Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands

Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands (nee Petra Laurentien Brinkhorst; born 25 May 1966) is the wife of Prince Constantijn and sister-in-law of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima.

Early Life

Petra Laurentien Brinkhorst was born in Leiden, Netherlands on 25 May 1966, the daughter of the former Dutch minister of Economic Affairs, Laurens Jan Brinkhorst and Jantien Brinkhorst-Heringa.

She has one brother. She is known by her middle name, Laurentien, a portmanteau of her parents' given names.

Princess Laurentien started primary school in Groningen. Her family then moved to The Hague, where she completed her primary education. She attended her secondary education in The Hague, of which four years at the Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet and one year at the Eerste Vrijzinninge Christelijk Lyceum, and later in Kita, Tokyo at the Lycee Francais International Tokyo, where she obtained her Baccalaureate diploma in 1984. Her father was working in Japan at the time, being the Ambassador of the European Union to Japan between 1982 and 1987.

Princess Laurentien studied History at the University of Groningen, where she completed her Propaedeutics in 1986. She then studied at Queen Mary College, University of London where she received a BA degree in political science in 1989, and subsequently at the University of California, Berkeley where she obtained an MJ degree in 1991.

Interests and Activities

In 2009, she was designated UNESCO Special Envoy on "Literacy for Development" in recognition of her "outstanding commitment to the promotion of education and her profound dedication to the Organization's ideals and objectives." In 2010 she was co-recipient of the Major Bosshardt Prize for her work in combating illiteracy.

She is also the current president of wildlife conservation NGO Fauna and Flora International.

Marriage and Children

The engagement of Prince Constantijn and Laurentien Brinkhorst was announced on 16 December 2000. The civil marriage was conduct by Wim Deetman, the mayor of The Hague, in the Oude Raadzaal, Javastraat, The Hague, on 17 May 2001. The church wedding took place two days later on 19 May in the Grote of St Jacobskerk, with Reverend Carel Linden officiating.

Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien have three children: Eloise (born 2002), Claus-Casimir (born 2004), and Leonore (born 2006).

In 2015, Prince Constantijn, Princess Laurentien, and their children moved from Brussels to The Hague.

Title

19 May 2001-present: Her Royal Highness Princess Petra Laurentien of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau

Laurentien was not legally created a princess, but custom allows a wife to use her husband's titles. All children of the marriage hold the titles Count or Countess of Orange-Nassau and Jonkheer or Jonkvrouw

By Royal Decree of 15 January 2003, nr. 36, Princess Laurentien was granted her own personal standard.

National Honours

Netherlands: Grand Cross of the Order of the House of Orange

Netherlands: Recipient of the Wedding Medal (2 February 2002)

Netherlands: Recipient of the King Willem-Alexander Investiture Medal (30 April 2013)

Foreign Honours

Belgium: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (28 November 2016)

France: Grand Officer of the Order of the Legion of Honor (11 April 2023)

Jordon: Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance (30 October 2006)

(https://en.wikipedia.org)

House: Orange-Nassau (by marriage)

Religion: Protestant Church in the Netherlands

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