Queen Maxima’s daughter says ‘there is no school for becoming a Queen’

Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands hopes to one day “become a good queen,” but admitted during her first press conference that there is no school for her future role. After being introduced into the Council of State on Wednesday,  Queen Maxima  and  King Willem-Alexander ’s eldest daughter told the press (via  AD.nl ), “There is no school for becoming a queen, not like there is for a lawyer, teacher, baker or you name it.”

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She added, “I think that means I have to look very much into the past, but at the same time also have to move with the times.”

The heir to the Dutch throne graduated from Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet in June and is currently taking a gap year. “I will take those experiences with me into the future and also provide enormous personal growth,” she said. “Just like my school days and my studies will be, I consider that as private. Also because it is about personal growth.”

While being away from home has been “great fun,” the Princess confessed, “Sometimes you also think: It would be nice if my parents were there to say: ‘You should do this.’”

Amalia’s press conference followed her first speech. The future monarch addressed the Council of State on Wednesday, just one day after celebrating her 18th birthday.

In her remarks, Amalia said: “In order to fulfill my task and to work for the Kingdom, I will have much to learn. I realize how little I know about the tasks of the government, the assessment of laws, the functioning of the administration and the function of the judge. My grandmother [Princess Beatrix] and you too, Mr President [father King Willem-Alexander], have already benefited from the clear insight that the Council offers in this regard. In that sense, I hope to attend the meetings regularly after completing my studies.”