Princess Amalia: Security fears force Dutch princess from student home

Amalia on her first day at university in September

The King and Queen of the Netherlands have revealed their 18-year-old daughter can no longer move around freely outside due to the possibility of an attack or kidnapping.

Princess Amalia has moved out of her student accommodation in Amsterdam and has returned home to The Hague.

Her parents gave details in an unusually emotional encounter with the press, during a state visit to Sweden.

Queen Maxima's eyes glistened as she described the "difficult consequences".

"There is no student life for her like others have," she added.

Princess Amalia - and the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte - are understood to have appeared in organised crime communications, which indicated they may become a target.

Last month, official photographs were released showing a smiling Princess Amalia on the first day of term.

Much fanfare was made of the teenager moving into a shared student house and getting on with her degree in politics, psychology, law and economics at the University of Amsterdam.

• Heir to the Dutch throne keeps it normal at 18

Amalia, who turns 19 in December, is seen by many here in the Netherlands as a relatively down-to-earth royal.

A keen jockey, she has a horse named Mojito and was nicknamed the Cocktail Queen while working at a beach bar in Scheveningen during the summer holidays.

In an autobiography released to coincide with her 18th birthday, Princess Amalia opened up about her mental health and said she often speaks to a therapist.

Not even halfway through the first term, the intelligence report meant Princess Amalia has been forced to abandon that relaxed student life.

Her family is hoping the intensified security precautions are only temporary.

Queen Maxima told reporters in Sweden she was proud of how Princess Amalia was coping and paid tribute to her bravery.

The Argentinian-born former economist pointed out Amalia is still attending university - and even managed to joke about her maybe getting really good grades.

Asked what it did to him "as a father", King Willem-Alexander acknowledged it was "a heavy situation" and said he was unable to express the impact.

It is extremely rare for the royals or government officials to talk about security issues.

The police, public prosecution service and the government ministry that represents the House of Orange are not expected to comment on the royal couple's revelations.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima in September