The Dutch Royal Family: Princess Marilène

Princess Marilène is married to Prince Maurits, the eldest son of Princess Margriet and Pieter van Vollenhoven. They have three children, Anna, Lucas and Felicia.

Youth

Marie-Hélène Angela (Marilène) van den Broek, the younger daughter of Hans van den Broek and Josée van den Broek-van Schendel, was born on 4 February 1970 in Dieren.

She has an elder sister.
Education

The Princess attended primary school in Velp.

She gained her VWO (pre-university education) certificate in 1988 at the Rijnlands Lyceum in Wassenaar. In the same year she enrolled in the Business Administration course at Groningen University. As part of her degree course, she studied for six months at Leuven University in 1991. She graduated in May 1994, her main subject being Marketing.
Marriage and family

While at university, Princess Marilène met Prince Maurits.

They became engaged in November 1997 and married in May 1998. The civil ceremony was conducted by the Mayor of Apeldoorn, Harm Bruins Slot, at Het Loo Palace, Apeldoorn, on 29 May. The marriage was blessed the following day during a service led by Rev. N. ter Linden and Father G. Oostvogel OP in the Grote Kerk, Apeldoorn.

Title

Since her marriage on 29 May 1998 Princess Marilène has held the courtesy title of Princess of Orange-Nassau. Although not a Princess in her own right, she is addressed as ‘Your Highness’, following the custom that a wife takes her husband’s title. Through her marriage, Princess Marilène is now a member of the Royal House.

Children

Princess Marilène and Prince Maurits have three children. Anna (Anastasia Margriet Joséphine) van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven was born on 15 April 2001. Lucas (Lucas Maurits Pieter Henri) van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven was born on 26 October 2002. Felicia (Felicia Juliana Bénedicte Barbara) van Lippe-Biesterfeld van Vollenhoven was born on 31 May 2005. All three children were born in Amsterdam, where the family also lives.

Work and official duties

On graduating, the Princess became a management trainee at Koninklijke Ahold NV in Zaandam.

She worked there in various commercial and marketing positions, mainly at the Albert Heijn head office, until the end of 2005. On 1 January 2006, she went to work part-time at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

Official duties

It is only rarely – for example on the Queen’s official birthday on 30 April – that the Princess attends public events in her capacity as a member of the Royal House. The younger members of the Royal House have made a conscious decision to pursue their own careers, and lead their lives as they choose.

Mauritius

In September 1998 Prince Maurits and Princess Marilène represented the Dutch government at the celebrations commemorating the 400th anniversary of the first Dutch landing on the island of Mauritius, which, like the Prince, was named after Stadholder Prince Maurits (1567-1625).

Leisure pursuits

The Princess’s hobbies include tennis, skating and running.

In 1997 she and Prince Maurits ran the New York Marathon with a group of friends.

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