UK.
The 20-year-old royal joined her family at the Dutch parliament, before waving to the crowds from the balcony of their palace.
