Royal family reporter under investigation in sex video blackmail cases

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) has started an investigation into royal family reporter Marc van der Linden. The investigation began after Van der Linden was accused of extortion through sex videos.

Attorney Rigorette van Riet confirmed that she will be representing both suspects who have reported Van der Linden. She would not discuss the details of the case.

One of the incidents was already reported to police in an attempt to press charges in February 2022. The findings from the investigation led by the OM will determine if Van der Linden is prosecuted.

Van der Linden would not comment on the subject. He referred reporters to his attorney, Sidney Smeets, who claimed that initial questioning showed "that virtually nothing about the police statement is demonstrably correct or even could be correct." He has every confidence the case will be dismissed.

The royal family expert was the chief editor for the magazine, Royalty, until last summer. He also worked for 20 years as a royal pundit for the television show, RTL Boulevard.

Van der Linden was due to appear in court in a separate case on Thursday. Rival royal family reporter Rick Evers accused Van der Linden of libel, slander, and defamation in connection with several tweets that Van der Linden published on X.

The court said that it wanted the two parties to attempt to resolve their differences among themselves. Van der Linden was not present at the hearing due to health reasons.