Disturbing details emerge in alleged murder plot targeting Dutch Princesses Catharina-Amalia and Alexia – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Pexels)
The Hague – A 33-year-old man suspected of far-right extremism faces charges for allegedly plotting to murder Princess Catharina-Amalia and her sister Princess Alexia after police uncovered axes engraved with Nazi symbols and their names.[1][2] Authorities arrested him in February following a hotel disturbance where he shouted threats from a balcony. The case highlights ongoing vulnerabilities for the Dutch royal family amid a history of serious threats.[3]
Disturbing Finds at the Scene
Officers responded to reports of a man causing chaos at a hotel in The Hague. He stood on the balcony yelling, “I’m going to kill them all,” according to prosecutors.[3] A search of his room revealed two axes with engravings that raised immediate alarms.
The handles bore the word “Alexia,” along with “Mossad” and the Nazi salute “Sieg Heil.” Nearby lay a handwritten note listing “Amalia,” “Alexia,” and “Bloedbad 400” – Dutch for “bloodbath” – scrawled amid other incoherent markings and drawings.[1] Prosecutors pointed to these items, combined with the suspect’s prior behavior near the royal palace gardens, as evidence of a credible threat.[2]
Suspect’s Bizarre Claims Emerge
Anne Romke van der H., from Uithuizen in Groningen province, professed a belief that he shared a romantic relationship with Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia, the 22-year-old heir to the throne.[1] He told interrogators that the princess had directed him to acquire the axes for a survival kit ahead of a supposed joint training mission to Poland.
His lawyer countered that van der H. harbored no harmful intent toward the royals and described “Bloedbad 400” as the mission’s code name. The suspect, who once admitted to a clinic that he felt unafraid to stab people, also faces charges for insulting police officers in separate incidents.[3] A psychiatric evaluation now assesses potential personality disorders.
Preliminary Hearing Yields Custody Extension
Van der H. appeared before judges in The Hague on May 4 for a pro forma hearing. He sat silently as prosecutors outlined the case, emphasizing the gravity of the discoveries and his statements.
The court deemed him a flight risk – citing his transient hotel stays and lack of a fixed address – and a danger for reoffending. “Given what was found in your possession, your statements on several occasions, and the fact that you were seen at the palace garden, we consider the suspicion serious enough,” the judge ruled.[1] His next hearing is set for July 27.
Pattern of Peril for the Princesses
Princess Catharina-Amalia, eldest daughter of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, has endured repeated dangers. In 2022, organized crime threats linked to the Marengo trial forced her from university housing in Amsterdam, prompting a year of study in Madrid for safety.[4]
- 2022: Kidnapping plot involving mafia figures targeted Amalia and then-Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
- 2023-2024: Secret relocation abroad amid persistent risks.
- February 2026: This far-right-linked incident marks a new ideological threat.
Princess Alexia, 20 and second in line, had faced less public scrutiny until now. The family continues public duties under heightened security.
Authorities view the latest episode as part of broader concerns over extremism and personal fixations endangering public figures. While the suspect denies malice, the tangible evidence has prolonged his detention and intensified protections for the Netherlands’ future monarchs.[3]
