Man, 33, remains in custody over suspected plot against Princesses Amalia and Alexia

A 33-year-old Dutch man suspected of planning an attack on Princesses Amalia and Alexia remains in custody after a preliminary court hearing on Monday, where he strongly denied any intent to harm the royals. The suspect reportedly believes he is in a romantic relationship with Princess Amalia. The next preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 27.

Anne Romke van der H., from Uithuizen in the province of Groningen, was arrested in January after causing a disturbance at a hotel in The Hague. He was reportedly standing on a balcony shouting, “I’m going to kill them all,” according to prosecutors.

Authorities found two axes in his hotel room with the name “Alexia,” along with the words “Mossad” and “Sieg Heil” carved into them. He also had a handwritten note containing the names Amalia and Alexia and the word “bloodbath.”

Van der H.’s lawyer, Tinco Delhaye, told the court that his client strongly denies wanting to kill the princesses. The attorney said the suspect is a royalist with no intention whatsoever of attacking any member of the royal family or threatening the princesses.

Prosecutors told the court that interrogations revealed the man believes he is in a romantic relationship with Crown Princess Amalia. Van der H. had reportedly told police that Amalia had instructed him to purchase a survival kit for a training mission in Poland. “And that is exactly what he did,” his lawyer said, according to court reporter Saskia Belleman.

The suspect is undergoing psychological and psychiatric evaluations to determine whether he has a personality disorder. His lawyer asked the court to lift the pretrial detention, but judges ruled that he must remain in custody.

The court cited the seriousness of the suspicions and the risk of repetition. Prosecutors also cited flight risk, noting that the man only has a postal address in Uithuizen and often stays in hotels.

This is not the first time Crown Princess Amalia has been targeted. In 2022, growing threats linked to organized crime forced her to give up plans to live in student accommodation in Amsterdam, ultimately leading her to remain out of the public eye for safety reasons.

It was later revealed that, because of the serious threats against her, Amalia spent a year living and studying in Madrid. Following additional security measures, she later returned to the Netherlands to continue her studies and public duties.