In loving memory: Prince Friso (September 25 1968-12 August 2013)

An unknown, introvert prince , who would like to life a normal life ouside the spotlights. That is how the public knew prince Friso. His friends called him extremely smart, athletic, humble, friendly and social. A real family man with humor, someone who enjoyed to spend time with his daughters ,, his wife , mother , brothers and his friends , someone friends and family could count on, someone who could tease his mother in a special way, his friend Adam Anders said in a documantary from the NOS. In this report I will look back on the life of a prince who is often called "the unknown son of Princess Beatrix'

 Youth

Prince Johan Friso Bernhard Christiaan David was born on 25 September 1968 in Utrecht as the second son of Princess Beatrix and the late prince Claus. He had one older brother, King Willem-Alexander (1967) and one younger brother, Prince Constantijn (1969).

His titles at birth were Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Jonkheer van Amsberg. Prince Friso was baptized on 27 December 1968 in the Dom Church in Utrecht. His godparents are King Harald V of Norway,  his grandma Queen Juliana , his aunt Christina Barones von der Recke  and  Axel von dem Bussche (good friend of the late prince Claus.)  He grew up at castle  Drakensteyn in Laage Vuursche in the shadow of his older brother King Willem-Alexander. Prince Friso likes that. From childhood he showed not very much enthusiasm for the idea he ever become king. When he was 9-year-old he said about his brother Willem-Alexander: "You may be beat up Alex , but not kill him, because then I will become king." A statement that in often repeated in his life.

Title

His titles at birth were Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Jonkheer van Amsberg.
According to the Law 'membership Royal House' (2002), Prince Friso had  no longer the title Prince of the Netherland safter his marriage . However, according to the Royal Decree of 19 March 2004 he got the personal title Prince of Orange-Nassau with the predicate Royal Highness and he got the hereditary title of Count. He het the surname Van Oranje-Nassau van Amsberg. His daughters are therefore Countess of Orange-Nassau van Amsberg.

Study

In 1986, he graduated from the secondary school Eerste Vrijzinnig Christelijk Lyceum in The Hague^.  From 1986 until 1988, he studied mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, In 1988 he start studied at Delft University of Technology, where he obtained an engineer's degree in aeronautical engineering in 1994 .  From 1990 Prince also studied business economics at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. In 1995 Prince Friso finish this study succesfully and  abtained his master's degree. In 1997 he start  studied at the European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD) in Fontainebleau (France) where he obtained his MBA.

 

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Work

After his study  European Institute of Business Administration , he goes to work for firm McKinsey &Company. After that he started working at the investment bank Goldman Sachs International in London where he worked in the investment banking division. Then  in 2004 the Prince start working as co-director of TNO Space in Delft and managing director for Wolfensohn & Company in London. His last job was at Urenco in London. He worked at there since 1 April  2011 as CFO (Chief Financial Officer)

Prince Friso was involved in a number of innovative ventures relating to sustainable energy, medical services, sustainable food and agriculture, and technology - including the MRI Centre, Rabo Ventures and Wizz Air. From 2004 to 2013 he was a member of the Board of Directors of Telenet.
Prince Friso supports various initiatives promoting innovation and technology, such as Jet-Net (Youth and Technology Network Netherlands), the Foundation 'Biowetenschappen en Maatschappij' (Biosciences and Society) and the Foundation 'Toekomstbeeld der Techniek (Netherlands Study Centre for Technology Trends). He was previously engaged with the Foundation 'De Avond van Wetenschap& Maatschappij' (The Evening of Science and Society) and the engineering and consulting agency Witteveen+Bos.  And he  was Honorary chairman of the Prince Claus Fund , Member of the Advisory Board, Christiaan Huygens Science Award , Patron of De Hollandsche Molen, which is the association for the preservation of Dutch windmills

 

Marriage and family

 

During the funeral of Prince Claus , Mabel Wisse Smit appears for first time in public. She walks with the family even in to the royal crypt. The RVD speaks about mabel as a good friend of the family. Mabel met prince Friso because her friendschip with princess Laurentien , wife of prince Constantijn)   On 30th of June 2003 will be announced that Prince Friso has become engaged to Mabel. The engagement will  creates quickly a lot of controversy when  there comes a sign that Mabel had a relationship with Klaas Bruinsma, a drug criminal. Prime minister Balkendende is angry because he thinks that the couple have not  told him all things about these contacts. The couple don't get permission for they marriage from the States-General . That means that the prince lose  will his right to the throne when he got married. However, he will retained the title royal highness and received the personal title Prince of Orange-Nassau and the hereditary title of Count of Orange-Nassau van Amsberg. The marriage goes on. On 24th of April  2004 prince Friso en Princess Mabel maried in the Old Church in Delft, the service led by Pastor Carl ter Linden
In a television interview on the evening before  there marriage Friso and Mabel said that it was 'unwise'   that they do not tell the full facts about mabels past.

 

Prince Friso and Princess Mabel have two kids. Countess Emma Luana Ninette Sophie of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouwe van Amsberg  born on 26 March 2005 in London and Countess Joanna Zaria Nicoline Milou of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouwe van Amsberg born on 18 June 2006 in London.

 

 

Leisure Time

In London the prince  could build a life in anonymity , he could work on a career and could enjoy privacy with his dougters en wife. In his leisure time he like to skiing apart from that he like  to scuba diving and playing golf. Unfortunately I have not found a picture of him skiing , scuba diving or  playing golf , so I use a  picture of the prince who is to play baseball.

Familieman

If one there is one thing I noticed  of what I hear friends telling about Friso then it is, that he is a real family man. He wasn't  much in public, but at family events he was , later also with his wife Princess Mabel, present . And at Queensday, he showed himself, altough it was in the background.

For Friso his father, the late Prince Claus, was an important source of inspiration. He was probably the one who  learn Friso that he has to go his own way and build  a  normal' social career as possible.

Together with his brother, prince constantijn,  prince Friso was honorary president of the Prince Claus Fund, which was created to celebrate the 70th birthday of Prince Claus in 1996. Once in two years  Friso reached the Prince Claus Award. He did it for the last time in 2010. In 2012 his brother, took his place.

The relation with his mother is also special. During the funeral of his father prince Claus  on 15 October 2002 you can see prince Friso supporting his mother by the sadness. A good friend (Adam Anders) also explained (in the special broadcast of the NOS) that he has has a special relationship with his mother. Prince Friso could tease her in a special way.

Later  he got daughters and he spent much time as possible with them. In a interview in the dutch magazine 'Libelle' in 2011 prince Friso said: "And than I prefer to work in the evening, between eight and half past eleven, then I have more quality time with the children during the day. And yes, there is less time left for sports and social life. . I like to bring that sacrifice ", in that same interview, he talked about holidays:" For us, the most important:.. Spend time together playing games, reading books ,  taking and make day trips But honesty, we do not much more than really being together. "

The dutch television program BlauwBloed make a beautiful movie about the life of prince Friso wach it HERE.

Watch the interview with good friend of prince Friso and Princess Mabel , Adam Anders



I hope the information is clear. My english is not very good, so  it could be that I made mistakes. My apologies for that.


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