Dutch Princess Alexia has registered at the University of Groningen and may start studying there as early as the upcoming academic year if she decides to proceed with enrolling at the 400-year-old institution.
Speculation was rife last year when the Princess, who will be turning 19 later this month, was spotted at an open day of the University of Groningen (RUG). The topic was again picked up by the national media after eagle-eyed reporters at DVHN spotted the Princess’ email address in the RUG’s database.
“We weren’t able to keep it a secret for long,” RUG spokesperson Elies Wempe-Kouwehoven told DVHN, however, she also says that the fact that the princess is in the database doesn’t necessarily mean she’ll be studying in Groningen adding that “she might have signed up for more universities.” Ultimately things will only become official once she enrolls at a university.
RTL reported that it is also not yet known which course of study the Princess will choose. “I’ll let you know when I know,” she said when asked about the topic on King’s Day.
Alexia wouldn’t be the first Dutch royal to study in Groningen. Before her, Princess Christina, Prince Bernhard Jr., and Prince Maurits studied at the RUG too. Maurits worked in the pub Soestdijk where he met his now wife Princess Marilene. Former owner of the pub Herman Ensing recalls warm memories of the princes. “A nice guy who could sing very well” he told DVHN about Maurits. The brothers always had security with them though, there was always an extra table reserved for them
However, the security wasn’t always to keep Maurits out of trouble. He had to go to hospital 3 times after a fight in the Vindicat clubhouse, twice for breaking his nose.
The members of the royal family are usually part of a student association, in Groningen this has always been the controversial student association Vindicat.
photo: Martijn Beekman
