Princess Catharina-Amalia became the first woman in the Dutch royal family to join military service
Executive summary
Available reporting shows Princess Catharina‑Amalia has enrolled in a two‑year, part‑time military work‑study (Defensity College) reservist programme while starting a law degree in 2025; the government gave her junior ranks in all three services upon that enrolment (reported Sept. 2025) [1] [2]. Earlier coverage and palace material make clear she had only visited military branches and not undertaken formal training before 2025 [3] [4].
1. The claim and the timeline: what the sources actually say
Multiple authoritative and media sources report that in 2025 the Princess of Orange will (or did) participate in a two‑year part‑time military work‑and‑study programme at Defensity College while beginning a law degree at the University of Amsterdam [1] [5] [6]. NL Times and the Government Information Service reported she began training at Defensity College and that the king conferred on her the rank of third‑class sailor and third‑class soldier/airman across the services [2]. Prior to 2025 she had only made visits to the three branches and had not undergone training [3] [4].
2. “First woman in the royal family to join military service”: unsupported by available sources
No provided source explicitly states she is the first woman in the Dutch royal family to enter military service. Sources emphasize that she is the heir and that she will train as a military reservist, but they do not claim a historical “first” for women in the royal family [1] [2] [6]. Therefore the specific assertion that she is the first female royal to join the armed forces is not found in current reporting.
3. Historical context the sources supply — precedent in the royal household
Available material notes that male members of the Dutch royal family have served in the armed forces (King Willem‑Alexander completed navy service), and it references other European heirs who have undertaken military training (for example Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth) — but it does not establish a Dutch royal‑family precedent of women serving or state that Amalia breaks one [7] [6]. The palace framing treats the programme as a work‑study reservist path rather than full‑time conscripted service [1].
4. What “joining the army” means in these accounts
Reporting describes a work‑study reservist programme at Defensity College: a two‑year, part‑time course that trains students to become military reservists while they study. NL Times and the palace language indicate she will train to be a reservist rather than immediately entering a full active‑duty career [1] [2]. The Government Information Service’s assignment of junior ranks is consistent with entry‑level status in a reservist training programme [2].
5. Media precision and potential for misinterpretation
Tabloid and international outlets sometimes shorten or sensationalize official lines (for example “joined the army” or “entered the ranks”) — a simplification that can create the impression of full enlistment. Palace and defence sources emphasize a part‑time, work‑study reservist pathway; reputable outlets repeat that nuance [1] [2] [6]. Readers should treat headlines claiming a royal “joined the army” as shorthand until the exact legal/contractual status is published by the government or palace.
6. Safety, scheduling and training caveats reported
Coverage also notes a June 2025 riding accident and surgery that affected the start or progress of some plans; the palace confirmed the injury would affect the beginning of her training [8]. That detail is relevant to timing and capability to start physically demanding modules, according to palace statements cited by media [8].
7. Competing perspectives and why they matter
Official palace and government statements frame the move as education plus reservist training [1] [2]. Sensational external outlets have presented it as “joining the army” or “entering the ranks,” language that may amplify the novelty or drama [9]. Because none of the supplied sources asserts a clear historical “first” for a woman in the Dutch royal family, claims to that effect appear to rely on inference or hyperbole rather than the texts here [1] [2].
8. Bottom line for readers
Available sources confirm Catharina‑Amalia is participating in an official, two‑year part‑time defence college reservist programme alongside university studies and has been accorded entry‑level ranks by the government; they do not document an uncontested, historic “first woman” milestone within the Dutch royal family [1] [2]. If you need an authoritative ruling on whether this is a unique, unprecedented first, that specific claim is not made in the current reporting and would require explicit confirmation from the palace or defense archives — available sources do not mention such confirmation.