nuAug 31, 2026, 11:51

Suspect in plot to attack Princesses Amalia and Alexia acquitted

A man accused of planning attacks against Princesses Amalia and Alexia has been acquitted by a Dutch court. The defendant, who suffers from schizophrenia, claimed he held a delusional belief that he was in a relationship with Princess Amalia and intended to use the weapons found in his possession for survival activities.

A Dutch court has acquitted a man identified as Van der H. of charges related to plotting attacks against Princesses Amalia and Alexia. Initially suspected of planning an assault and later an abduction, the defendant was arrested in January after shouting threats from a hotel balcony in The Hague. During the investigation, authorities discovered two axes engraved with the names of the princesses and other symbols, alongside a document referencing a massacre. The defendant, a resident of Uithuizen, suffers from schizophrenia and reportedly believed he was in a romantic relationship with Princess Amalia, claiming the axes were part of a survival kit meant for their future together.

Although medical experts stated the man requires long-term psychiatric treatment, the court determined there were no grounds to keep him in pretrial detention. The Public Prosecution Service had requested mandatory psychiatric care under a hospital order, but the current ruling has acquitted him of the specific criminal plot allegations. The legal proceedings highlight the complexities of cases involving individuals suffering from severe mental health delusions directed toward public figures.

Politics Culture Netherlands World

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Based on reporting by nu. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

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