Princess Ariane to attend luxury resort –oops, we mean high school in Italy

In a press release from the Dutch government, it has been revealed that Princess of Orange-Nassau Ariane Wilhelmina Máxima will continue her high school studies in style. 

Specifically, she will start her International Baccalaureate at the United World College Adriatic in north-east Italy. 

Studying or spa-ing? What’s the difference, eh? 

With a whopping €46,000 tuition fee, the school promises to provide a “holistic” education for its wealthy attendees.

Whether that entails detoxing spa treatments, yoga in the afternoons, or crystal healing, is something we mere mortals can only speculate about. 

High school was a fever dream for a lot of us, but between what we imagine will be the caviar-coated breakfasts and imported elephant tusk furniture, something tells us she’ll be okay. 

view-of-UWC-adriatic-school
Resembling a 5-star seaside resort, the school’s building is a far cry from the graffiti-covered, concrete high schools most other 16-year-olds have come to know. Image: UWC Adriatic

According to the press release, her parents (Queen Maxima and King Willem Alexander) are attempting to keep this whole affair on the down low, insisting any information about their children’s luxurious education is strictly private. We wonder why…

The House of Orange-Nassau has drawn a lot of criticism in recent years for enjoying an “ostentatious” lifestyle. This was partly why they stopped using their flashy golden horse-drawn carriage: 

Enjoying the youngest child treatment 

At sweet 16, Princess Ariane is the youngest of three daughters, and likely receiving the “‘youngest child treatment”’ from the already excessively indulgent Dutch royal family. 

Don’t forget, these are the same people who, in the middle of coronavirus restrictions, threw their daughter Amalia a shameless shindig for her 18th birthday that garnered a crowd of nearly 100 alcohol-fuelled guests.

READ MORE | Princess Amalia’s birthday party had way too many guests

Not to mention the family’s ill-timed jet-setting in October of 2020 to bask in the Greek sun instead of adhering to lockdown measures like everyone else — which the King followed up with an awkward, half-hearted apology.

READ MORE | Royal family returns from Greek holiday after 24 hours following outrage

Perhaps Ariane, the baby of the family, will have a similar extravaganza for her going-away party. 

Whatever happens, us muggles will be here to witness it, mouths agape, as crop dusters draw a portrait of her face in the skyline. (No hate though, Ariane, you’re still an icon). 

two-young-people-sailing-at-uwc-school
Need to blow off steam during the stressful exam season? You can just take a quick sail outing in the school courtyard (which happens to be an ocean). Image: UWC Adriatic

Enjoy your “holistic” studies, princess! Ignore us, we’re just jealous. 

How does this compare to your high school experience? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

Feature Image:UWC Adriatic
Ellen Ranebo
Ellen Ranebo
As someone half Swedish and half Irish who has lived in the Netherlands, the UK, and attended an American School, Ellen is a cocktail of various nationalities. Having had her fair share of bike accidents, near-death experiences involving canals, and miscommunications while living here (Swedish and Dutch have deceptively similar words with very different meanings), she hopes to have (and document) plenty more in future.

1 COMMENT

  1. I attended UWC Adriatic and I can tell you it is everything else but a luxury resort. It offers great sport activities, social service and allows you to learn a lot of instruments, but the food and the accomodation are definitely not royal. Yes, they pay a lot of money and yes you can debate whether that is justified. However, not everyone pays that money. Most of the students (at Adriatic) specifically receive a scholarship. So it is an elite school but it attempts to open up to a diversity of students. I am sure she will have a good time there discovering Osmizza, porto and Carso

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