Europe

Dutch Princess Reportedly Fled to Spain Over Kidnapping Fears

HIGH ALERT

Alarming threats interrupted her studies at Amsterdam University.

A photo of Dutch Crown Princess Amalia
Koen Van Weel/Getty

Dutch Princess Amalia was reportedly forced to hightail it to Spain in the midst of her studies at Amsterdam University over threats from an organized crime group. The 20-year-oldā€”who will join her parents in welcoming the Spanish royals during a state visit that starts Wednesdayā€” spent at least a year in the southern European country, trading her dorm for the palace in The Hague. ā€œShe canā€™t live in Amsterdam and she canā€™t really go outside (the palace)... It has enormous consequences on her life,ā€ Queen Maxima has said. Amalia had been studying politics, psychology, law and economics at Amsterdam University, which she was photographed attending when she first started in Oct. 2022. Amaliaā€™s speedy retreat was reportedly sparked by kidnapping fears after she and Prime Minister Mark Rutte popped up in messages between organized crime groups. While the threat hasnā€™t been entirely resolved, sheā€™s returned to Amsterdam after unspecified ā€œmeasures,ā€ public broadcaster NOS reports.

Read it at AFP