Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau
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Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau (born August 11, 1968 in Pijnacker) is the wife of Prince Johan-Friso of Orange-Nassau, second son of Queen Beatrix and the late Prince Claus of the Netherlands. Before her marriage, she was known as Mabel Wisse Smit.
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[edit] Early life
She was born Mabel Martine to Henk Los and Flos Kooman. Her father died when she was 9; when her mother married Peter Wisse Smit in 1984, Mabel took her step-father's surname. Princess Mabel has two younger sisters, Nicoline and Eveline. She grew up in het Gooi in central Netherlands. She studied Economics and Political Science at the University of Amsterdam, graduating in 1993.[1]
[edit] Work
Wisse Smit founded the "European Action Council for Peace in the Balkans" in 1994, and co-founded the Dutch branch of War Child in 1995. In 1997, she was appointed director of EU affairs of the "Open Society Institute" in Brussels, one of the foundations of Hungarian-American philanthropist George Soros. [1] The World Economic Forum named her one of 100 "Global Leaders of Tomorrow".[2]
[edit] Engagement and Marriage
Wisse Smit and Prince Johan-Friso announced their engagement on June 30, 2003. Later that year, it turned out that she had given Queen Beatrix and prime-minister Jan Peter Balkenende incomplete and false information about the duration and extent of her relationship with drug kingpin Klaas Bruinsma. [3] Because of this, the government decided not to seek permission for the marriage from parliament.[4][5] Her reputation was further damaged by revelations about her love affair, started around 1993, with the married Bosnian official Muhamed Sacirbey, who is now in an American prison on allegations of fraud. Allegations on laundering money and trade in weapons against Mabel herself were never proven. Nevertheless, Prince Johan-Friso married Mabel Wisse Smit in Delft on April 24, 2004 and consequently gave up any claim to the throne.
After their marriage, the couple has made it clear that Wisse Smit did not have a sexual relationship with Klaas Bruinsma. However, they disclosed that the relationship was more intimate than they had originally admitted. There is a credibility problem, however, because admissions have repeatedly only followed revelations in the Dutch press, and the couple have changed their story several times. Also several figures close to Klaas Bruinsma at the time have alleged that she was well aware of his criminal connections.[citation needed]
[edit] Title
Since her marriage, Princess Mabel has held the courtesy titles of Princess of Orange-Nassau. Hence, Princess Mabel is not a princess in her own right, but through her marriage, as custom allows a wife to use her husband’s titles. All children of the marriage will receive the titles Count or Countess of Orange-Nassau and Jonkheer or Jonkvrouw van Amsberg.
Prince Friso and Princess Mabel have been living in London since their marriage.
[edit] Children
The couple have two daughters. The elder, Emma Luana Ninette Sophie was born in London on March 26, 2005[6]. She is called Luana, a Teutonic name meaning 'graceful warrior' (also 'gracious warrior' or 'female warrior'). She holds the title Countess of Orange-Nassau. The only information the couple released to the press after the birth of their daughter were three official photographs. Luana was christened by Huub Oosterhuis on December 18, 2005 in The Hague[7].
Their second child, a girl named Zaria (full name Joanna Zaria Nicoline Milou), was born in London on 18 June 2006. [8]
| Styles of Princess Mabel of Orange-Nassau, Mrs. Van Amsberg |
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| Reference style | Her Royal Highness |
| Spoken style | Your Royal Highness |
| Alternative style | Ma'am |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Short biography of Wisse-Smith (in dutch)
- ^ Short biography by de Volkskrant (in dutch)
- ^ Volkskrant acticle (in Dutch)
- ^ BBC reports about "Mabelgate"
- ^ BBC reports about the wedding
- ^ Press release after the birth of Luana
- ^ Press release after christening of Luana
- ^ Press release after birth of Zaria
