In the Netherlands, the birthday party of Princess Amalia, the heir to the throne, has a bitter taste for the Dutch. While the government imposes them to tighten the screw in the face of the epidemic of Coronavirus, the eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima celebrated her 18th birthday with at least 21 guests. A celebration that does not go very well in this period of health restrictions.
King Willem-Alexander has admitted it: he should not have organized this party. But it is too late. According to several media outlets, at least 21 people were present to celebrate the 18th birthday of Princess Amalia, the eldest of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima's three daughters. The heir to the throne turned 18 on December 7. She was admitted to the Dutch Council of State, the government's highest advisory body, to celebrate her 18th birthday.
The private party was held outdoors in a private palace park, with all people vaccinated and tested, according to palace aides. But for many, this is an aberration: in the Netherlands, citizens can only receive a maximum of four guests at home and there should be no exception for the royal family.
The event was strongly criticized in the country, especially by parliamentarians. If we make exceptions for the royal family, all our measures fall through, said MP Eva van Esch of the Partij voor de Dieren (Party for the Animals, in French).
Many anniversaries are postponed, remarked Caroline van der Plas, chairwoman of the Boer Burger Beweging (Citizen Farmer Movement), calling the royal family humane, but not sufficiently aware of their role as an example.
It must be said that this is not the first misstep of the Dutch monarchy during the pandemic. In October 2020, just after the announcement of a partial containment, the family had to cut short a vacation in Greece when the stay was made public. In several leaked shots, the girls were seen basking in the sun as the Dutch government took drastic measures.
