Prince Johan-Friso of Orange-Nassau

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**Prince Johan-Friso of Orange-Nassau**
Johan Friso Bernhard Christiaan David
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Born	September 25, 1968 (age 38)
Title	Prince of Orange-Nassau, Count of Orange-Nassau, Jonkheer of Amsberg
Spouse	Mabel Wisse Smit
Children	Luana, Zaria
Parents	Claus von Amsberg and Beatrix of the Netherlands

Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau (Johan Friso Bernhard Christiaan David), Count of Orange-Nassau, Jonkheer van Amsberg, (born September 25, 1968), is the second son of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Prince Claus von Amsberg. His godparents are King Harald V of Norway, Johan Christian Baron von Jenisch, Dr. J.H. von Royen, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Christina von Amsberg.

1 Work and Education
2 Engagement and Marriage
3 Title
4 Children
5 External link

[edit] Work and Education

The Prince, who had been third in line for the throne before his marriage, worked at the Amsterdam branch of the international management consultancy McKinsey. He studied aeronautical engineering at Delft University of Technology and mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. Additionally, he has a degree in economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam. To prepare himself for the possibility of succession to the throne, he took courses in Dutch law and parliamentary history.

[edit] Engagement and Marriage

On 30 June 2003 it was announced that Prince Friso was to marry Mabel Wisse Smit. The Dutch cabinet however did not seek the permission of the parliament; constitutionally necessary if Prince Friso was to remain a member of the Dutch Royal House and in line of the hereditary succession for the throne. The Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende explained that this was due to discussions with Mabel Wisse Smit in October 2003 where she had admitted that her previous statements about an alleged relationship with Klaas Bruinsma (6 October 1953 - 27 June 1991), known as a Godfather of the Dutch drugs trade, had not been complete and accurate. She had previously stated that she had contact for a few months with Bruinsma, but in a casual context, not intimate or relating to business and that she had broken the contact on learning of Bruinsma's occupation.

This "breach of trust" was the reason the government did not seek parliament's permission, respecting the wishes of the couple. They nevertheless married on April 24, 2004, and Mabel Wisse Smit became a member of the Dutch Royal Family.

[edit] Title

Under the Act on the Membership of the Royal House (2002), Prince Friso lost the titles 'Prince of the Netherlands' and 'Prince of Orange-Nassau' by engaging into a marriage without an Act of Consent. By Royal Decree of March 19th 2004, nr. 126 the Prince is bestowed the surname 'Van Oranje-Nassau van Amsberg', the hereditary title 'Count of Orange-Nassau' and the noble predicate 'Jonkheer van Amsberg'. By the same Royal Decree the Prince was allowed to continue his title 'Prince of Orange-Nassau' as a personal and non-hereditary title. Any children born to the couple will receive the surname 'Van Oranje-Nassau van Amsberg' and become a 'Count (Countess) of Orange-Nassau' and also have the noble predicate 'Jonkheer (Jonkvrouwe) van Amsberg'.

[edit] Children

On 26 March 2005, Prince Friso and Princess Mabel welcomed their first child, a daughter, Countess Emma Luana Ninette Sophie van Oranje-Nassau van Amsberg. Her title is Luana Countess of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouw van Amsberg. Her form of address is 'highborn lady' (in Dutch: hooggeboren vrouwe).

Prince Friso and Princess Mabel had their second child, a girl, on 17 June, 2006. They named her Joanna Zaria Nicoline Milou but she is commonly known as Zaria.