Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau

Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau
Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau
Born	Johan Friso Bernhard Christiaan David; 25 September 1968 (age 58); Academic Hospital Utrecht, Netherlands
Died	12 August 2013 (aged 44); Huis ten Bosch, Netherlands
Occupation(s)	Businessman, Royal family member
Known for	Member of Dutch Royal Family; exclusion from royal house due to marriage; avalanche accident and subsequent death

Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau (; 25 September 1968 – 12 August 2013) was the second-born son of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Claus von Amsberg, as well as the younger sibling of King Willem-Alexander. Although part of the Dutch Royal Family, his 2004 marriage, conducted without an Act of Consent, resulted in his exclusion from both the Dutch Royal House and the line of succession to the Dutch throne.

On 17 February 2012, while skiing off piste in Lech, Austria, Prince Friso was caught in an avalanche. He was urgently transported to a hospital in Innsbruck where his condition was critical but stable. Despite a brief burial period and initial hopeful signs, neurological assessments revealed extensive brain injury following fifty minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation under moderate hypothermia. This led to a minimally conscious state with an uncertain prognosis for recovery. Approximately eighteen months later, on 12 August 2013, Prince Friso passed away due to complications stemming from the accident.

Early life and education

Johan Friso Bernhard Christiaan David entered the world on 25 September 1968 at Academic Hospital Utrecht in the Netherlands. He was the second son born to Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus and the grandson of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard. His siblings included King Willem-Alexander and Prince Constantijn. At birth, he held the titles Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, and Jonkheer van Amsberg. His baptism took place on 28 December 1968 at Utrecht's Dom Church, with godparents such as Prince Harald of Norway and Queen Juliana.

In 1986, Friso completed his secondary education at Eerste Vrijzinnig Christelijk Lyceum in The Hague. He pursued mechanical engineering studies at the University of California, Berkeley from 1986 to 1988. Subsequently, he earned an engineering degree specializing in aeronautical engineering from Delft University of Technology in 1994. Simultaneously, he obtained a Master of Science in business economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam in 1995. He further advanced his education by completing an MBA at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France, in 1997.

Work

Between 1995 and 1996, Prince Friso gained professional experience at McKinsey’s Amsterdam office, an international management consulting firm. Following his MBA completion at INSEAD, he served as vice president at Goldman Sachs International in London from 1998 until 2003. In 2004, he assumed a part-time role as co-president of TNO Space based in Delft. Starting October 2006, he took on the position of managing director at Wolfensohn & Company’s London branch, a private investment and advisory firm.

He was instrumental in founding the MRI Centre located in Amsterdam and was among the original shareholders of Wizzair, which is Eastern Europe’s largest low-cost airline. Additionally, he held the honorary position of chairman for the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development alongside his brother Prince Constantijn.

Prior to his accident, Prince Friso occupied the role of chief financial officer at URENCO, a company specializing in uranium enrichment.

Marriage and children

On 30 June 2003, it was publicly announced that Prince Friso intended to wed Mabel Wisse Smit. However, because Mabel had not fully disclosed her previous connection with Klaas Bruinsma—a notorious Dutch drug trafficker—the Dutch cabinet chose not to seek parliamentary approval for their marriage. This constitutional requirement is necessary to retain membership in the Dutch Royal House and eligibility for succession. Due to this breach of trust, government authorities respected the couple's decision by refraining from granting consent.

The wedding ceremony occurred on 24 April 2004 at Oude Kerk (Delft). Although Mabel joined the Dutch Royal Family through marriage, she was not incorporated into the Royal House. Since King Willem-Alexander has three daughters, Prince Friso’s removal from succession had little effect on the monarchy’s continuity.

The couple settled in Kew, London. Their first daughter, Countess Emma Luana Ninette Sophie of Orange-Nassau, was born on 26 March 2005 in London. Their second daughter, Countess Joanna Zaria Nicoline Milou of Orange-Nassau, followed on 18 June 2006, also born in London.

The Incident

On 17 February 2012, Prince Friso was caught in an avalanche in Lech, Austria, resulting in him being buried beneath the snow and subsequently admitted to a hospital in Innsbruck. The Netherlands Government Information Service (RVD) reported his state as "stable, yet critical," with medical predictions postponed for several days.

Subsequent Medical Issues

Following the accident, the Dutch Royal Family expressed their appreciation for the public's support. By 24 February, updates indicated that Prince Friso had been trapped under the avalanche for approximately 25 minutes and required around 50 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation after his heart stopped. While MRI scans showed minimal changes, neurological examinations revealed extensive brain injury caused by oxygen deprivation, casting doubt on his chances of recovery. The family requested privacy during this challenging period.

On 1 March 2012, Prince Friso was moved to London's Wellington Hospital, a city where he and his wife had lived for several years. By November that year, he exhibited very limited signs of awareness, though his long-term outlook remained uncertain.

In July 2013, he was brought back to Huis ten Bosch in the Netherlands, transitioning from a coma to a minimally conscious condition. No longer needing hospital-level treatment, he spent the summer months with his family.

Passing and Memorial

Prince Friso passed away on 12 August 2013 at Huis ten Bosch due to complications related to the avalanche accident. His burial took place on 16 August at the Dutch Reformed Cemetery in Lage Vuursche, near Drakesteijn Castle—the location of his childhood home and later residence of Princess Beatrix. The funeral service at Stulpkerk church was strictly private; no members of the public, media representatives, or foreign royals attended except for his godfather, King Harald V of Norway. A memorial ceremony was held on 2 November 2013 at the Oude Kerk in Delft.

Titles and Styles

25 September 1968 – 19 March 2004: His Royal Highness Prince Johan-Friso of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Jonkheer van Amsberg
19 March 2004 – 12 August 2013: His Royal Highness Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau, Count of Orange-Nassau, Jonkheer van Amsberg

According to the 2002 Act on Membership of the Royal House, Prince Friso forfeited the title 'Prince of the Netherlands' after marrying without formal consent.

By royal decree dated 19 March 2004, he was granted the surname 'Van Oranje-Nassau van Amsberg', along with the hereditary noble predicate 'Jonkheer van Amsberg' and the hereditary title 'Count of Orange-Nassau', effective from his marriage date. He retained the personal (non-hereditary) title 'Prince of Orange-Nassau' as well as the style 'Royal Highness'. His children were entitled to carry the surname 'van Oranje-Nassau van Amsberg', hold the titles Count(ess) of Orange-Nassau, and use the noble predicate Jonkheer (Jonkvrouw) van Amsberg—placing them within the same branch of royalty as Prince Constantijn’s family line. His wife held these titles by courtesy.

Though born as Prince Johan-Friso, from 2004 onwards he preferred to be addressed simply as "Prince Friso".

National

:
- Grand Cross Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
- Knight within the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau (by lineage)
- Royal Wedding Medal awarded in 2002 (2 February 2002)

External links