Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven

For other uses, see Prince Maurits (disambiguation).
Prince Maurits
Prince Maurits in 2010
Born (1968-04-17) 17 April 1968 (age 56)
Utrecht, Netherlands
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1998)​
IssueAnastasia van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven
Lucas van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven
Felicia van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven
Names
Maurits Willem Pieter Hendrik van Oranje-Nassau, van Vollenhoven
HouseOrange-Nassau (official)
FatherPieter van Vollenhoven
MotherPrincess Margriet of the Netherlands
OccupationBusinessman, corporate director, nonprofit director, military officer
Dutch royal family

Princess Beatrix *

Extended family
Princess Irene

Princess Margriet *
Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven *

  • Mr Bernardo Guillermo
    Mrs Eva Guillermo
  • Mr Nicolás Guillermo
  • Miss Juliana Guillermo
* Member of the Dutch royal house

Prince Maurits Willem Pieter Hendrik of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven (born 17 April 1968) is a member of the Dutch royal family as the eldest son of Princess Margriet of the Netherlands and Pieter van Vollenhoven.

Before the succession of his cousin Willem-Alexander as King, he was a member of the Dutch Royal House and tenth in the line of succession to the Dutch throne. With Willem-Alexander's succession however, he is no longer a member of the Dutch Royal House, and is no longer in line to direct succession to the Dutch throne.[1]

Life and career

Maurits was born on 17 April 1968. His godparents are Princess Christina of the Netherlands, Prince Alois-Konstantin of Lowenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, Jhr. G. Krayenhof, and The Dutch Merchant Fleet.[2] Van Vollenhoven has three brothers: Bernhard, Pieter-Christiaan, Floris.[3]

Prince Maurits as sub-lieutenant aboard one of the Dutch warships

In 1987, van Vollenhoven performed military service with the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps and the Royal Netherlands Navy. He graduated at University of Groningen in 1995, where he obtained a MSc degree in Economics. After his study he worked for the Schiphol Airport Authority, where he occupied several positions, including Senior Manager of Passenger Services.[4] From September 2001 to May 2006, the prince worked for Philips (Domestic Appliances and Personal Care) in Amersfoort, where he was in charge of part of the Philishave portfolio.

In May 2006, van Vollenhoven started his own business, The Source, which focuses on innovative concepts for products, services and systems for both business and government. Since 1 May 2013, Maurits is Aide-de-camp to King Willem-Alexander and promoted to the rank of Commander (Dutch: Kapitein-lieutenant ter Zee) in the Royal Netherlands Navy.[5]

Maurits works for Sunrock, a company which invests in solar parks and green energy. In April 2023, he gave an exceptional interview to writer Kemal Rijken at the Amsterdam television channel AT5. The prince criticised the solar energy policy of the municipality of Amsterdam and opened up about other topics.[6]

Marriage and family

In 1989, van Vollenhoven met Marilène (Marie-Helène) van den Broek b. 4 February 1970, the youngest daughter of Hans van den Broek and Josee van Schendel. Their civil marriage ceremony was in Apeldoorn on 29 May 1998, followed by a religious ceremony on 30 May. He was the first grandchild of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands who married.[7]

Together, the couple has three children:[8]

  • Anastasia (Anna) Margriet Joséphine van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven (Amsterdam, 15 April 2001) - the first legitimate great-grandchild of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard,
  • Lucas Maurits Pieter Henri van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven (Amsterdam, 26 October 2002),
  • Felicia Juliana Bénedicte Barbara van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven (Amsterdam, 31 May 2005).

By Royal Decree of 26 May 1998, the children of van Vollenhoven bear the surname "van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven", without titles.

Upon the abdication of Queen Beatrix, which took place on 30 April 2013, it was confirmed that the children of Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven would no longer be eligible to succeed to the throne, and that they would also cease to be members of the Royal House according to The Membership of the Royal House Act.[9][10][11]

Titles and styles

  • 17 April 1968–present: His Highness Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau, van Vollenhoven

Ancestry

See also: Dutch monarchs family tree
Royal Standard

References

  1. ^ Current line of succession Archived 25 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine – Official website of the Dutch Royal House
  2. ^ "Prince Maurits". Dutch Royal House. Archived from the original on 26 April 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  3. ^ "Princess Margriet". Dutch Royal House. Archived from the original on 26 April 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  4. ^ "Education". Dutch Royal House. Archived from the original on 28 April 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  5. ^ Prince Maurits
  6. ^ "AT5". AT5. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Royal weddings in history". Vogue. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013.
  8. ^ "Marriage and family". Dutch Royal House. Archived from the original on 28 April 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  9. ^ The Act specifies that only those within "three degrees of kinship" to the monarch can be in the line of succession.
  10. ^ "Prince of Orange to become King Willem-Alexander, 28 January 2013". Dutch Royal House.
  11. ^ The exclusion is not permanent. Princess Margriet would succeed in the unlikely event that the King and his daughters die or become ineligible to succeed, and her children would be restored to the Royal House and line of succession.
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